The garbage problem in Cebu City is becoming unbearable. Visible piles of waste at the temporary garbage transfer station in Pond A of the South Road Properties (SRP) are now emitting foul odors, affecting nearby establishments.
SRP's Costly History Now a Dumpsite
Cebu City spent heavily to develop the SRP. In 1995, the city government borrowed 12.315 billion yen (approximately P4.65 billion at that time) from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) through the Land Bank of the Philippines. The debt was fully paid in 2022 after 27 years, during the term of then-Mayor Mike Rama, making Cebu City debt-free. However, the SRP has now been turned into a dumping ground, a situation that would sadden former Mayor and now Vice Mayor Tommy Osmeña, the father of the SRP project.
Waste Crisis Worsens After Landfill Landslide
The garbage problem in Cebu City has been longstanding but worsened after the Binaliw landfill landslide on January 8, which killed 36 people and injured 16 workers. The landfill's operations were suspended. The Binaliw landfill was supposed to be the nearest disposal site for Cebu City. Officials scrambled to find alternative sites, reaching as far as Aloguinsan and Consolacion towns. However, due to the incident, officials ensured that the Binaliw landfill's operations would be safe.
While the investigation was ongoing, the City Council was unaware that the Cebu City Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) had already granted a business permit to Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc., the operator of the Binaliw landfill, to resume operations on April 17.
DENR Partial Lifting of Cease and Desist Order
Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) 7 announced on May 1 the partial lifting of its cease and desist order (CDO) on the Binaliw landfill. Councilor Joel Garganera questioned the issuance of a business permit to the landfill while the investigation into whether its operations are safe following the garbage landslide is still ongoing.
