A WASTE facility worker died, while six others were injured after a landfill in the mountain barangay of Binaliw, Cebu City, collapsed past 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, following days of continuous rain.
The fatality and the injured were among at least 20 landfill workers trapped in the staff and housing areas, as well as the office of the landfill’s operator, Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc., according to Councilor Dave Tumulak, chairman of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
The incident raised concerns over the continued operation of the landfill.
Cause of collapse
Councilor Joel Garganera, chairman of the City Council committee on environment, said softened soil and accumulated waste gave way, partially burying houses within the landfill perimeter.
He said the facility operates as an open dumpsite, making it vulnerable to collapse during prolonged rainfall.
Emergency responders, including five ambulances, a rescue truck and police and traffic personnel, were deployed to the area.
Search, rescue and retrieval operations were ongoing, as there were indications that several workers remained buried beneath the rubble.
Damage assessment
Garganera said personnel from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office were deployed to conduct a drone assessment to determine the extent of the damage.
Mayor Nestor Archival, for his part, said the City Government will be coordinating with stakeholders at the landfill site to determine the next steps, including the possible suspension of operations.
“If they say it is no longer safe, we will stop operations and look for alternatives, considering the current volume of our garbage,” Archival said.
He said the City is also pushing stricter waste segregation and recycling to reduce the volume of garbage sent to the landfill while ensuring public safety. / CAV