Rescue teams in the central Philippines are racing against time after a massive collapse at a landfill in Cebu City left at least one person dead and dozens more feared buried under tons of garbage.
The incident occurred on Thursday at the Binaliw Landfill, a privately operated waste facility, when a towering pile of refuse suddenly gave way. According to city officials, dozens of sanitation workers were caught beneath the debris as the mountain of trash toppled over.
“It must have been about four storeys high,” said Jason Morata, Cebu City’s assistant public information officer, describing the scale of the collapsed garbage heap.
Authorities confirmed that at least 12 workers were rescued alive from the wreckage and rushed to hospital for treatment. Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival stated on his official Facebook page that rescue teams remain fully deployed, continuing search and retrieval operations to locate those still missing.
Aerial images released by police revealed extensive damage, with several structures crushed under the sheer weight of the waste. City officials explained that these buildings housed company offices, human resources, administrative units, and maintenance staff belonging to the private firm managing the landfill.
While the exact cause of the collapse remains unclear, officials are examining several possible contributing factors. Morata noted that Cebu had recently been affected by two typhoons toward the end of 2025, as well as an earthquake, which may have weakened the landfill’s stability. Communication difficulties at the site, including a lack of mobile signal, have further slowed the flow of information.
The Binaliw Landfill processes approximately 1,000 tons of municipal solid waste every day, according to the website of its operator, Prime Integrated Waste Solutions. Attempts to reach the company for comment on Friday were unsuccessful.
Local police staff member Marge Parcotello said there was no rainfall at the time of the incident, adding to the mystery surrounding the collapse. She also noted that many of the victims are believed to be residents of Consolacion, a town bordering the landfill site.
The tragedy has revived painful memories of one of the darkest chapters in the country’s history. In July 2000, more than 200 people lost their lives when a massive garbage avalanche swept through a shanty town in Manila. That disaster sparked national outrage and eventually led to the passage of legislation aimed at improving waste management practices across the Philippines.
As rescue efforts continue in Cebu, families wait anxiously for news of their loved ones. Beyond the numbers and headlines, this disaster is a stark reminder that behind every sanitation worker is a family, a future, and a life that deserves safety and dignity. The hope now is not only for survivors to be found, but for lasting changes that prevent such heartbreak from happening again.
