BINALIW TRAGEDY AFTERMATH: Cebu City under state of emergency

Local

CEBU City has been placed under a state of calamity following the deadly collapse of the Binaliw landfill.

This aims to unlock emergency funds and fast-tracks critical measures as the city grapples with deaths, injuries, and a growing garbage disposal crisis.

The Cebu City Council approved the declaration during its regular session on Tuesday, Jan. 13, acting on the recommendation of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC).

Majority Floor Leader Councilor Dave Tumulak, who also heads the CCDRRMC, said the declaration allows the city to respond more decisively to the far-reaching effects of the landfill disaster.

“This incident has caused loss of life, injuries, missing persons, and serious risks to public health and safety,” Tumulak said, citing the legal basis under Republic Act 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.

As of Tuesday, authorities reported 13 deaths, 12 hospitalized individuals, and 23 people still missing in the aftermath of the landfill collapse at Prime Waste Solutions Cebu, the operator of the Binaliw facility.

Search, rescue, and retrieval operations remain ongoing, with responders working around the clock amid unstable and hazardous conditions.

Beyond the human toll, the council said the disruption of operations at the Binaliw landfill has severely affected waste disposal services across Cebu City, raising concerns over a potential secondary public health and environmental crisis.

To address these urgent needs, the council approved the release of P30 million from the city’s Quick Response Fund (QRF) under the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund for 2026.

The funds will be used primarily to cover emergency garbage disposal services and other immediate expenses linked to the incident.

The declaration of a state of calamity also enables the city government to expedite emergency procurement and mobilize resources for relief, rehabilitation, and recovery efforts.

Under the resolution, the Office of the Mayor, together with the Department of Public Services and other concerned offices, has been directed to identify and secure a final waste disposal site within 48 hours from the resolution’s approval.

In a separate but related resolution, the council also declared a state of calamity in Barangay Tejero following a major fire that broke out on January 10 in Sitio Riverside.

The blaze quickly spread through the densely populated residential area and was raised to a third alarm, destroying 114 houses and affecting 208 families or 817 individuals, many of whom were left homeless.

The fire caused injuries, disrupted livelihoods, and forced families to evacuate to temporary shelters, prompting the need for immediate relief and sustained rehabilitation support.

Based on a report from the Department of Social Welfare and Services , the council approved the release of P2.98 million from the QRF of the LDRRMF for 2026 to provide financial assistance, rehabilitation, and support to fire victims in Barangay Tejero.(TGP)