Man fined P3K for dumping waste at sea

CEBU, Philippines — A man caught on video dumping garbage into the sea in Barangay Pasil has pledged to help guard the coastline and discourage residents from indiscriminately throwing waste into the water as part of his community service, aside from paying fines for his violations.

Authorities identified the man as Juanito Sandoval, who was tracked down by operatives of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Station 6 after a concerned citizen submitted video footage of the incident on June 1, 2026.

Sandoval admitted to the violation after he was brought before Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival at City Hall. He explained that he had been cleaning the road near the Pasil Fish Market but also ended up throwing the collected garbage into the sea.

The Cebu Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team (CESET) issued him three citation tickets for violating Cebu City Ordinance 1361 or the Anti-Littering Ordinance, Ordinance 2031 on the Segregation of Waste at Source, and Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

Aside from paying a total of P3,000 in fines, Sandoval was also required to help spread awareness on proper waste disposal practices.

In his apology, he pledged to act as a “watchman” in the area.

“Ako nay magbantay didto kung naay manglabay… Akoy mubadlong didto… mangayo lang kog pasaylo,” said Sandoval.

Mayor Archival, who went live on social media to address the incident, accepted the apology but reminded Sandoval to caution his neighbors against following his example.

The mayor emphasized that while government cleanup operations can remove garbage, only community discipline can prevent waste from returning to the coastline.

“The future of our environment depends not only on what government does, but on what each of us chooses to do every day,” Archival said.

The incident comes amid Cebu City’s intensified efforts to clear the Pasil-Ermita coastline of accumulated waste.

Archival earlier reported that around 90 percent of the garbage along the coastline has already been removed through the combined efforts of the Cebu City Government, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Barangays Pasil and Ermita, and various cleanup teams.

However, the city government previously acknowledged the challenges of sustaining the cleanup operations.

Concerns had been raised over the transfer of dredged garbage to South Road Properties (SRP) Pond A, which the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) prohibited due to the risk of contamination and possible damage to mangroves in the area.

The mangroves serve as vital ecological buffers and breeding grounds for marine life, making their protection critical to Cebu’s coastal health.

Despite visible progress in the cleanup drive, officials acknowledged that cleanup efforts alone are insufficient.

The Pasil shoreline, long burdened by waste flowing from upstream barangays and drainage systems, requires stricter enforcement of environmental ordinances and active community participation to prevent garbage from accumulating again.

Sandoval’s case, officials said, illustrates the fragile balance between government action and citizen responsibility. His transformation from violator to reluctant advocate underscores the need for individual accountability to complement official cleanup initiatives.

For Archival and the city government, keeping the coastline clean depends not only on fines and enforcement, but also on the everyday choices made by residents.

“I am asking every Cebuano: Please help us protect our rivers and coastal waters. Dispose of waste properly and encourage others to do the same,” Archival said.

“The future of our environment depends not only on what government does, but on what each of us chooses to do every day. Let’s keep Cebu City clean—together.” — (FREEMAN)