The private landfill located in Cebu City collapsed overnight on bSeptember 28, 2023/b, according to the City Disaster Management Office. The event is reported to have originated from a sudden shift in the landfill’s base, leaving a fissure that rapidly widened. Initial notifications to authorities were made shortly after the collapse, prompting immediate deployment of emergency rescue units to the site.

_2_ On arrival, rescue teams discovered a total of b12/b sanitation workers trapped under the debris. All 12 were extracted alive, though each sustained varying injuries, primarily fractures and lacerations to the lower extremities. Medical personnel on standby confirmed that the workers received on‑site first aid before being transported to the nearest hospital for further evaluation. At the same time, the disaster response coordinator announced that a single fatality had been confirmed and that b38 individuals/b remain missing, presumed to be among the workers engaged in cleanup and waste sorting.

_3_ The Cebu City Fire Department and the Philippine National Police have established a perimeter, securing the area to prevent further breaches and to facilitate material recovery. A joint task force including the Civil Defense, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Philippine Coast Guard has been tasked with mapping the collapsed zone and conducting a systematic search of the missing personnel. Preliminary assessments suggest that heavy rain and recent seismic activity may have weakened the landfill’s structural integrity, though investigations are ongoing to determine all contributing factors. All efforts are focused on notifying families of the missing and ensuring a coordinated search and rescue operation until the incident is fully secured.