City cited for violation of R.A. 9003: DENR closes SRP dumpsite

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-7, through its Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), has issued a notice of violation and ordered the Cebu City government to stop dumping garbage at the South Road Properties (SRP) after inspectors found that the city’s garbage transfer station had effectively become an open dumpsite.

The EMB confirmed that a cease-and-desist order (CDO) was issued on June 7 against the city government for operating without a permit to dump waste at the SRP site. City officials have been given 60 to 90 days to clear the accumulated garbage.

Engr. Rizalina Saberon, chief of the EMB’s clearance and permitting division, said the agency had already conducted an investigation and found grounds to halt the operation.

“For the SRP we already have conducted investigation, we sent somebody there to investigate the area… And aside from that there was already a CDO — cease and desist order,” she said.

She noted that city officials committed to clearing the area during a technical conference with EMB.

“Right now, during the inspection, ongoing ang ilang pag-clean up the area. We are monitoring this one with our staff at EMB… we’ve noticed they are already transferring it,” she added

Saberon stressed that Cebu City has no authority to dump garbage at the SRP site.

“No, there’s not. They do not have a permit. That is why they were called for a technical conference and there was a representative from LGU Cebu and during that time, there was a commitment to clean up the area.”

Given the volume of waste accumulated at the site, Saberon said the city would need between 60 to 90 days to complete the cleanup.

“Sixty to ninety days to clean up, yes, because it’s a very big area. And they have to transfer that from I think how many kilometers from Cebu City to Aloguinsan,” she said.

Saberon emphasized that EMB does not allow SRP to function as a transfer station that effectively serves as a dumpsite.

“As for EMB, we are not allowing to dump that. That’s why we called for a technical conference and they were given a cease-and-desist order… So during the technical conference, they committed to clean up because we required them to clean up the area.”

She warned that failure to comply with the order could result in further penalties.

“They have violation… kato pa lang daan. That is why they were called for a technical conference,” Saberon said.

Violation of R.A. 9003

Saberon disclosed that EMB had already issued a notice of violation to the city government, although the agency is not filing a formal case at this time.

“When you have a notice of violation, of course it carries penalties. We are not filing a case, but we have already given them a notice of violation so they can correct what they have done in the area. That is why corrective actions are ongoing,” she said.

The violation falls under Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act which requires waste segregation at source and prohibits open dumpsite.

While no formal environmental damage assessment has yet been documented, she acknowledged concerns about the foul odor emanating from the site.

Saberon admitted that EMB had not received formal complaints but learned of public concerns through social media posts.

Waste Crisis

DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Laudemir Salac said the SRP situation highlights the broader solid waste disposal crisis facing Cebu City following the closure of the Binaliw sanitary landfill.

“All of this happened after the Binaliw… we all know that the sudden stop of the operation has really had a very, very big impact on the disposal of solid waste in mega cities like Cebu City, number one as the biggest user of the landfill… Also other city like Mandaue also throwing there. So ang nagiging challenge is, where to dispose that garbage,” Salac said.

 He noted that while Aloguinsan remains operational, its distance from Cebu City significantly increases hauling costs. Meanwhile, the Minglanilla facility remains unavailable and the Consolacion landfill is undergoing rehabilitation.

“This is really a big challenge on the part of local governments,” Salac said.

The issue first gained attention in May when Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. raised concerns that garbage at SRP was remaining at the site for longer than the intended 24-hour period before being transported to Aloguinsan.

Alcover also warned that some waste had begun spilling toward nearby mangrove areas.

He subsequently filed a resolution directing the City Council's Committee on Environment to investigate possible violations, arguing that SRP was effectively operating as an open dumpsite.

In response, Mayor Nestor Archival pledged to clear the area within 15 to 30 days after an earlier cleanup operation in March. However, the target was not met, eventually leading to the issuance of the CDO.

How the crisis escalated

The city's waste disposal problems began on January 8, 2026, when the Binaliw landfill collapsed, killing 36 people and prompting DENR to shut down the facility.

The closure forced Cebu City to temporarily dispose of waste in Consolacion, but only for a limited period. With few alternatives available, the city began using SRP as a temporary transfer site despite lacking DENR authorization.

Archival initially committed to clearing the area by March 15 and succeeded in doing so. However, SRP continued operating as a transfer station for garbage collected from barangays and hauled to Aloguinsan.

By May, Alcover again sounded the alarm over a renewed buildup of garbage at the site. It was later discovered that the city's arrangement involving the SRP site had already expired.

Archival then promised another cleanup within 15 to 30 days but failed to meet the deadline. On June 7, 2026, DENR issued the cease-and-desist order, giving Cebu City 60 to 90 days to clear the area.

Rising Costs

The closure of Binaliw has also significantly increased the city's waste management expenses.

According to Archival, Cebu City now spends approximately ?4.2 million daily to transport around 700 tons of garbage to Aloguinsan, compared to only ?2.1 million per day when waste was disposed of at Binaliw.

“It costs about ?3,000 per ton in Binaliw, which comes to ?2.1 million daily for 700 tons. But transporting waste to Aloguinsan costs about ?6,000 per ton, including hauling, tipping fees, and equipment expenses, bringing the total to around ?4.2 million per day,” the mayor previously told reporters.

Despite the ongoing challenges, DENR expressed optimism that the Binaliw landfill could resume operations soon.

Salac said DENR had already issued a partial lifting order as rehabilitation work on the collapsed trench continues. An interim area has also been authorized to accept limited volumes of private waste as part of the facility's re-commissioning process.

“Kami naman kasi we really impose as it should be, policy kasi yan…but at the same time, intindihin din kasi natin you know the really problem is really solid waste …Republic Act 9003 states that segregation at source…Are we doing that? No, diba? Ang dami pa ring basura...mixed waste…and in fairness to the local government ang hirap e handle ng basura dito sa Cebu City. Siguro this is one, because of development…I hope in Binaliw, maging operational na yan..In Binaliw, big volume, Aloguinsan very very far,” Salac said.- with Preciosa Bacalso and Mitchelle Palaubsanon, FPL CEBU NEWS