CEBU City banned quarrying and large-scale earth-moving in its mountain barangays in 2022 after deadly landslides exposed the dangers of disturbing unstable slopes. But as recent inspections in Barangay Binaliw show, some operators continue digging without permits, raising new safety and enforcement questions.
What triggered the issue
On July 24, 2025, inspectors from the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Ccenro), together with Binaliw village officials, found large-scale earth-moving beside the landfill. The work, carried out by private firms, had no permits. Excavators dug deep into fragile slopes. Thousands of truckloads of soil were hauled away.
Flagged companies:
JT Ayne Constructions – accused of hauling around 3,000 truckloads of soil from the property of Rogelio “Elyot” Ople. Ople admitted he allowed the excavation since November 2024, saying it was to level his land. Binaliw Barangay Captain Viviane Ruste confirmed the company had earlier asked permission to build a motor pool but called the excavation “excessively large.”
Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc. – operator of the Binaliw landfill, cited for earth-moving without a valid Cebu City Mining Regulatory Board (CCMRB) permit. Ccenro said its previous permit had already expired.
Powerplus Aggregates Systems Co. Ltd. – found operating heavy equipment, a crusher, and a washery near the Consolacion border. A company engineer said the lot had just been acquired from a certain “Patigayon,” though the deed of sale was not yet signed. He claimed the work was for a water impounding system to prepare for El Niño, not quarrying. Inspectors disagreed, saying the volume of soil removed suggested quarrying. Ironically, Patigayon himself filed a complaint that his adjacent lot had been damaged.
Barangay officials also raised concerns about a road opening project earlier initiated by former councilor Jerry Guardo, which had become a contentious access route to the Powerplus site. Residents in Sitio Sta. Ana complained about toll collections by a private lot owner and restricted access for at least 20 households.
Ccenro recommended a cease-and-desist order, citing violations of the Cebu City Mining Ordinance (City Ordinance 2115) and Executive Order (EO) 13 (Oplan Likay sa Landslide), which bans quarrying in upland areas.
Big question: What makes upland quarrying risky, why is it banned in Cebu City, and why do illegal operations keep resurfacing?
How do quarrying permits work
Quarrying is tightly regulated, but loopholes often allow illegal operators to thrive. Here’s how the system works:
Local permits:
Issued by City or Provincial Mining Regulatory Boards under the mayor or governor.
Cover sand, gravel, and common construction materials.
Valid for one year, renewable.
Require documents such as a survey plan, environmental compliance certificate, rehabilitation plan, and barangay consent.
National permits: Large-scale quarrying or projects that cross borders fall under the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Applicants need to submit technical studies, land ownership papers, operational plans, and environmental clearances.
Why some operators
skip compliance
Speed: Permits take months; some firms move ahead to save time.
Costs: Preparing environmental compliance certificates and surety bonds is expensive.
Weak enforcement: National agencies can’t monitor every remote site.
Political cover: Local leaders may look the other way if operations create jobs or income.
Looking back: The Cebu City Government’s ban on quarrying traces back to a string of disasters. In October 2022, heavy rains from severe tropical storm Paeng triggered a landslide in Sitio Garaje, Barangay Busay, that
buried homes and forced residents to evacuate.
Around the same time, smaller slope failures were reported in Sirao, Bonbon and Malubog, while parts of the Transcentral Highway suffered subsidence.
Geologists from the MGB 7 explained that Cebu’s upland areas rest on porous, karstic limestone. This type of bedrock is prone to sinkholes, ground subsidence, and slope failures, especially during heavy rain. An MGB 7 report in 2017 had already flagged Sirao as a high-risk zone, warning of cracks, depressions, and unstable cave systems.
In response, then-mayor Michael Rama issued EO 13 on Nov. 3, 2022. The order suspended quarrying and construction in 30 upland barangays, including Binaliw, and created a task force to monitor landslide risks.
Permits were placed on indefinite hold until experts could determine that the terrain was safe. The City has since invested in slope-protection works and relocated families from high-risk zones. A related initiative, Oplan Likay sa Baha, also remains in effect to address flooding hazards.
Why illegal excavations persist
Economic demand: Cebu’s construction boom fuels demand for aggregates like sand and gravel.
Landowner consent: Some landowners allow excavation on their property, unaware it still requires permits.
Loopholes: Firms sometimes apply for permits but continue operations even if denied.
Slow enforcement: Inspectors often respond only after complaints, by which time significant damage is done.
Who is affected
Families in upland sitios are the most vulnerable, facing heightened risks of landslides and flooding. Some residents have already lost portions of their land to erosion caused by unregulated digging.
Barangay leaders, meanwhile, find themselves in a difficult position, torn between welcoming projects that promise development and guarding their communities against environmental hazards.
For the city as a whole, illegal quarrying undermines disaster preparedness efforts and threatens to worsen flooding in lowland areas that are already prone to heavy runoff from the hills.
What the City did
On Aug. 27, 2025, Councilor Joel Garganera endorsed the Ccenro findings to the City Council. The report concluded that JT Ayne and Powerplus violated the Cebu City Mining Ordinance and EO 13.
Ccenro recommended that the CCMRB ask Mayor Nestor Archival to issue a cease and desist order. It also urged Barangay Binaliw to monitor activities more closely and convene a technical conference with property owners, Ccenro and CCMRB.
During the Tuesday, Sept. 2 council session, Councilor Harold Go moved to forward the case to the DENR for further action.
Looking ahead: Quarrying in Cebu City’s uplands is banned for a reason: the ground is fragile, and past disasters showed how easily slopes can give way. Yet illegal digging persists.
The City’s challenge is to balance safety and growth. For now, both Oplan Likay sa Landslide remain in force. Residents should watch whether enforcement tightens — and whether upland communities remain safe as development pressures mount. / CAV