SANITATION workers collected 1,000 tons of waste from the streets of Cebu City following the Sinulog Grand Parade festivities on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026.
Cleanup operations began just hours after the event concluded. Mayor Nestor Archival noted that the massive crowd contributed to the significant volume of trash, despite city-wide efforts to encourage proper disposal.
Archival stated that while the city’s daily garbage typically ranges from 500 to 600 tons, this year’s Sinulog pushed that figure to 1,000 tons. The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office estimated a crowd of 5.2 million, surpassing last year’s attendance.
Street sweepers cleared plastic and other debris along P. Del Rosario St., with large volumes also visible on Osmeña Blvd., General Maxilom Ave. and Imus Ave. along the parade routes.
By early Monday, Jan. 19, major roads and parade routes had been cleared—a feat credited to the Department of Public Services, the Barangay Enforcement Office, septage teams and the Emergency Environmental Response Team.
For next year’s Sinulog, Archival said the City is exploring strategies to improve waste management, including a proposal to require each festival contingent to form its own cleanup team.
In a shift toward sustainability, plastic bottles were segregated and sent to a transfer site rather than being dumped directly into landfills. Additionally, the City’s shredding machine has been relocated to the Carbon Public Market to aid composting and reduce local waste.
Archival has also requested that the National Government provide a shredder for every barangay, or allow them to allocate a portion of their financial assistance to procure their own units if stocks are unavailable. / EHP