A catastrophic collapse at a landfill in Cebu City, Philippines, has resulted in one confirmed fatality, multiple injuries, and dozens of workers missing after being buried under an avalanche of garbage and debris. The incident occurred Thursday afternoon in the village of Binaliw without warning during clear weather conditions.
Emergency response teams worked through the night, successfully extracting 13 survivors who were subsequently hospitalized. Tragically, one female worker succumbed to her injuries during transport to medical facilities, according to Regional Police Director Brig. Gen. Roderick Maranan.
Eyewitness Jaylord Antigua, a 31-year-old office employee at the facility, described the terrifying moment the waste mountain gave way. “I saw a light and crawled toward it in a hurry because I feared there will be more landslides,” Antigua recounted. “It was traumatic. I feared that it was my end so this is my second life.”
Current operations focus on locating 38 individuals still unaccounted for, with Mayor Nestor Archival confirming that all response teams remain “fully engaged in search and retrieval efforts with strict adherence to safety protocols.”
The disaster has highlighted longstanding concerns regarding waste management infrastructure throughout the Philippines. Similar tragedies have occurred historically, most notably the July 2000 Quezon City dump collapse that claimed over 200 lives and prompted nationwide waste management reforms.
Authorities have scheduled emergency meetings to address both the immediate crisis and broader safety implications for landfill operations across the country.