BARANGAY captains are sounding the alarm as uncollected garbage piles up across the city, a direct consequence of the Binaliw landfill closure. The facility was shuttered following a tragic trash slide that claimed the lives of 36 workers, leaving local leaders struggling with inadequate transport and distant disposal sites.
In Mambaling, one of the city’s most populous areas, the crisis has highlighted a severe shortage of equipment. Barangay Captain Roseller Salvador said on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, that even his fleet of four trucks cannot keep pace with the volume.
“Even five trucks are not enough,” Salvador said. “If we fail to dispose of waste for even one day, the impact is huge.”
Meanwhile, in Poblacion Pardo, Barangay Captain Danilo Lim cited two major hurdles:
Distance: With Binaliw closed, trucks must travel to Consolacion. Traffic congestion and the long route have created massive collection backlogs.
Resources: Logistics are being squeezed by a 30 percent cut in fuel subsidies — dropping from 500 liters to just 350 liters per allocation.
SunStar Cebu tried to reach Cebu City Administrator Albert Tan and City Budget Officer Roseny Reyes to seek comment on the reduction in fuel subsidies but received no response.
Logistics gap
Mayor Nestor Archival previously announced a P8 million allocation for each barangay to establish localized shredding facilities. However, several barangays lack appropriate locations to house the facilities.
“The City has the budget, but our problem is where to place the facility,” Lim said, noting the lack of available land in densely populated urban barangays.
Barangay captains urged the City Government to immediately identify alternative and closer garbage disposal areas, saying long travel — particularly to Consolacion — combined with traffic congestion and limited trucks continue to delay garbage collection.
The barangay captains also urged the City Government to pursue long-term planning, warning that temporary fixes would not be enough to address the city’s worsening garbage problem.
Despite the operational difficulties, barangay officials said they are strengthening local initiatives to manage waste more effectively.
Action plan
Despite the systemic failures, barangay leaders are launching localized enforcement measures to reduce waste volume.
In Mambaling, Salvador said the barangay will strictly enforce a “No Segregation, No Collection” policy.
In Kinasang-an, Barangay Captain Susan Enriquez said her barangay will focus on public education through house-to-house visits and waste segregation seminars.
In Poblacion Pardo, Lim said he is lobbying for nearer alternative disposal sites.
Barangay officials warned that without a long-term strategic plan from the City, temporary fixes will not sustain the city’s growing waste demands. They are calling for immediate identification of closer disposal sites to alleviate the strain on their aging truck fleets and limited fuel budgets. / Jean Llaneta, Jasten Arrogante, BiPSU interns