CEBU City Mayor Nestor Archival has again urged residents to strictly follow waste segregation rules, pointing out that recyclable materials can still be put to good use while also helping reduce landfill volume and city spending.
Archival met on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, with personnel from the Department of Public Services (DPS), including garbage truck drivers and loaders from both the north and south districts, to reinforce the City’s “No Segregation, No Collection” policy.
During the mandatory meeting, held on the ninth floor of the Executive Building, Archival said close coordination with frontline workers is key to ensure uniform and consistent enforcement of the policy across all barangays.
Archival stressed that proper waste management is not only an environmental responsibility but also an economic opportunity. He noted that recyclables can be sold and repurposed, creating value from what was once considered mere waste.
Under the renewed directive, DPS personnel were ordered to actively disseminate information in their respective barangays, down to the household level, to ensure residents are informed that mixed waste, combining biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials, will no longer be accepted once full enforcement begins.
The City Government will focus on information dissemination from Jan. 1 to 15 to give households enough time to adjust before stricter implementation.
Compost
Archival explained that biodegradable (malata) waste will be brought to the landfill for processing into compost, while non-biodegradable recyclable materials will be sold.
Recyclables such as plastics, once shredded, can be reused in industrial processes, including as components for cement, where demand remains high.
Meanwhile, Solid Waste Management Board member Emma Ramas said biodegradable waste should ideally be managed at the household level.
“In my personal opinion, the malata should not be collected. Each household should take care of their biodegradable waste, use it to grow food or even earn from it,” Ramas said.
She suggested that surplus compost or organic produce could be sold, turning waste management into a small-scale livelihood.
Ramas also floated the idea of a neighborhood-based enterprise, where residents who cannot compost on their own could pay neighbors to process their biodegradable waste for a minimal fee, potentially creating income opportunities at the community level.
Options
Archival echoed similar ideas, saying the City is exploring options to purchase compost produced by households and distribute it to upland or agricultural areas, further closing the loop between urban waste and food production.
During the meeting, the mayor demonstrated proper waste segregation, sorting recyclable materials himself to emphasize that discipline starts at home.
He said biodegradable waste is now increasingly being transformed into compost rather than dumped indiscriminately in landfills, a move he described as crucial to building a cleaner and greener Cebu City.
Archival urged residents to support recycling initiatives that convert plastic waste into useful materials, as these efforts help cut hauling and disposal costs, ease pressure on landfills and allow the City to save funds that can be redirected to essential public services.
He expressed confidence that through sustained public education, active barangay participation and firm enforcement, proper waste segregation can finally become a daily habit among Cebuanos.
He said the combined approach of hands-on leadership and system-wide enforcement reflects Cebu City’s continuing commitment to environmental protection, sustainability and responsible urban governance. / CAV