CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — Mayor Nestor Archival has called for unity anew after finally admitting that Cebu City is in the middle of a garbage crisis, a reversal from his earlier stance that the situation was only a “concern.”
Archival appealed to the City Council, barangay captains, and other groups to stop attacking his administration and instead help find solutions.
“If you have suggestions, put them on the table. We are one,” he said on the sidelines of the Usapang Budget Natin” forum at the DepEd Ecotech Center in Lahug yesterday, stressing that the city remains in “crisis mode” and cannot afford political infighting.
Disposal row with Mabolo
His latest appeal was triggered by the clash with Barangay Mabolo, whose captain accused City Hall of unprofessionalism after their trucks were barred from unloading waste at Block 27, the city’s temporary composting site.
Mabolo barangay captain Daniel Francis Arguedo insisted their garbage was segregated, but City Hall staff maintained that only shredded biodegradable waste could be accepted there.
“Naliso na pod ang utok sa atong Mayor. Gabii ni OK na sa Block 27, karon wala na pod,” Arguedo said in a post earlier while also tagging Mayor Archival as “unprofessional.”
Archival earlier defended the staff, warning that if one barangay was allowed to bypass segregation rules, others would follow, worsening the crisis.
“Garbage for disposal and for composting should be segregated already. If we allow one, then all barangays will insist, and it will be chaos,” he said.
However, Mabolo is not the only source of criticism. Archival has also faced criticism from some city councilors, other barangay officials, and even residents, who have questioned his management of the garbage problem.
Roots of the crisis
The roots of the crisis trace back to the collapse of the Binaliw landfill in 2025, which forced Cebu City to rely on Consolacion’s landfill.
The Consolacion LGU only allows the facility to accept only 100-150 tons daily against the city’s 500-ton output, leaving hundreds of tons uncollected each day.
Archival has pushed for strict segregation, with temporary composting areas at Block 27, the Carbon Market, and the South Road Properties, while exploring long-term options such as hauling to Aloguinsan—though costs could double.
Archival acknowledged that the crisis cannot be solved overnight but insisted his administration is doing its best. “You know for a fact that we are doing the best we can to manage our waste. Please, don’t attack the government where you are part of it,” he said.
For him, the Mabolo incident and the criticisms from councilors and other barangays are reminders that Cebu’s garbage problem demands cooperation rather than division.
“We have a crisis—yes, we have. But we will only overcome this if we help each other,” he declared.
| Written by Caecent No-ot Magsumbol/RAE
