The South Road Properties (SRP) in Cebu City, a hub for commerce, tourism, and modern development, has been marred by controversy after being used as a garbage transfer station without proper permits. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-EMB 7 issued a cease-and-desist order (CDO) on June 7, 2026, against the facility.
Environmental Violations
Under Republic Act 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act) and Presidential Decree 1586, any waste facility must secure the necessary environmental clearances. The accumulation of mixed waste near major establishments in SRP poses significant risks to both the environment and public health.
Rizalina Saberon of DENR-EMB 7 stated that the city was given 60 to 90 days to completely clean up the area. City officials, during a technical conference, promised to transfer the accumulated waste to a legally permitted disposal site.
City's Response
The city began hauling the waste on June 1, after the expiration of previous hauling agreement with Aloguinsan on May 17. City officials expressed confidence that the waste pile would be cleared before Mayor Nestor Archival's State of the City Address in July.
"We understand the shortage of sanitary landfills and the city's waste problem. However, the lack of alternative disposal sites is not a reason to violate environmental laws that the government itself should enforce," Saberon said.
The DENR is expected to continue strict monitoring of SRP to ensure it is not used as a dumping ground again. This challenge calls on Cebu City's leadership, under Mayor Nestor Archival, to prioritize and seriously address the long-standing waste problem through a legal, sustainable, and proper system.
We must not allow the SRP, which symbolizes progress, to become a symbol of lack of discipline and improper waste management.
