The conceptual design of the P42,391,450.24 wastewater treatment facility in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City, has a project duration of 510 days. | CDN Photo/ Pia Piquero
CEBU CITY, Philippines — After more than 20 years of unfulfilled promises and mounting health hazards, the Cebu City government finally broke ground on a P42.39-million Kalunasan wastewater treatment facility in Barangay Kalunasan on February 13.
Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia led the ceremonial groundbreaking for the long-overdue project, which aims to address the persistent sanitation concerns caused by the untreated wastewater from the Cebu City Jail, the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), and the Operation Second Chance facility.
“Nag-igsige ko’g tan-aw, buhat ang pasultihon, dili sulti ang pabuhaton. Mao nay thrust sa akong administrasyon—less talk, more action, and more results,” Garcia said.
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He added, “This project is long overdue. Nothing happened when I was a city councilor, vice mayor, and now mayor. But God has plans, and now, after being installed as mayor eight months ago, we are finally here.”
A decade-long problem
Residents of Kalunasan have long endured the unbearable stench from the detention centers, with complaints dating back to at least 2011. Past administrations proposed solutions, but none materialized.
In 2017, a CDN report highlighted how residents raised concerns to then-Mayor Tomas Osmeña, citing that the foul odor worsened during heavy rains. Temporary measures such as septic tank declogging and hiring private contractors were implemented, but they failed to provide a lasting fix.
In 2020, during the administration of the late Mayor Edgardo Labella, the city allocated P20 million from its calamity fund to construct the Kalunasan wastewater treatment facility. However, delays in bidding and procurement stalled the project indefinitely.
Former Mayor Michael Rama, during his tenure in 2024, acknowledged the issue and vowed to investigate the bidding process. He admitted that despite an allocated budget of P100 million, the project had yet to move forward.
“Dili man ako’y mo bid out [kay] naa may bidding. Mao ng ako nasad ng tugkaron kay mao mana akong warning nila… I am very, very serious. Dili gani mo mutuo nako, pang-ilisdan jud nako,” Rama said in March 2024, warning of possible removals in City Hall if officials failed to act.
Despite his warnings, the Kalunasan wastewater treatment facility remained stagnant.
The crisis reached alarming levels when City Councilor Nestor Archival, in a March 2024 interview, revealed that Cebu City Jail’s septic tank was overflowing, leading to direct wastewater discharge into canals and the Guadalupe River—an environmental and public health disaster.
“Naa gyud na gilabay sa kanal or padulong sa river, so it’s really a disaster. Timan-i kanang Guadalupe River kay usa na sa gikuhaan nato og water kay naa nay tubig sa ilawom,” Archival said.
He added that the city must also clarify the status of project funds, as there were claims that 50 percent had been diverted to other programs. However, he noted that verifying this had been difficult due to City Hall’s inefficiency in handling documents.
Project implementation
The long-awaited project has been successfully bid out to Rudhil Construction & Enterprises with a contract duration of 510 days. The facility is expected to process wastewater from over 5,000 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) housed in the Cebu City Jail and CPDRC, preventing untreated human waste from polluting nearby waterways and neighborhoods.
Garcia assured that the city would closely monitor the contractor’s performance.
“If they fail to complete it within the timeline, they will be held accountable. We have provisions to terminate the contract or deduct damages,” he warned.
Community suffering
For years, Kalunasan residents have endured the health hazards and discomfort brought about by untreated waste. Vendors near the area recall experiencing the stench intermittently, with some days being worse than others.
A PDL (Person Deprived of Liberty) who has been incarcerated for 15 years shared their struggle. He noted how the stench lingers due to the proximity of the septic tanks.
“Maka-experience gyud mi sa baho, unya naa ra diri ang tangke. Mao nang kung dili makuha among basura bisan usa ka adlaw lang, perting bahoa,” he said.
While air pollution is not their primary concern, the smell becomes unbearable when they run out of chemicals used to neutralize the odor.
“Ug mahutdan mi og chemical, naa gyuy panahon nga musamot ang baho. Pero layo na ang duha ka adlaw nga dili gyud matabang,” he added.
Ronalyn, a vendor who has been selling across the jail facilities for eight years, shared a similar experience.
“Usahay raman ang baho, dili permanente, pero masimhot gyud namo. Dili man kada adlaw, pero naa gyud mga higayon nga baho gyud,” she said.
Meanwhile, Garcia said he is committed to completing the Kalunasan wastewater treatment facility, and that his administration will see it through without delays.
“I don’t want to dwell on what past administrations failed to do. What matters is that under my leadership, we are finally acting on it.”
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