Cebu City diverts garbage after Binaliw landfill collapse

Cebu City has begun diverting garbage to a temporary dumpsite at Asian Energy in Consolacion following the collapse of the Binaliw landfill, according to Liga ng Barangay President Franklyn Ong.

Ong said the Department of Public Services (DPS) confirmed that waste collection and dumping operations at the temporary site will start this afternoon and will continue until further notice, as city officials work on a longer-term solution for solid waste disposal.

The Binaliw landfill, Cebu City’s primary disposal facility for household and commercial waste, has been operating for decades and processes hundreds of tons of garbage daily.

Its recent partial collapse resulted in at least five reported deaths and dozens of missing persons, prompting authorities to urgently divert waste to an alternative site to reduce health risks and environmental contamination.

Ong said the establishment of a temporary dumpsite would allow garbage collection in the city to continue while recovery operations and safety assessments are ongoing at Binaliw.

Even before the incident, Ong said the city mayor had planned to implement a Solid Waste Management Program amounting to P2.1 million, to be sourced from the P8.5 million Local Development Fund allocated to each barangay.

The proposed program is scheduled for discussion during the Development Council meeting on January 21 and is aimed at strengthening waste management practices across the city.

The Executive Department, through the Solid Waste Management Board, has also been coordinating with barangays to ensure the proper and consistent implementation of waste segregation at source.

This initiative is expected to begin in February and is considered a key component of the city’s overall solid waste management strategy.

In December 2025, the Liga ng Barangay raised several concerns during Solid Waste Management Board discussions, including the limited number of garbage trucks, fuel and operational costs associated with waste disposal at the Binaliw landfill, and the need for increased city government support to improve waste segregation at the barangay level.

Ong said these concerns continue to be addressed through ongoing coordination and operational planning.

The temporary dumpsite at Asian Energy is expected to receive waste from multiple barangays, easing the immediate burden on households and commercial establishments while city authorities finalize longer-term disposal arrangements.

“With the situation in Binaliw, the Liga ng Barangay has been in close coordination with the DPS and the Office of the Mayor to identify practical and timely solutions,” Ong said.

He added that the group’s priorities include preventing the accumulation of garbage in homes and businesses, ensuring uninterrupted waste collection services, and enforcing existing waste management policies across the city.