How does a pile of garbage turn deadly?
In Cebu City, central Philippines, a landslide at the Binaliw landfill last week has claimed 11 lives and left more than 20 people missing.
Over 100 workers were on site when the disaster struck, and rescuers have pulled 12 injured from the rubble so far.
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said officials remain in “rescue mode.”
Signs of life were detected in the debris on Monday, despite fears that few could survive days buried under tons of waste.
The tragedy has renewed calls to investigate why it happened — and whether the country’s waste management system is safe.
Environment authorities have suspended operations at the site.
They demanded Prime Integrated Waste Solutions submit a compliance plan within 90 days.
Landslide Spurs Reform
Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos called for reforms, saying: “The lives lost in Cebu demand clear answers and real reforms.”
Residents describe the chaos in stark terms.
Bienvinido Ranido, who lost his wife in the landslide, said he arrived to find the garbage “exploded” and the site “buried.”
Preliminary reports suggest continuous rainfall and engineering flaws may have made the rubbish unstable.
But as investigators probe, the question lingers.
When everyday work turns into a life-or-death gamble, how many more warnings will it take before serious change comes?
In Cebu, tragedy has unearthed not just garbage, but urgent questions about safety, oversight, and accountability.
