Consolacion residents worried as Cebu City diverts waste after landfill tragedy

Residents of Consolacion town in Cebu province are worried as wastes from Cebu City are now dumped in their area following the tragic landslide at a landfill in Barangay Binaliw.

According to the report of GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak’s Alan Domingo in “24 Oras” on Wednesday, the trash from Cebu City are temporarily diverted to a private facility in Barangay Polog in Consolacion.

“We just want prevention, we want to be sure that the residents here will be safe,” said Barangay Kagawad Emmanuel Allan Balaba in Cebuano.

Meanwhile, others fear that the same incident could occur in their own facility. 

“Because of what happened in Binaliw, we don’t want the same to happen in our barangay because life is sacred,” said Barangay Secretary Mae Villaver in Cebuano.

The temporary diversion of waste disposal has also caused traffic near the dumpsite. The influx of trucks from Cebu City has added to the existing volume of trucks coming from Consolacion and the neighboring town of Liloan.

Aside from fixing the routes, the barangay also wants to limit the garbage disposal only until 10:00 PM so as not to disturb sleeping residents.

"Regarding the trash falling off the trucks, you have no one to ask about where it came from. I hope there will be a solution for that and for everyone’s safety,” said Villaver.

Meanwhile, Consolacion Vice Mayor and Acting Mayor Joannes “Joyjoy” Alegado said the barangay council is not opposed to Cebu City's use of their landfill.

But they have some questions regarding the validity of the landfill facility's operation. They were told, however, that the environmental compliance certificate of the operator is still valid. 

“Cebu City, on the other hand, have expressed that they badly need a facility to bring their garbage and Consolacion is the nearest. They said that this would be temporary in nature because they were hopeful and optimistic, their landfill would reopen again soon,” said Alegado. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/BAP, GMA Integrated News