15 January 2026 – The Philippine National Waste Workers Alliance (PNWWA) extends its deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the landfill tragedy in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City. We pray for the swift recovery of the injured and for the safe rescue of those still missing. We stand in solidarity with the affected waste workers, their families, and the surrounding communities during this time of grief and distress.
This tragedy is not merely an accident or a natural disaster. It is the tragic and foreseeable result of long-standing failures in solid waste management and chronic neglect of safety in landfill operations. Poorly managed, over-capacity, and unsafe landfills have long posed serious risks—risks that waste workers repeatedly bear first and most severely. For years, waste workers have raised concerns about unstable waste piles, a lack of protective measures, and hazardous working conditions, yet these warnings have gone unheeded.
PNWWA strongly calls for a full, transparent, and independent investigation into the causes of the landfill slide, and for clear accountability for any negligence or regulatory failure. We further demand immediate and adequate assistance, as well as just compensation, for affected families, including medical care, psychosocial support, and livelihood assistance.
We also reiterate the urgent need for the strict enforcement of Republic Act 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act), particularly provisions on waste reduction, segregation at source, recycling, and composting. The continued failure to implement this law has led to excessive and dangerous waste accumulation in landfills, endangering not only waste workers but entire communities. Reliance on dumping is not a solution—it is a recipe for recurring disaster. What is needed is a transition toward safe, inclusive, and zero-waste systems.
Livelihood should never come at the cost of life. The safety, dignity, and human rights of waste workers—both formal and informal—must never be treated as expendable. Waste workers play a critical role in protecting public health and the environment, and they must be recognized as essential workers with the right to safe working conditions, social protection, and meaningful participation in waste governance.
At this critical moment, PNWWA strongly and unequivocally calls for the immediate passage of the Magna Carta for Waste Workers. This long-overdue legislation is essential to establish enforceable standards for occupational safety, humane working conditions, fair compensation, and social protection. Without the Magna Carta, waste workers will continue to face preventable risks, exploitation, and loss of life. The tragedy in Cebu must serve as a turning point—no more deaths caused by the absence of protection, justice, and political will.
PNWWA remains steadfast in its commitment to fight for justice, accountability, and genuine reform in the country’s waste management system—one that prioritizes human life, worker safety, and environmental protection over the continued expansion of unsafe landfills.
Justice, accountability, and real reform for all waste workers and waste pickers.
Philippine National Waste Workers Alliance (PNWWA)
About PNWWA:
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL WASTE WORKERS ALLIANCE (PNWWA) is an alliance composed of 12 waste worker groups representing over a thousand waste workers across the Philippines. Established in February 2024, the Alliance is working for the recognition and protection of its rights and welfare.
Media Contact: Shan Matreo, Movement Building Officer, Mother Earth Foundation Philippines, shanm@gmail.com | +639755100543