FILE PHOTO: Families of victims wait at the holding area after a landslide at the landfill in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City on January 11, 2026. - AFP
MANILA: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday (Jan 15) assured the relatives of the victims of the Binaliw landfill collapse in Cebu City that responsible parties would be held accountable and that all necessary assistance would be provided.
The incident resulted in 20 fatalities, and at least 54 individuals were affected as of Wednesday.
“Please be assured that the government is taking all necessary measures to ensure safety, transparency, accountability, and compassionate assistance,” Marcos said at the opening of his speech at an event in Balamban, Cebu.
“Burial support and other forms of aid are now being directed to those who have been affected by this tragedy,” he added.
The President and the attendees observed a moment of silence for the victims of the landfill collapse.
“Before we start, let us take a moment of silence for the victims of the landfill incident in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City, last Jan. 8,” he said.
“As search and rescue operations continue, we offer our prayers for the souls of the departed and strength to their grieving families. Please, a moment of silence. Let us stand in solidarity with our fellow Filipinos during this difficult time,” Marcos also said.
According to the Bureau of Fire Protection, the latest fatalities were recovered from deeper sections of the landfill as retrieval teams worked through compacted waste and debris.
Eighteen people sustained injuries, and 16 remain missing as of Jan. 14.
Prime Waste Solutions Cebu Inc., the private operator of the Binaliw landfill, recently issued a statement expressing sympathy to the families of those killed and affected by the collapse, describing the incident as a “tragic event.”
The company said it is coordinating closely with local and national government agencies to support rescue and retrieval operations. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
