THE Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-10) in Northern Mindanao has again issued a show-cause order to City Mayor Rolando Uy over alleged violations at the city’s sanitary landfill facility in Barangay Pagalungan, underscoring persistent management issues amid broader waste governance challenges.
The letter, signed by EMB-10 Regional Director Reynaldo Digamo and dated Sept. 18, was received by the city government on Sept. 25 following an inspection conducted on Sept. 11.
According to the EMB-10, despite an earlier advisory dated Aug. 12, waste continues to be dumped in the unlined portion of the access road to Cell 3, a practice inconsistent with proper sanitary landfill operations and conditions of the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).
The agency also found that leachate from Cells 2 and 3 and treated wastewater in the impoundment ponds had exceeded the allowable freeboard of one meter, heightening the risk of overflow during heavy rains.
Inspectors further observed reddish-brown wastewater in the product tank — indicating incomplete treatment — and traces of leachate from Cell 1’s culvert flowing into a canal leading to Buracan Creek.
The city government has been given 15 days to respond and explain why no administrative or criminal action should be taken. It was also ordered to cease dumping in unlined areas and maintain the one-meter freeboard in its impoundment ponds.
During a Meet the Press event on Oct. 8, City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro) chief Armen Cuenca said the latest order mirrors previous EMB warnings, again blaming the city’s contractors for the lapses.
“Mao tong ang basura gibutang didto sa plastic wala didto sa liner, despite nga among gabadlungon dili gapatoo,” Cuenca said.
He added that he recommended the termination of contracts with Tencil and Jomarah Corporation, which the city council has since approved.
“Mao nang naulit kay ko, giulbo akong kaspa maong I recommended for the cancellation of the contract kay mayor ug atong Monday nagpasa ang city council ug resolution supporting the recommendation of Clenro,” Cuenca said.
The Solid Waste Management (SWM) implementation history in Cagayan de Oro City from 2019 to 2025 highlights a contrast between strong infrastructure achievements and persistent operational failures.
Driven by compliance with Republic Act 9003, the city achieved major milestones — constructing the Pagalungan Sanitary Landfill (SLF) and closing the decades-old open dumpsite in Carmen. These efforts provided the regulatory foundation for the city’s 10-year SWM plan.
However, operational data reveal deep inefficiencies. The 2021 Waste Wise Cities Tool (WaCT) assessment reported a 92% municipal solid waste collection rate, yet only 5% of waste was diverted for recycling or composting.
As a result, 87% of all collected waste — including recyclables — was sent directly to the landfill, undermining its projected 20-year lifespan. (With reports from Cong B. Corrales)
