THE sanitary landfill in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City may be closed if persistent complaints from nearby residents remain unresolved.
Mayor-elect Nestor Archival said that once he officially assumes office, he will hold discussions with the landfill operator Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc. to address the long-standing concerns of neighboring communities.
“Wala gyud ni ma-address ang kabaho ug ang tubig nga nagdagayday didto sa ubos (The stench and the water flowing down below have really not been addressed),” Archival said in a phone interview on Friday, June 6, 2025, referring to complaints from residents, including those in neighboring Consolacion, about the foul odor and contaminated water.
If the operator fails to resolve these issues, Archival said he will issue a warning in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Previous appeal
Previously, residents of Binaliw appealed to local officials to address the foul smell emanating from the garbage.
“Ato na sila tagaan og warning nga dili gani mo mokuan ana… i-close na nato eventually kung makadaot man gyud sa lawas sa atoang constituents (We will issue them a warning that if they don’t address this... we will eventually close it if it truly harms the health of our constituents),” he said.
Archival assured the public that any action will be done in a proper manner.
“But kinahanglan in a diplomatic way, tagaan nato sila’g chance. Dinhi man gud sa gobyerno, kinahanglan pud tang maminaw kung unsa ilang problema (it must be done in a diplomatic way, we must give them a chance. Here in the government, we also need to listen to their problems),” he said.
He said this approach aligns with his broader goal of reducing the volume of garbage brought to the landfill, which costs the City approximately P650 million annually.
Archival acknowledged that implementing measures to reduce waste volume will be challenging and may face public resistance. Still, he vowed to enforce a “no segregation, no collection” policy and implement composting measures citywide.
As an environmental advocate, Archival also plans a large-scale tree-planting initiative. He aims to plant 250,000 trees during his three-year term — matching the number of votes he received in the mayoral race.
He intends to work with barangay officials in the mountain areas to identify suitable planting sites. / JPS