Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has announced that the City may begin transporting garbage to a private landfill in Aloguinsan, located in southwestern Cebu, starting Friday, February 20, 2026. This decision comes as the City grapples with a worsening waste disposal crisis, highlighted by recent tragic events and ongoing logistical challenges.
Vice Mayor Raises Alarms Over Lack of Clear Strategy
Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña expressed deep concerns during a City Council session on Monday, February 16, criticizing what he described as the absence of a clear, unified solution to the City's escalating garbage problem. He emphasized that the issue, if left unresolved, could have severe consequences for the City's future, particularly when combined with other pressing concerns like water supply shortages.
"One of the problems involved is that there is no clear overall picture of what the solution is," Osmeña stated. "This problem is going to kill us. I just don't see how we can survive." He pointed out that the City has yet to present a comprehensive strategy for waste collection and disposal, despite previous efforts, including a P40 million study funded by the Asian Development Bank to evaluate waste management options.
Search for Disposal Sites Intensifies
The urgency to find new disposal sites was heightened after a tragic trash slide on January 8 at the Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc. (PWS) facility in Barangay Binaliw, which resulted in 36 fatalities. Following this incident, Cebu City began dumping garbage in Consolacion and is now preparing to extend operations to Aloguinsan. Initially, a landfill in Bogo City in northern Cebu was proposed, but the search has expanded due to the crisis.
Osmeña also noted that the permanent shutdown of the Inayawan landfill has forced the City to haul waste to more distant locations, significantly increasing costs. Garbage trucks now travel three to four times farther than when the Inayawan facility was operational, adding to the financial and logistical burdens.
Details of the Hauling Operations
Mayor Archival provided specifics on Thursday, February 19, revealing that the City plans to deliver up to 300 tons of waste daily to the Aloguinsan landfill, which is approximately 58 to 62 kilometers from Cebu City. This is in addition to the 150-ton daily allocation at a private landfill in Barangay Polog, Consolacion, which will continue until March 31.
About 10 to 20 trucks are expected to operate daily, with initial hauling scheduled to occur at night to minimize disruptions. Archival indicated that dumping in Aloguinsan will persist while the City searches for a closer site, and he has sought assistance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to expedite this process. He also mentioned that waste contractor PWS is contractually obligated to help secure a long-term solution.
Criticism of Waste-to-Energy Facility Plans
Osmeña strongly criticized the City's plan to build a waste-to-energy (WTE) facility, labeling it a "farce." He argued that generating electricity from waste would not eliminate tipping fees, which could reach P1,000 per ton, and expressed skepticism about the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of such projects.
Instead, he is exploring alternatives, such as a standard incinerator without an energy component, which he believes would be less expensive and require less space. After visiting a facility in Bulacan where proponents offered two incinerator units with energy components, Osmeña questioned the necessity of two units, noting that the existing plant operates one unit for only eight to 12 hours daily.
"They said the other unit needs to rest. We are not talking about people or animals. Machines are not supposed to get tired," he remarked. While talks with officials in Malolos are ongoing, Osmeña admitted that the prospects "do not look bright," underscoring the challenges in finding a viable, long-term waste management solution for Cebu City.
