ENVIRONMENT Secretary Raphael Lotilla directed the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to pursue long-term solutions for Cebu’s solid waste system.
The order came following a fatal trash slide at the Binaliw sanitary landfill in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City on January 8, 2026.
The DENR Central Visayas issued a cease-and-desist order against the facility operator, Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc.
The order halted all landfill operations and waste acceptance. Only rescue, retrieval, and cleanup activities were allowed to proceed.
Lotilla instructed technical teams to conduct a rapid appraisal of the site within 72 hours. This assessment will cover engineering, environmental, and geotechnical risks.
Teams will evaluate waste pile stability and drainage conditions.
The agency said it is also coordinating with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and local officials to remove barriers to alternative disposal sites.
Cebu City currently produces between 500 and 600 tons of garbage daily.
A technical conference will be convened with the facility operator, where it must submit a rehabilitation and mitigation plan within 90 days. This plan must address waste mound stability and leachate control.
As of Tuesday, January 13, 2026, the death toll from the Binaliw landfill collapse had reached 12. Rescuers continue to search for more than 25 missing workers.
The Cebu City Council has declared a state of calamity to address the waste disposal crisis. (EHP)