CEBU, Philippines — Amid Cebu City’s unresolved garbage crisis, the City Council is demanding a full accounting of the city’s rising waste disposal costs as a local engineering firm offers to install a high-capacity solid waste management system.
During its latest session, City Councilor Harold Kendrick Go filed a resolution directing the Executive Department to submit within 15 days a Comprehensive Solid Waste Financial and Operational Sustainability Report.
The measure directs the Department of Public Services, City Budget Office, City Treasurer’s Office, Bids and Awards Committee, City Accounting Office, and other concerned agencies to provide details on appropriations, obligations, procurement history, equipment condition, and projected requirements.
Go said the city is spending between P4.2 million and P4.5 million daily to haul garbage to Aloguinsan following the collapse of the Binaliw landfill. He warned that the expenses could drain funds needed for healthcare, flood control, education, and other essential services.
The resolution calls for a comprehensive report covering current appropriations and fund status, actual operating costs, projected financial requirements, procurement history, alternative disposal facilities, the rehabilitation status of Binaliw, barangay-level performance, equipment and fleet condition, outstanding liabilities, and a proposed 2027 solid waste management budget.
It also requires a five-year sustainability projection, risk assessment, and comparative cost matrix of available disposal options.
Go had earlier filed measures seeking short- and long-term waste management plans, citing complaints of uncollected garbage, foul odors, and health risks.
He also criticized the Executive Department for poor communication, saying councilors often learned about operational changes from barangay captains or media reports rather than directly from city officials.
Meanwhile, Suki Trading Corporation submitted a Letter of Intent to Mayor Nestor Archival offering to supply, deliver, install, test, and commission its Advanced Waste Solution with Environmental Pollution Control Device 500 (AWS-EPCD500) and Automatic Mechanical Garbage Segregation Machine.
Signed by Suki President and CEO Engr. Victoriano Ocon, the proposal offers a processing capacity of 700 tons of mixed municipal solid waste daily under a 20-hour operating schedule.
“The proposed system is designed to help the City strengthen its solid waste management program by reducing landfill dependency, improving waste segregation, and promoting environmentally responsible waste processing,” Ocon wrote.
The AWS-EPCD500 is designed to convert residual waste into ash while controlling harmful emissions. The segregation machine mechanically separates recyclable materials, organics, and residual waste.
The package includes pollution control devices, accessory equipment, and a steel shed to house the facility, which the company said it would donate to the city upon completion.
Suki Trading also committed to train city personnel as part of its technology-transfer program.
The company said similar systems have been deployed in Dumaguete, Lapu-Lapu, Malolos, and by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
Archival had earlier acknowledged the urgency of finding long-term solutions, noting that Cebu City generates between 700 and 1,200 tons of waste daily.
His office has since endorsed the Letter of Intent to the City Council for inclusion in Tuesday’s, September 29, regular session agenda, putting the proposal before the council for deliberation. — /FPL (FREEMAN)