The Cebu provincial government has commenced the construction of advanced membrane bioreactor (MBR) sewage treatment plants in eight provincial hospitals to enhance wastewater management and environmental sustainability.
Groundbreaking at Oslob District Hospital
In a Facebook post on Saturday, July 4, Capitol Piso Health Consultant Elisse Nicole Catalan announced that the new systems use microorganisms and fine filtering membranes to treat wastewater for non-potable reuse. Governor Pamela Baricuatro led the groundbreaking ceremony for the PHP 8.4-million eco-friendly facility at Oslob District Hospital, the first of eight locations. Similar facilities are also being built in Carcar, Argao, Minglanilla, Bantayan, Pinamungajan, Camotes, and Tuburan.
Response to Audit Findings
This infrastructure expansion follows a SunStar Cebu report on December 3, 2025, which revealed that the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged Cebu Provincial Hospital–Balamban, Cebu Provincial Hospital–Carcar City, Isidro C. Kintanar Memorial Hospital–Argao, and Minglanilla District Hospital for violations in hospital waste and wastewater disposal under the previous administration.
In another SunStar Cebu report on December 13, the Capitol outsourced medical waste operations for its 16 provincial hospitals to Cleanaway Philippines under a one-year contract for 2026 to address compliance issues. According to Assistant Administrator Aldwin Empaces, the contract serves as an urgent and proper solution while the administration pursues a long-term plan to build its own local waste processing facility.
Thermal Decomposition Under Study
Following an April 14, 2026 report on illegal dumping of medical waste along a roadside in Barangay Cogon, Bogo City, Catalan stated that the province is also exploring thermal decomposition as a medical waste management method.
The new wastewater facilities are designed to treat daily hospital waste to ensure proper sanitation, patient safety, and compliance with environmental laws across the province's health network.
