CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — Cebu City’s garbage crisis is anticipated to swell into a billion-peso burden.
Mayor Nestor Archival warned that the city’s ₱500 million annual disposal budget may no longer be enough, with costs expected to double or even triple because of compounding factors: the backlog of uncollected trash, the long hauling distance to Aloguinsan, and the looming threat of fuel price hikes driven by unrest in the Middle East.
“Our current yearly garbage disposal budget is around ₱500 million. With the transfer of residual waste disposal to Aloguinsan, hauling and fuel expenses may increase this to ₱1 billion, and possibly ₱1.5–2 billion depending on fuel prices. This is a serious financial responsibility,” Archival said yesterday.
The January 8 trash slide at the Binaliw landfill, which claimed 36 lives, forced its closure and left Cebu City scrambling for alternatives.
Archival explained during a press conference that the city first tried Consolacion, but the landfill there was already serving other Metro Cebu localities. This, aside from the payment issues with the Asian Energy landfill.
“That is why nangita ta’g laing alternative maong niadto ta sa Aloguinsan. But then again, it’s very expensive … nigawas og ni times two … so kanang budget nato na ₱500 million dili na enough. And ang possibility ana, mangayo ta’g certain additional funds para ma-add nato,” he said.
Archival was clear that Aloguinsan is not sustainable. “We had no choice but to go there, but it is very expensive. This cannot be our long-term plan,” he clarified.
Before the collapse, Cebu City paid about ₱1,100 per ton to dump garbage at Binaliw. Now, hauling to Aloguinsan costs nearly ₱3,906 per ton, pushing monthly expenses toward unsustainable levels.
He added that the city may need to tap savings from previous budgets to cover the shortfall. “That’s one thing that we need to check also, kay naa man ta’y certain budgets from previous year nga wala…ma-savings na nato ba.”
Fuel costs are another looming threat. Archival said that global tensions in the Gulf region — home to key oil producers and shipping routes — could drive prices sharply upward.
The Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes, has been threatened by military clashes and shipping disruptions.
Historically, such unrest has triggered spikes in global fuel prices. “If fuel doubles because of the Gulf unrest, our expenses will also double. That’s why we need to prepare,” Archival warned.
To stabilize collection after the Binaliw collapse, the Cebu City Council earlier approved emergency funds.
On February 5, the Council scrutinized a ₱60.83 million emergency contract with Asian Energy Systems Corporation for the disposal of over 50,000 tons of garbage at its landfill in Barangay Polog, Consolacion, from February 1 to March 31.
The contract allowed for about 844 tons per day — nearly double the city’s average daily volume of 480 tons — reflecting the urgency of clearing the backlog. However, the LGU of Consolacion only limited Cebu City to at least 100 tons a day.
Councilors earlier questioned whether the costs matched actual waste amounts, underscoring the financial strain of the crisis.
By late February, Consolacion shut its doors ahead of the agreed extension, leaving Cebu City with no choice but to haul its daily waste farther to Aloguinsan, with the South Road Properties serving only as a temporary transfer station.
Despite the grim outlook, Archival expressed cautious optimism that DENR might approve the phased reopening of a three-hectare area in Binaliw. “We’re hopeful … kay kon dili man gud na mahitabo, of course ma double atong gasto,” he said earlier.
He noted that, if permits are granted, the city would only need “gamay ra nga additional” funds compared to the massive increases now looming.
Currently, the city continues nightly disposal runs to avoid traffic disruptions, with SRP serving as a temporary transfer site.
Barangays are tasked with clearing feeder roads, while the Department of Public Services stands ready to assist in case of equipment breakdowns.
The city aims to clear its garbage backlog by the end of March 2026. “At least karon naka-deliver ta somewhere 1,000 tons a day…atong ma-generate ra gyud diri sa Cebu City is 500, so kon one thousand ‘ta or more…naa ta’y certain log, 500–600 gikan sa na-stock. Ma double man atong paglabay,” Archival explained.
Councilor Joel Garganera, however, has insisted that Prime Waste must answer for the disaster before any reopening of Binaliw is considered.
“We cannot build over unanswered deaths. We cannot normalize tragedy in the name of convenience,” Garganera declared in the latest regular session, warning that Binaliw remains “morally and legally a crime scene” until liability is established.
Councilor Winston Pepito has also cautioned that poor coordination between the mayor and Council risks prolonging the crisis.
As Cebu City now faces rising costs and unresolved tragedy, Archival insists that accountability must go hand in hand with sustainability — and that residents themselves play a crucial role in reducing the burden.
“The solution starts with us,” he repeated, urging households to cut down on waste so the city can avoid sending more garbage to costly landfills.
This, he said, can be done through waste segregation, composting of biodegradable waste, and recycling and reduction of residual waste.
| Written by Caecent No-ot Magsumbol
