CEBU CITY — January 13, 2026. Hope flickered amid tragedy in Barangay Binaliw after rescuers reported signs of life under the debris of the collapsed sanitary landfill, five days after the disaster struck. The confirmation came from Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival Sr., who said specialized equipment used by Apex Mining detected possible movement beneath the rubble.

“Yesterday, there was this Apex Mining. Mayroon silang equipment na nagpakita mayroon pa na signs of life, so kaya nga although 72 hours nang nag-lapse, we are still on rescue mode,” Archival told reporters.

The Cebu City Fire Station confirmed that the death toll has risen to 11, with at least 25 people still missing and 12 others injured. The victims were mostly scavengers and workers caught in the collapse of the landfill on January 8.

Rescue teams from the Bureau of Fire Protection, police, and volunteer groups have been working around the clock, despite the dangers posed by unstable terrain and toxic waste.

State of Calamity Declared

On Tuesday, the Cebu City Council declared a state of calamity, allowing the release of ₱30 million in emergency funds to support search and rescue operations and address disruptions in garbage collection. Councilor Dave Tumulak, head of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said the declaration was necessary to mobilize resources quickly.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Central Visayas has issued a cease-and-desist order against Prime Integrated Waste Solutions, Inc. (PWS), the private operator of the landfill. The company said it is “working closely with relevant government agencies and the local government to provide the necessary assistance and support to all those affected by this tragedy.”

The collapse has disrupted waste management across Cebu City, with garbage collection temporarily halted in several districts. Residents have expressed concern over health risks posed by uncollected trash and the environmental hazards of the landfill’s instability.

Meanwhile, families of the victims continue to wait anxiously for updates, clinging to the possibility that survivors may still be found.

Hope Should Not Be the Only Safety Plan

Five days after the landfill collapse in Cebu City, signs of life still flicker beneath the rubble. That sliver of hope grips families and fuels rescuers pushing through toxic debris. It is moving. It is human. It is also not a plan.

Survival should never rely on luck, late detection, or borrowed equipment. Scavengers and workers were buried not by a sudden accident, but by risks long tolerated. Rescue teams now work around the clock, yet rescue only begins after prevention fails.

Emergency funds are released. Cease and desist orders are issued. These are responses, not safeguards. The real question came before the collapse, not after it.

If signs of life still give us hope today, why did safety rules fail to protect lives yesterday, and will anything change before the next disaster strikes?

(Photos/Nestor Archival) | via The Freeman