Binaliw captain open to hosting WTE

CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — Binaliw Barangay Captain Viviane Ruste has taken a strong stance on the city’s Waste-to-Energy (WTE) debate.

In an interview with The Freeman after the recent Binaliw landfill collapse, Ruste indicated her barangay is open to WTE, but only if the city can prove it has real plans and infrastructure in place.

She stated she has “no objection” to WTE, provided the proposals from City Councilor Joel Garganera are fulfilled.

“Kon ang tanan niyang gi estorya, mahimo lang, matuman lang … why not? Pero kon puros ra estorya, unya pagka human, wala gihapon — mao nay risgo,” she said.

Her foremost concern is the condition of the roads leading to the site, as she stressed that road widening and upgrading must come first before any facility is built.

“Ipa una ang kalsada og widen aron maka tuo ta na nindot ang preparation for WTE area. Kay kon mag una ng WTE unya ang atong kalsada gamay … di’ nana mutuo nga puro garbage compactor ang musaka didto,” she explained, warning that private haulers will continue to struggle if access remains narrow.

Despite these reservations, Ruste acknowledged the promise of WTE, pointing to international examples where incineration plants not only reduced landfill dependence but also generated energy.

“Nahimo man gani na sa ubang countries … kita sad, nganong di man ta muhimo para sa atong garbage,” she added, noting that Cebu should pursue the technology if safeguards are met.

Her remarks follow Councilor Pastor Alcover’s proposal to explore WTE at the Binaliw landfill after its collapse, in which 36 workers and a rescuer died while over a dozen were injured.

City Councilor Joel Garganera’s privilege speech last week also reminded colleagues that Cebu once pursued a WTE project with New Sky Energy Philippines but failed due to a lack of local government support.

The supposed WTE project of New Sky was eyed in Guba, but was met with opposition.

Garganera argued that WTE should complement segregation and recycling, not replace them, and warned that Cebu is “moving in the opposite direction” compared to developed countries closing landfills.

For Binaliw, Ruste’s stand is both realistic and cautious: openness to innovation, but only if the groundwork — both literal and institutional — is laid properly.

In a city still struggling with the consequences of the landfill tragedy, her words carry the weight of lived experience, reminding leaders that credibility, not rhetoric, will determine whether WTE can finally take root in Cebu.

In a city still struggling with the consequences of the landfill tragedy, her words carry the weight of lived experience, reminding leaders that credibility, not rhetoric, will determine whether WTE can finally take root in Cebu.