CEBU City is eyeing the declaration of a state of calamity due to disruptions in waste management and public safety concerns following the Binaliw landfill collapse on January 8, 2026.
Councilor Dave Tumulak, head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC), said he will propose the declaration Tuesday, January 13, 2026, in response to the ongoing garbage crisis and health hazards.
Tumalak said the state of calamity declaration is also due to the fire that occurred in Barangay Tejero on January 10, 2026, along with ongoing health hazards in the area and the city's garbage crisis.
He also noted that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued a cease-and-desist order for 30 days in Barangay Binaliw, limiting the garbage disposal.
Tumulak said this initiative aims to address concerns related to limitations in garbage disposal, potential health hazards in affected areas, and the ongoing search and retrieval operations at the landfill site. (Bryce Ken Abellon, correspondent)