Cebu City Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. has filed a resolution seeking an investigation into the renewed accumulation of mixed garbage at the South Road Properties (SRP) Pond A, warning that the situation poses significant environmental risks and exacerbates the city's ongoing waste management crisis.
Proposed Investigation
In his proposed resolution, Alcover called on the Cebu City Council’s environment committee to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into reports that large volumes of mixed waste have piled up anew at the site. This comes despite earlier assurances from the city administration that the area had been cleared of garbage.
Alcover emphasized that the SRP Pond A was intended only as a temporary transfer station, where waste should remain for no longer than 24 hours before being hauled to Aloguinsan for final disposal. However, inspections revealed that garbage has been left for extended periods, effectively turning the site into an open dumpsite.
Environmental Concerns
The resolution also raises alarms over reports that portions of the garbage piles have encroached on nearby mangrove areas, threatening coastal ecosystems and wildlife habitats surrounding the SRP. This development contradicts earlier directives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) 7, which had issued a cease and desist order for dumping operations in the area.
Alcover stressed the need to determine whether private haulers, barangays, contractors, and concerned city departments are complying with waste disposal protocols and environmental regulations. The investigation aims to review measures to prevent further environmental degradation, ensure transparency in garbage hauling contracts, and identify long-term waste disposal solutions for Cebu City.
Waste Management Crisis
The city’s waste management challenges intensified following the January 8 collapse of the landfill in Barangay Binaliw, which killed 36 workers and one rescuer, and injured several others. The tragedy forced the suspension of operations at the landfill, operated by Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc., compelling the city to transport waste to other facilities, including Aloguinsan.
This arrangement significantly increased costs, with the city paying approximately P3,906 per ton for disposal in Aloguinsan, compared to the previous rate of P1,100 per ton at Binaliw. Moreover, the hauling contract with Aloguinsan has already reached its volume allocation limit, prompting the Cebu City Government to consider returning to Binaliw after the DENR partially lifted the cease and desist order. The DENR-EMB 7 allowed limited operations in a separate engineered landfill cell under strict environmental and safety conditions while rehabilitation work continues at the facility.
Once approved, copies of the proposed resolution will be furnished to Mayor Nestor Archival’s office, the Department of Public Services, the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office, and Pinoy Basurero Corp. for appropriate action and compliance.
