BACOLOD City Mayor Greg Gasataya has inspected the sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, to ensure that the landfill collapse incident in Cebu City will not happen in Bacolod.
On January 8, 2026, a waste facility worker died, while six others were injured after a landfill in the mountain barangay of Binaliw, Cebu City, collapsed.
"We want to ensure the compliance of the city's new garbage hauler, a joint venture composed of International Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialists Inc. (I-Swims), D.C. Sandil Construction and Realty Development Inc., and San Igmedio Builders Incorporated," Gasataya said.
He said I-Swims should comply with the soil covering and sloping, among others.
He added that during the inspection, I-Swims provided additional trucks and lanes for the dump trucks toward the landfill.
The mayor noted that I-Swims will also start the construction of sanitary landfill Cell No. 5, which is adjacent to the Cell No. 4, this month.
Gasataya said the Cell No. 5, with a total budget of P65 million and composed of two hectares, is expected to be completed within six months.
Councilor Homer Bais, chairperson of the City Council committee on environment and ecology, said I-Swims assured them that the landfill incident in Cebu City will not happen here.
"They are now conducting compacting and sloping of garbage to prevent the landslide," he said.
For his part, Mario Sandil, I-Swims operation manager, said they implemented some interventions to correct the project implemented by the previous garbage hauler.
He said they have an ongoing slope protection and soil covering of the garbage to avoid the landslide, adding that they are now compacting at least six meters of garbage at Cell No. 4.
Sandil said they are using a volcanic soil for compacting the garbage.
Also present during the inspection were Councilors Bais and Jude Thaddeus Sayson; City Administrator Atty. Mark Steven Mayo; Atty. Allyn Luv Dignadice, officer-in-charge of the Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office; Engr. Loben Ceballos, officer-in-charge of the City Engineer’s Office; and representatives from I-Swims.
Meanwhile, the City is also waiting for the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) to start the Bacolod Integrated Recycling and Technological Hub (Birth) in Barangay Felisa.
The facility, with a total budget of P160 million, will include the construction and site development of the Materials Recovery Facility, the supply and installation of furniture and equipment, and the implementation of electrical and lighting systems. (MAP)