The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) called to immediately investigate the garbage dump collapse at the Binaliw Landfill in Cebu City on January 8. The landfill is run by Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc (PIWSI), a subsidiary of Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc, owned by the comprador bourgeoisie Enrique Razon Jr.
The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported on January 11 that the collapse had killed six, injured 12, as 34 people went missing. The victims were mostly landfill workers.
“(The company) must be investigated if it complied to Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Law standards, and if so, be held immediately accountable,” KMU said. The group also demanded that the company shoulder all expenses for the burial of the deceased and the medical treatment of the injured.
KMU noted that the Razon is responsible for the incident, especially if the company deliberately ignored workplace safety and health standards to cut costs and maximize profit. The group also said that this incident proves the OSH Law’s inutility in criminalizing OSH standards violations.
“This tragedy must not be allowed to pass. Workers doing honorable work should never experience this again,” the group said.
KMU called for increasing the number of search and rescue teams to swiftly locate and save the missing, and to ensure the safety of the workers participating in the search and rescue as they perform their duties.
According to the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Central Visayas, workers and residents had long warned about the precarious height of the garbage dump, the toxic air, contaminated water, and the absence of safety measures at the landfill. “Their calls were ignored until the tragedy happened,” the group said.
The environmental group Greenpeace Philippines compared the incident to the tragedy in Payatas, Quezon City on July 10, 2000, which reportedly killed hundreds. The group said this reflects a grim picture of the country’s broken waste management system.
