The Cebu City Department of Public Services (DPS) is considering Block 27 in Barangay Mabolo as a temporary garbage transfer site to address piling trash and collection delays.
DPS head Paul Gelasque stated the site would allow trucks to drop off waste for consolidation using heavy equipment before larger trucks haul it to a final disposal facility, provided necessary permits are secured.
Councilors raised concerns over potential regulatory delays and inefficiency, noting the city generates 600 to 700 tons of daily waste following the closure of previous transfer and disposal locations.
CEBU City is struggling to keep up with its daily trash collection, leaving garbage piling up in several areas across the city. To help solve this problem, the Department of Public Services (DPS) is considering using Block 27 in Barangay Mabolo as a temporary garbage transfer site.
However, officials are still figuring out if the city can meet all the necessary permits and environmental rules needed to operate it safely.
DPS head Paul Gelasque explained to the Cebu City Council that Block 27 offers a large, open space where garbage trucks from both northern and southern barangays could drop off their collected waste.
"It’s like a transfer station," Gelasque told council members during a discussion about the city's ongoing garbage troubles.
Under the proposed setup, two payloaders and a backhoe would gather and consolidate the waste. After that, larger trucks would haul the garbage away to its final disposal facility.
Before the site can open, the city must first secure an environmental clearance and address other key operational rules. DPS is looking into these requirements while also considering building a unloading ramp to help trucks unload much faster.
However, the ramp idea is not new. Councilor Franklyn Ong pointed out that the ramp proposal was already presented back in January during an earlier meeting on solid waste management plans. The plan was supposed to be referred to the Department of Public Works and Highways, but months later, nothing has been built.
Ong questioned why the city is still discussing the exact same idea while the garbage crisis gets worse. He noted that a ramp would speed up the transfer process and remove the need to constantly shift trash from one truck to another.
Cebu City urgently needs a new site because it was forced to stop using its previous transfer location at the South Road Properties (SRP).
The city started using Pond A at the SRP after the Binaliw landfill closed in January. Trash from different barangays was taken to Pond A, packed together, and transported to a final disposal facility in Aloguinsan.
However, on June 7, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7 issued a cease-and-desist order against the SRP operation. The agency found that the city was operating without proper environmental clearances and permits. EMB 7 also discovered mixed waste on the site, stating that the temporary transfer station had turned into an illegal dumping area.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) gave the city 60 to 90 days to clear out all the accumulated garbage. While the city temporarily continued using the SRP due to a lack of immediate options, officials eventually shut down operations there. They tried shifting to a system where trucks collect garbage from designated barangay staging areas and haul it directly to the main disposal facility.
Now, Block 27 is being evaluated as the next possible transfer option, but it faces the exact same questions: can it legally and environmentally operate as a waste facility, and what safeguards must be put in place first?
Cebu City generates an estimated 600 to 700 tons of garbage every single day. Because EMB 7 issued an order affecting Binaliw, barangays can no longer drive their trash directly to the landfill every day.
The DPS tried moving waste around temporary areas, but as complaints from local barangay officials grew, the department started clustering trash and using heavy equipment to group it together. Councilor Ong criticized this method as "double handling"—where garbage is loaded, unloaded, consolidated, and loaded again before reaching its final destination. Councilors stressed that this process is inefficient and wastes city money.
Ong suggested that instead of constantly shifting trash between trucks, the city could buy or operate its own fleet of dump trucks. That way, barangays could haul waste straight to disposal facilities. Currently, a single truck making a long trip to an outside disposal facility spends most of the day on the road, leaving no time for a second collection run.
If trucks could unload at a nearby site like Block 27 and instantly return to their routes, collection across neighborhoods would speed up significantly.
The DPS acknowledged that its current hauling setup is not designed for daily collection from all barangays. Gelasque said the department is talking with its contractor to move to a daily schedule instead of splitting pickups between northern and southern areas.
However, a daily city-wide collection would require roughly 100 trucks every day. The current contract does not require the contractor to supply that many trucks. DPS plans to meet with the contractor to see if adjustments can be made. Councilors added that daily collections would also benefit the contractor, as more trips mean more business.
Councilors warned that the city cannot rely only on Binaliw, even if it eventually reopens, because all landfills eventually fill up. The city risks facing another crisis similar to the past closure of the Inayawan landfill.
City leaders are exploring alternative technologies like pyrolysis, which processes waste using high heat. Gelasque said he supports pyrolysis as long as it follows the law and gets proper permits. However, he cautioned that pyrolysis cannot completely replace landfills. The proposed pyrolysis equipment being discussed can only process around 400 tons a day, leaving 200 to 300 tons of daily waste that still needs another disposal home.
Councilor Harold Go suggested splitting the city's trash among neighboring local governments. While Gelasque mentioned that many nearby cities cannot handle Cebu City's high volume—noting that Consolacion previously capped Cebu City at 100 tons per day—Go argued that sending even smaller amounts to different sites prevents the city from relying on a single landfill.
For now, Block 27 remains the primary option to take pressure off the city's neighborhood collection routes. If approved, local barangay trucks can unload quickly near the city center while larger trucks handle the long-distance hauling.
Gelasque stated that the DPS has discussed these council recommendations and will coordinate with the executive department. Meanwhile, the City Council is urging the DPS to deliver a clear timeline and a solid long-term plan, emphasizing that Cebu City cannot simply sit back and wait for old landfills to reopen. /CAV