Sinulog and waste-segregation campaign in Cebu City

Beyond Christmas/New Year, Cebu City extends its holiday celebration till the third Sunday of January each year for the Feast of the Sto. Niño, for Sinulog.

Like previous years, Sinulog is expected to attract millions of local and international guests, revelers, worshippers.

A parade of floats, performers, celebrities, and other participants from businesses, schools/media and more will be a major Sinulog highlight.

For the first time, this year’s celebration will also witness 2025 newly-elected local government officials of Cebu cities/municipalities jointly or separately observing the Sinulog Fiesta.

This will also be the first time that noted eco-advocates will be leading the Sto. Niño Feast and the Sinulog celebration.

For the Church, Cebu Archbishop Albert “Abet” Uy will lead the sacred observation of the Sto. Niño Feast while the secular Sinulog Fiesta celebration will be led by Mayor Nestor Archival.

Under their leadership, will the Sinulog celebration this year mark the beginning of a more effective management of waste for Cebu City?

During and after the festivities this January 2026, will the streets of Cebu City not be overwhelmed with so much volume of unsegregated waste like in previous years?

Have both leaders met to discuss and plan how to use Sinulog as the occasion for encouraging the public to comply with RA 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act) and to remember and practice Laudato Si and protect God’s planet and people, through responsible waste segregation throughout the Sinulog celebration?

An intensive waste segregation information campaign within churches (through sermons and circulars) and throughout all of Cebu City barangays before and during Sinulog will be a highly-appreciated welcome step for our environment/planet and our people!

The Cebu Archdiocese-led Anti-corruption rallies of 2025 always ended with waste-free and clean rally venues. Expectation is very high, therefore, that the Archdiocese of Cebu will lead all during the Sto. Niño Feast observance to keep God’s common home for all clean and waste-free!

Just as promising is the release of Mayor Archival’s executive brief that:

1.) “Announced The Cebu City Government’s “resumption of the full implementation of the “No Segregation, No Collection” ordinance effective 1 February 2026, in compliance with Republic Act 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act) and pursuant to the Mayor’s directive making solid waste reform a Q1 2026 priority;

2.) “Outlines the policy direction, implementation strategy, timeline, and accountability mechanisms required to ensure citywide readiness. The approach emphasizes massive public education, barangay-level systems readiness, livelihood creation, private sector cooperation, and firm but fair enforcement;

3.) “With the goal to significantly reduce waste sent to landfill, strengthen community responsibility, and demonstrate that disciplined waste segregation can improve both environmental outcomes and livelihoods.

“This Executive Brief serves as the guiding document for coordinated citywide action to enforce the law, protect the environment, and build a more disciplined and resilient Cebu City.”

Within January to the end of Quarter 1, 2026, Mayor Archival’s Executive Brief Implementation Matrix outlined major activities, key tasks assigned to lead offices and support units within specific timeframes and with clear output and indicators.

Organizationally, Mayor Archival will lead this year-long campaign, supported by the Cebu City Ecological Solid Waste Management Board, primary implementing departments (Department of Public Services for collection systems, enforcement coordination and Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office for technical guidance, IEC content, monitoring), and, the following as support units --Barangay Local Government Units, Barangay Affairs Office Liga ng Barangays, Public and Private Schools (DepEd and CHED), Mayor’s Management Improvement Program Team and civil society, faith-based organizations, and private sector partners.

This multilevel/multisectoral/participative waste segregation campaign aims, among others, to: a.) Have barangay baseline waste data/functional barangay waste exchange systems/high household segregation compliance/new livelihood opportunities for resource collectors, b.) Incentivize/reward pilot/model barangays, c.) Promote stronger partner/stakeholder collaboration for waste reduction.