Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera has raised concerns that the city government may be violating environmental laws and sidestepping a standing court order through the continued use of a temporary garbage transfer area at the South Road Properties (SRP), near the former Inayawan landfill site.
In a privilege speech during the Cebu City Council session on May 26, Garganera questioned the operation of SRP Pond A as a temporary dumpsite or transfer station, saying it appears to lack basic environmental safeguards required under Philippine regulations.
He warned that the setup could amount to a “purposeful circumvention” of the 2016 Writ of Kalikasan and Temporary Environmental Protection Order (TEPO) issued against the Inayawan landfill, which was later affirmed by the Supreme Court in 2018.
“The city is merely transferring the venue of its garbage disposal facility from one coastline barangay to another coastline area,” Garganera said.
The councilor said the SRP site reportedly operates without an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and lacks standard landfill systems such as liners, leachate collection, and gas venting mechanisms.
He also raised concerns about its proximity to mangroves, possible aquifers, and flood-prone areas.
His remarks came as Cebu City continues to face solid waste management challenges following the suspension and partial reopening of a privately operated landfill in Barangay Binaliw.
Garganera revisited the fatal trash slide incident in Binaliw earlier this year that claimed 36 lives, saying it should have prompted deeper reforms in waste management systems.
He also questioned the lack of public disclosure on the full findings of the investigation, including geotechnical assessments and risk evaluations after reported typhoon and earthquake impacts.
“Could the 36 lives lost have been prevented?” he asked.
The councilor also raised concerns over transparency in the reopening of the Binaliw landfill, saying council members were only informed during an executive session on April 28 that operations had resumed on a limited basis while investigations were ongoing.
He further cited reports that the landfill’s leachate pond was no longer functioning and that liquid waste was being managed by a private contractor.
“Leachate is one of the most toxic substances that endangers public health, safety, and the environment,” Garganera said.
Garganera also pointed to what he described as inconsistent public statements from Mayor Nestor Archival regarding the landfill’s reopening, though he acknowledged the mayor’s decision to halt operations on May 13 pending further review and the creation of a Solid Waste Management Task Force.
He urged the expansion of the task force to include disaster risk officials, building safety offices, academic experts, and environmental groups to ensure a “scientific, evidence-based, and transparent” review process.
Garganera initially moved to seek a cease-and-desist order against the SRP operation but later amended his motion to express “grave concern” and request a transition plan within 30 days to phase out the use of SRP as a dumpsite.
He stressed the need for a long-term, sustainable waste management solution for Cebu City beyond temporary disposal arrangements.
Photo courtesy of Joel Garganera / FB
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