The tragic landslide at the Binaliw landfill in Cebu City has now claimed 35 lives, with recovery teams still searching for one final missing individual. The disaster, which occurred on January 8, 2026, has ignited a sensitive debate between city officials and the landfill operator over how to classify the ongoing mission—a distinction that carries profound emotional weight for grieving families.
Rising Toll and the Search for Closure
Authorities confirmed the recovery of another body on Saturday, January 17, bringing the official death toll to 35. Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, who leads the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, stated that emergency teams are now concentrated on locating the sole remaining person unaccounted for. On a positive note, fourteen survivors have been released from medical care, though four others remain hospitalized with injuries from the collapse.
The scale of the incident required a massive deployment of heavy equipment, including boom cranes and long-arm excavators, to sift through the unstable terrain. Prime Waste Solutions (PWS) Cebu, the private operator, cited heavy rains and possible seismic activity as contributing factors to the catastrophic failure.
A Clash of Terms: Rescue vs. Retrieval
At the heart of the current disagreement is the terminology used to describe the operation. This is far more than semantics; it defines both strategy and sentiment. A search and rescue mission operates on the hope of finding survivors, guiding rescuers to proceed with caution. A retrieval operation signals that the focus has shifted solely to recovering bodies.
PWS Cebu referred to its efforts as "intensive retrieval operations" in a January 14 press release. Councilor Tumulak strongly contested this label, insisting the city government still treats the mission as a search and rescue.
"They are not in a position to make that declaration," Tumulak asserted. He emphasized that reclassifying the mission would be unjust to families clinging to hope while uncertainty persists. "We know it’s difficult for the families. They want answers and they want closure. Our team is doing everything to make sure every step is taken carefully and safely," he added.
Balancing Hope, Privacy, and Recovery
The aftermath involves navigating complex emotional and logistical challenges. PWS Cebu has requested that victim identities remain confidential to protect family privacy, a request the city has agreed to honor. Tumulak noted at least one family specifically asked for their relative's name to be withheld.
The psychological toll extends to first responders, who have received support from psychometricians. Rescuers, often emotionally invested, continue their dangerous work driven by a sense of duty.
The operation will only conclude once the final missing person is found. After that, the city will consolidate a definitive list of all victims and onsite personnel. This document will be crucial for processing insurance claims, employer liability, and distributing government aid as Cebu shifts toward long-term recovery and site rehabilitation.
This situation in Binaliw reflects a common pattern in Philippine disaster response, where the technical timeline for survival—often cited as 72 hours—frequently clashes with the human need for hope and certainty. Local officials, as seen in past landslides in Naga, Cebu, and Itogon, Benguet, often extend the "rescue" phase to show solidarity with communities, ensuring the public feels every possible effort has been exhausted.
