At A Glance
- Senator Imee Marcos has filed a resolution seeking to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation into the compliance of sanitary landfills with the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, as well as other applicable laws.
Senator Imee Marcos has filed a resolution seeking to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation into the compliance of sanitary landfills with the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, as well as other applicable laws.
AN aerial view of a huge mound of garbage that collapsed in a waste segregation facility in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP)
This was after the deadly collapse of the Binaliw Sanitary Landfill in Cebu City.
Marcos filed Senate Resolution No. 244 on Monday, January 12, calling for an inquiry into the collapse, focusing on whether the landfill was compliant with Republic Act No. 9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, and other laws governing the operation and safety of sanitary landfills.
The January 9 collapse buried sanitation workers under tons of garbage, killing at least eight people and leaving dozens missing. Rescue and recovery operations continued in the following days, highlighting the severe risks faced by workers in poorly regulated waste facilities.
Marcos said the investigation will look into possible mismanagement, overfilling, and regulatory failures, as well as reports linking the collapse to the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck the province in September 2025.
“This should have never happened,” the senator said.
“We have seen similar tragedies before, yet the same dangers persist.”
She stressed that the inquiry aims to establish accountability, assess the effectiveness of existing waste management policies, and push for stronger safeguards to protect workers and surrounding communities.
“The lives lost in Cebu demand clear answers and real reforms,” Marcos said.