Cebu City targets full site clearing at Binaliw landslide within the week

CEBU CITY—Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, in a series of multi-sector meetings following the tragic Binaliw landslide and confirmed multiple casualties received as joint and inter-agency responders from the City, Province and national government agencies continue the clearing and retrieval operations as the City authorities are still verifying reports of additional bodies in the area.

 

In a post-Sinulog press conference at City Hall, mayor Archival said that depending on weather conditions, the City targets within the last two weeks of January for full site clearing.  However, to express solidarity with affected families, the City conducted house-to-house visits to the victims on January 21, and burial expenses for fatalities are fully shouldered, and assistance is being arranged to support families who lost household breadwinners.

 

On January 22, mayor Archival with Cebu officials and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had a coordination meeting at the Cebu Provincial Capitol with DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla and discussed immediate and long-term waste management measures following the Binaliw landfill incident.

 

At the meeting officials identified alternative waste disposal sites and options, including the use of new technologies and materials recovery facilities (MRFs); highlighted the importance of close coordination and formal consultations with local government units where potential alternative disposal sites may be located.  

Mayor Archival, meanwhile, shared the city government’s ongoing follow-up efforts with Prime Waste Solutions regarding its commitment to set up a transfer station on its unused property in Barangay Binaliw.

“We are closely coordinating with the DENR which serves as the lead agency in the investigation and we are committed to fully cooperate.  We are also meeting with DSWD and DOLE regarding financial aid, employment assistance and livelihood programs particularly for unemployed family members and women affected by the incident. While details are still being finalized, assistance from national agencies is already confirmed,” Archival told the media in one of his press conferences last week. 

The City also conveyed the request of affected families for the media to refrain from posting sensitive content related to the victims out of respect and to exercise restraint and sensitivity in coverage, the mayor said.

Mayor Archival expressed gratitude to all responders and supporters, including national agencies, the BJMP, the Armed Forces, local government units, private companies, and volunteers. Formal recognition is planned during a charity day program.

In a related development, Cebu City urgently sought alternative landfill sites after being granted a 30-day extension to temporarily dispose of waste at the Consolacion landfill in Barangay Polog. 

Archival said the city is in active negotiations with landfill operators in Bogo City, Minglanilla, and Aloguinsan towns to ensure uninterrupted waste management once the temporary arrangement expires. The city’s waste crisis intensified following the collapse of the Binaliw landfill earlier this month, which killed 36 workers and one volunteer rescuer. 

DENR-Central Visayas subsequently ordered the suspension of landfill operations at the site, except for rescue and cleanup, pending compliance requirements from the operator, Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc.

 

Cebu City has relied on the Consolacion landfill for short-term relief, though officials acknowledged the facility is also receiving waste from other local government units, raising capacity and environmental concerns. 

 

 “With the 30-day deadline now in effect, we are accelerating our talks with prospective landfill hosts and following up on Prime Integrated Waste Solutions’ commitment to establish a transfer station in Barangay Binaliw,” the mayor bared.

Archival also noted the urgency of the garbage/waste situation in Cebu City with the recent Sinulog Festival cleanup operations, where nearly 700 tons of garbage were collected citywide, with almost half gathered along the parade route alone.

“I am urging the public to manage their own waste at home and practice proper segregation, noting that plastics collected during the festivities are set to be recycled. The City reaffirms our commitment to public safety, environmental protection, and the pursuit of sustainable and compliant waste management solutions,” Archival said during the January 19 Post-Sinulog press conference.