Councilors: No long-term plan for Binaliw

CEBU, Philippines — Environment Committee chairperson Joel Garganera and fellow Councilor Harry Eran said Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc. (PrimeWaste) has yet to present concrete long-term plans to ensure the continued safe operation of the Binaliw landfill.

The two councilors were among those who conducted an ocular inspection of the Binaliw landfill following the Department of Environment and Natural Resources' (DENR) full lifting of the cease-and-desist order against the facility.

Garganera stressed that safety cannot be treated as partial or provisional.

“Dili ko makasulti nga mas maayo, kay pag-abot sa kaluwasan (safety), dili na 95%, 85%, o 50%—dapat 100% gyud na. Dili ta pwede magdula sa kinabuhi sa tao. So maghulat na lang ta sa assessment,” he said a day after the councilors conducted an ocular inspection of Binaliw.

He noted that while PrimeWaste's amended Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) allowed for 150,000 metric tons of waste, the company admitted to shifting waste downward to ease structural stress, effectively altering the landfill's capacity.

“So basically, kung mag-storya ta ana, ang atong kapasidad mausab na pud… So ang akong pangutana, unsa man ang atong kaogmaon? Unsa man ang inyong long-term plan?” Garganera added.

The councilors also said PrimeWaste has yet to present a plan to rebuild its collapsed materials recovery facility (MRF) or commit to pursuing waste-to-energy (WTE) technology.

Garganera said the landfill should be supported by proper facilities, including an MRF, water treatment facility, leachate pond and administration office, but no clear direction has been laid out.

“Why not WTE? Silay pasultihon, ganahan kayo sila, but they still have to wait for the plans of the higher ups nila,” he added.

The ocular inspection was conducted as an offshoot of an earlier executive session, with the council insisting that safety, capacity and environmental compliance must first be thoroughly scrutinized before any bidding or renewed use of the landfill.

The inspection also came amid Cebu City's worsening garbage situation, with barangays struggling to cope with daily backlogs and delays at transfer stations.

Cebu City's 10-year solid waste management plan, approved by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) several years ago, laid out strategies to reduce dependence on landfills, strengthen barangay-level MRFs and explore WTE technologies.

However, implementation has stalled, leaving the city dependent on stopgap measures.

Garganera lamented that more than a year after public hearings on a proposed WTE facility in Guba, the city still has no lasting solution to its garbage problem.

“One year and three months, wala gyud tay malungtaron nga solusyon sa atong basura… On a daily basis kung maka salbar tag 35 tonelada, asa man padong ang atong 600 tonelada? And that’s the big question,” he said.

He added that while waste segregation efforts are commendable, it will take years before they can significantly reduce the volume of garbage being generated daily.

“Nagadayeg ta niya aning segregation, but common-sense dictates nga that will take time. In Japan, seven years to reach 30 percent,” Garganera said.

Eran, himself a former barangay captain like Garganera, expressed concern for barangay officials and residents struggling to cope with the situation.

“Lisod kaayo ang kahimtang sa mga barangay,” he said, noting that garbage trucks face long queues at transfer stations, delaying collection and reducing efficiency.

He stressed the need for the mayor, the City Council and other stakeholders to sit down together and chart a clear direction for the city's waste management program.

Mayor Nestor Archival is currently in Yokohama, Japan, where he is participating in the Asia-Pacific Circular Cities Forum 2026 from September 2 to 5.

The event highlights zero-waste practices and circular economy transitions.

While his participation underscores Cebu City's commitment to sustainability, the councilors said they hope the mayor returns with actionable insights that could help align the city's waste management efforts with its 10-year plan and address the immediate garbage crisis.- FPL (CEBU NEWS)