Rescue teams working through difficult weather have recovered four additional bodies from the site of a massive landslide at the Binalyw landfill in Cebu City. The discovery on Friday, January 16, 2026, brings the confirmed death toll from the tragedy to 30 individuals.
Retrieval Efforts Continue Amid Adverse Conditions
According to Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, who chairs the City's Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, operations that started early Friday morning led to the recovery of the 27th victim at 9:36 a.m. and the 28th at 12:10 p.m. By late afternoon, two more victims—an unidentified male and female—were retrieved, pushing the total fatalities to 30.
As of Friday evening, 18 people have been rescued and received medical treatment. Of those, 14 have been discharged from care. The search continues for six individuals who remain missing. Tumulak expressed the team's determination, stating, "Our rescuers want to recover everyone so the families can have closure and the team can finally head home."
The Bureau of Fire Protection Cebu City confirmed that heavy equipment is being deployed to stabilize the landslide site, with operations persisting despite ongoing rainfall.
Mandaue City Pledges Support and Sparks Operational Debate
The disaster has prompted a legislative response from neighboring Mandaue City. Councilor Carlo Fortuna announced that the City Council is preparing to pass a resolution to extend condolences and financial assistance to the families of the deceased and injured.
Fortuna emphasized Mandaue's shared responsibility, noting that the city's waste is disposed of at the Binalyw facility and that many landfill workers are Mandaue residents. "They are part of our city's waste management system. If not for Mandaue's waste, many of them would not have had jobs there," Fortuna said. He added that Mayor Thadeo Jovito 'Jonkie' Ouano is reviewing the legal framework for providing the financial aid.
Calls for Waste Management Review
The incident has ignited a serious debate over the landfill's operations. Fortuna, a former vice mayor, pointed out that the original agreement with the operator, Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc., specified the landfill would remain "flat."
"But based on what we see in the videos now, it looks like a mountain," Fortuna remarked, attributing the change to the massive volume of waste received from various local government units.
In response, Mandaue City has requested its City Planning and Environment offices to submit updated waste management plans. Fortuna suggested this tragedy should serve as a wake-up call to move beyond traditional landfills. "In case the landfill is closed, we need to be ready with alternatives—not just another landfill, but possibly revisiting waste-to-energy proposals to handle Mandaue's waste," he concluded.
