Is Binaliw landfill safe and stable? OBO can’t say

Local

THE safety and stability of the Binaliw landfill remain subject to further technical evaluation after the Cebu City Office of the Building Official (OBO) said it does not have the mandate or technical capacity to certify the stability of the landfill’s massive waste mass.

During an executive session of the Cebu City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 8, OBO Acting Head Architect Ann Ruby King said the structure affected by the January 8, 2026, trash-slide incident no longer exists in the inspected area.

The statement came after a joint inspection of the landfill in Barangay Binaliw on September 2.

The inspection found no ongoing construction of buildings or structures. However, inspectors observed substantial excavation and reconfiguration of the accumulated waste mass.

King said the operator explained that the excavation was intended to displace waste from the upper portion of the landfill mass to relieve loading or stress.

She clarified that determining the landfill’s geotechnical, slope and waste-mass stability falls outside the OBO’s technical mandate.

“Further investigation in the area [is] required—geotechnical survey,” King said.

Councilor Joel Garganera questioned whether the inspection was actually assessing the landfill itself rather than its structures.

“It’s very obvious it’s not the structure, MRF, that’s being inspected. It’s the structure—the entire mountain of garbage—we are trying to assess the durability and stability of the said mountain of garbage,” Garganera said.

King said the site’s slope protection, staging area and drainage would require coordination with the City Planning and Development Office and appropriate permits.

Meanwhile, the CCDRRMO identified several safety gaps during its initial assessment.

Engr. Elpidio Tariman Jr. said inspectors found no early-warning systems such as sirens, blinkers, barriers, safety signs and markings in restricted or high-risk areas.

The disaster office also found inadequate fire-suppression facilities, including no fire hydrants, fire extinguishers or fire hoses.

The landfill’s elevated terrain remains subject to engineering assessment to determine its stability, while rehabilitation works are ongoing.

The CCDRRMO recommended continuous monitoring and compliance validation, an emergency preparedness plan, an assessment of whether rainfall and water accumulation could trigger further slope failure, and the creation of an emergency response team.

Tariman also said the inspection team was unable to access the upper portion of the landfill.

“We tried to reach the area asa naka-pile up ang basura… unfortunately, the management operator did not allow access,” Tariman said.

When asked if perforated pipes for methane ventilation were visible in the accessible area, Tariman replied, “Wala, there is none.”

He clarified that the team did not fully access the upper portion of the landfill.

Tariman said no leachate was observed during the inspection, although pipes were seen leading from an excavated portion toward a detention pond, which the operator identified as part of the leachate pathway.

Asked whether the facility could be considered safe for continued operations, Tariman said the inspection had identified risks requiring corrective measures and further technical evaluation.

“We can say, based on inspection, there are identified risk factors and safety gaps requiring corrective measures and further technical evaluation,” he said.

Garganera urged the City Planning and Development Office and City Health Department to submit written observations and recommendations to the City Council.

The inspection findings come as Cebu City continues to grapple with the question of when it can resume using the Binaliw facility following the January landfill disaster.(TGP)