Mabolo cleared to use Block 27 for garbage management

Local

CEBU City has granted Barangay Mabolo clearance to continue limited garbage operations at Block 27 in the North Reclamation Area.

Both sides agreed that strict monitoring and barangay oversight must remain in place amid the city’s ongoing waste crisis.

Mabolo Barangay Captain Daniel Francis Arguedo confirmed during Tuesday's MyTV Cebu News Media Openline Forum that he met with Mayor Nestor Archival the previous day to address concerns surrounding the site, including waste segregation compliance and infrastructure issues within the barangay.

The meeting comes weeks after a public disagreement between the barangay and City Hall over whether Mabolo was authorized to use Block 27 for waste segregation and composting.

Arguedo said the city government, which owns Block 27, allowed the barangay to continue its composting and segregation activities as part of Cebu City’s broader waste diversion strategy.

However, he emphasized that continued operations must undergo regular assessment.

“We need to consistently check whether continuous operations at Block 27 are feasible and not detrimental to the residents in the area. The barangay’s intervention is needed,” Arguedo said.

He stressed that while the city has ownership over the property, local government units at the barangay level serve as “watchdogs” to protect public health and welfare.

“The city is the owner of Block 27. Being the owner, it has the right to manage the property—but that is not absolute,” he said. “Decisions must pass through the barangay.”

Arguedo added that the dispute between the two parties has been settled, clarifying that coordination—not conflict—should guide future actions.

The issue traces back to mid-February when Mabolo garbage trucks were reportedly barred from using Block 27 after city personnel alleged that unsegregated waste was being brought to the site.

Archival maintained that Block 27 was designated only as a temporary composting area and that only shredded or properly segregated biodegradable waste should be unloaded there.

City Hall earlier reported that five to six truckloads of allegedly unsegregated garbage attempted to enter the site, prompting personnel to deny access. The mayor ordered cleanup operations after waste was reportedly left near the gate.

Arguedo, however, disputed the claim, insisting that Mabolo strictly implements waste segregation.

“Segregated to ang basura. Sayop ilang giingon nga dili to segregated. Ninety percent among compliance sa segregation,” he said in an earlier interview.

He also pointed out that the barangay currently operates only two functional garbage trucks, countering the claim that multiple unsegregated loads were delivered.

On Feb. 20, the Mabolo Sangguniang Barangay passed a resolution formally opposing the use of Block 27 as a general dumping ground for all types of waste.

The resolution cited potential risks including foul odors, pest infestation, disease transmission, water contamination, and flooding if unsorted waste were allowed near residential areas.

The barangay council urged City Hall to secure prior clearance before implementing projects within Mabolo’s jurisdiction.

Arguedo reiterated that the barangay supports composting and waste diversion but opposes the conversion of the site into a general dump.

The Block 27 dispute unfolds against Cebu City’s waste management crisis following the January 8 landslide at the Binaliw landfill, which claimed 36 lives and led to its closure.(TGP)