Councilor hits landfill permit

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Councilor Joel C. Garganera questioned why the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) granted Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc. (PIWSI) a business permit despite the ongoing investigation into the Binaliw landfill tragedy that claimed 36 lives in January this year.

Garganera said the landfill operator should not have been issued a permit while the investigation remains unresolved.

Lawyer Cherry Cutillar, BPLO legal officer, explained that PIWSI was able to comply with all regulatory requirements, leading to the issuance of its business permit on April 17, 2026.

According to the office, the company secured the necessary clearances, including a CENRO certificate, sanitary permit, and fire inspection certificate.

However, Garganera insisted that the permit should have been withheld because of the seriousness of the incident.

“Considering the gravity of the incident, 36 lives were lost, so ako ra nang kalimtan just because of the law that mandates that you have to act on such application within a period of time?” Garganera said.

He raised the issue during the public hearing on the proposed “Cebu City Solid Waste Facility Public Safety Ordinance of 2026” authored by Councilor Mikel Rama.

Meanwhile, after clearing tons of garbage along Barangay Pasil’s coastline, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has unveiled a series of measures aimed at sustaining the area’s cleanliness and preventing waste from returning to the shoreline.

Archival said the city government has sought funding assistance from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to relocate portions of the coastline and install trash traps to stop garbage from flowing back into coastal communities.

Barangay Pasil has long been one of Cebu City’s major garbage catchment areas because of its location, with waste from upstream barangays and drainage systems often ending up along its shoreline, creating sanitation and flooding problems.

Previous city administrations, particularly during the term of former mayor Michael Rama and former vice mayor Donaldo Hontiveros, also conducted cleanup drives in the area, hauling tons of garbage from the coastline. However, the problem persisted as waste continued to return with the tides and river flow.

The issue again drew public attention during preparations for the ASEAN Summit earlier this month when tarpaulins were placed along Sitio Mahayahay’s coastline, prompting criticism from observers who accused the city of concealing the problem instead of addressing it.

Heavy equipment was later deployed to remove the waste, although environmental advocates raised concerns after dredged mud and garbage were allegedly transferred near South Road Properties’ Pond A, an area previously restricted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) because of risks to nearby mangrove ecosystems.

The latest cleanup operation started two weeks ago, with the DPWH providing heavy equipment while the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) extended livelihood assistance to residents who joined the hauling operations. Barangays Pasil and Ermita also mobilized manpower for the effort.

Archival said around 90 percent of the accumulated garbage has already been cleared, but noted that waste carried downstream from other barangays and river systems remains a major challenge.

The cleanup is expected to be completed within the week. The mayor has also used his social media platforms to urge residents to stop throwing garbage into waterways.

To address the recurring problem, the city plans to install trash traps in several locations and deepen waterways to make waste collection easier.

“Next week, pag human gyud nato ug limpyo we will be putting trash trap sa mga kabaranggayan,” Archival said.

He added that the city will continue seeking DPWH funding to strengthen coastal defenses and relocate vulnerable shoreline portions alongside the proposed trash traps.

“We are asking DPWH for help for funding… Funding in the sense nga katong agianan sa garbage nga naa gyud sa atubangan, magbutang ta ug trap dha… trash trap. Unya ang iyang coastal, mangayo ta nga e-move gamay, kay the moment man gud nga naay bagyo, maigo ngadto ang mga tagbalay. Unya, ma lawm-lawm na siguro ang sapa or coastline, ang mga garbage mag lutaw na… sayun na lang nato pagkuha,” Archival said.

The city is also studying the implementation of a “kwarta sa basura” program under the Solid Waste Management Board, where residents could sell collected waste instead of dumping it into rivers.

“Kwarta sa basura, whether malate or di malate, we are just preparing the klaro nga steps on how to do that kay kahibaw man ta nga mulabay silag garbage, naa sa sapa, kuhaon nato at our own expense, the moment nga kuhaon nato, dalhon sa landfill, bayad na sad ta,” the mayor said.

“So ang idea sa Solid Waste Management Board nga instead them actually throwing to the rivers, ilang e-trap na daan ang garbage within them unya ato na silang paliton. That’s the main goal,” he added.

Archival stressed that sustained cooperation among barangays and residents is necessary to finally break the cycle of garbage reaccumulation in Pasil and maintain the area’s cleanliness. — Meriane Katherine Espina (FREEMAN)