Authorities have blamed the damaged access roads that lead to the sanitary landfill in Barangay Pagalungan, Cagayan de Oro City for the delay in garbage collection across the city.

Garbage collection operations by the new contractor has been disrupted anew after garbage trucks struggled to navigate the muddy and slippery roads leading to the sanitary landfill, making it unsafe for heavy vehicles.

In a video posted online by the Cagayan de Oro City Information Office over the weekend, several garbage trucks were seen lining up while a road roller flattened the muddy road.

“Atong Sabado, nalipay ko kay gi-aksyonan gyud ni Engr. Joel Momongan… nagpadala siya didto mga tao bisan Sabado ug gitrabaho ang dalan. Nagproblema na lang ta kay pagkahapon nikusog na pud ang ulan,” City Local Environment and Natura Resources Office (CLENRO) Chief, Engr. Armen Cuenca, said.

According to some security personnel at the landfill, operations by the City Engineer’s Office are still ongoing at the upper portion of the landfill, and entry to the area remained restricted, as of this writing.

CLENRO is planning to establish a transfer station in another barangay to help speed up garbage collection and prevent trucks from having to travel all the way up to the landfill, especially during the rainy season.

“Ato gyud na gibutang sa atong term of reference as per recommendation sa DENR EMB nga dapat naa’y transfer station arun paspas ang pagkolekta sa mga basura,” Cuenca said.

Meanwhile, CLENRO is also planning to terminate its contract with the private company managing the city’s sanitary landfill due to what it described as the firm’s failure to properly maintain the facility.

CLENRO said the landfill contractor failed to maintain order and upkeep within the facility, particularly the access roads leading to the dumping site.

“Palpak ang kontraktor sa engineering, unya wala gyud naatiman pag-ayo ang dalan hinaut nga masabtan sa mga kaigsuonan nato ayaw ipahid tanan sa CLENRO,” Cuenca said.

The city government awarded a contract worth nearly P100 million to Jomara Kontruckt Corporation in March 2025 for the operation and maintenance of the sanitary landfill. The contract is set to run until March 2026.

“I already recommended, ako gisultihan si mayor unya ila man na nga i-rescind na i-cancel na ang contract,” Cuenca added.

GMA Regional TV One Mindanao visited the address listed in the Notice of Award to get a statement from the company, but the news team was unable to locate its office.

GMA Regional TV One Mindanao is open to airing the company’s response to CLENRO’s statements.

Currently, the City Engineer’s Office has deployed heavy equipment to the sanitary landfill to repair the damaged access roads leading to the dumpsite.