Cebu City Defies Environmental Bureau, Uses SRP as Illegal Waste Dump
An aerial photograph has revealed a massive pile of garbage dumped in a vacant lot near Pond A at the Cebu South Road Properties (SRP), just meters from the closed Inayawan Sanitary Landfill. This action comes despite the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 7 explicitly disapproving the use of this site as a temporary waste holding area.
EMB's Formal Rejection and Environmental Concerns
In a letter dated January 15, 2026, then DENR 7 director Ma. Victoria Abrera informed Cebu City Administrator Albert Tan that the agency could not approve the City Government's request to temporarily place collected garbage at the site beside Pond A within the SRP. The city had proposed this location as a contingency area amid problems with its existing waste management facilities.
However, Abrera stated that the location failed to meet mandatory requirements under Republic Act 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. The EMB cited several critical reasons for rejecting the proposal:
- The site's proximity to water bodies: "Environmental standards strictly prohibit waste facilities near water bodies to prevent contamination and leachate seepage into the water table and the sea," the letter reads.
- Zoning incompatibility: The SRP is not zoned for waste handling, and the proposed site does not meet required environmental safety buffers under Section 25 of RA 9003.
- Operational issues: Even with protective measures like liners and deodorizers, the site's closeness to public spaces and water bodies makes it unsuitable for temporary storage. Waste in transfer stations must not remain for more than 24 hours to prevent environmental nuisance.
The EMB advised the city to identify an alternative site farther from water sources and consistent with the land use plan, offering technical assistance for evaluation.
City's Defiance and Ongoing Waste Crisis
Despite this disapproval, the City Government proceeded to transport garbage to the SRP area after Abrera was reassigned. The new EMB 7 regional director is John Edward Ang. This move occurs as Cebu City scrambles to find disposal alternatives following the closure of the Binaliw Sanitary Landfill after a January 8 trash slide that killed 36 individuals.
The closure forced the city to haul garbage to distant facilities, such as a site in Aloguinsan, increasing costs and logistical challenges after Asian Energy in Polog, Consolacion stopped accepting the city's garbage.
Monitoring Findings and City's Response
In a compliance monitoring report dated February 16, Ang noted several environmental concerns at the SRP site from a January 21 inspection:
- Presence of mixed municipal waste
- Absence of impermeable liners and leachate collection systems
- Lack of odor and vector control measures
- Proximity to Pond A, posing risks of soil and water contamination
The EMB urged the city to cease waste storage, expedite transfer to an authorized landfill, establish a compliant transfer station, and strengthen waste segregation at the barangay level.
In response, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, in a February 20 letter, informed the EMB that the city was arranging waste transfer to Aloguinsan to minimize environmental impact. The City Government reissued directives to barangays for strict waste segregation and requested technical guidance from EMB Region 7 to strengthen implementation of environmental laws like RA 9003 and RA 9512.
Current Status and Political Reactions
In a March 6 interview, Archival said waste at the SRP site would be removed within days, with operations continuing only until March 15. He clarified that a small transfer station would remain, but waste would be collected and immediately transported to Aloguinsan. The city has also instructed haulers to identify alternative temporary storage locations.
Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera, chairperson of the council's committee on environment, expressed concern that the SRP site functions more like a dumpsite than a compliant transfer station. He noted uncertainty about DENR approval and pointed to models like Mandaluyong City's efficient transfer structure.
City Environment and Natural Resources Office head Editha Peros confirmed ongoing hauling operations and recommendations to expedite waste removal. The status of the city's application for a concrete, ground-free transfer station, similar to Marikina City's facility, is still being worked out by the Department of Public Services.
