CEBU Business WEEK

28/03/2026

19/03/2026

Read Cebu Business Week at cebubusinessweek.com

16/03/2026

36 Dead, Billions Wasted: Cebu's Garbage Greed

By: Atty. Gerry A. Carillo

Decades of ignoring waste laws killed 36 workers and now costs taxpayers billions—all because officials refused to enforce segregation.

For 25 years, Cebu City violated RA 9003. No segregation. No Materials Recovery Facilities. Just landfills pushed past capacity until January 8, 2026, when a garbage landslide at Binaliw crushed workers alive. The death toll hit 36. The landfill closed overnight.

Now the city hauls trash 60 kilometers away at nearly four times the cost—from ₱1,100 to ₱3,906 per ton. Annual expenses could hit ₱2 billion. Taxpayers bleed. Businesses scramble. All because leaders chose inaction over implementation. The law existed. Enforcement didn't. Thirty-six lives and billions of pesos later, Cebu finally learns: compliance is always cheaper than catastrophe.

16/03/2026

THE CONGRESSMAN'S SEXIST STATEMENT

IT is so sad and unfortunate that a representative from Quezon City had to issue a sexist statement during a congressional hearing as the nation celebrates the National Women's Month.

Rep. Jesus Suntay's public declaration of imagining doing something to actress Anne Curtis was off tangent and a clear violation of Republic Act 11313 or the Anti-Bastos Law.

Actually, Suntay sexually harrased Curtis by verbalizing his imagination and even without any physical act of what he uttered in public.

Women deserve respect.

16/03/2026

OFWS SEEKS REPATRIATION

ALMOST 1,500 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in parts of the Middle East have asked to be repatriated as tensions escalate in the region.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said flights remain impossible because of closed airports and no-fly zones.

Marcos added land travel has been suggested as an option but also carries risks.

In an active combat zone, vehicles could be misidentified as hostile targets.

16/03/2026

IMEE ON ENERGY SECURITY

THERE should be a concrete emergency plan to safeguard the country's energy security.

This point was stressed by Sen. Imee Marcos who warned about rising oil prices and supply risks due to escalating tensions in the Middle East.

16/03/2026

CONG. AUMENTADO LAUDS MAYORS

THE mayors of Bohol's 2nd district have been lauded for ranking among the top performers in local governance and service excellence, a recognition that highlights their strong leadership and dedication to public service.

Bohol 2nd District Rep. Maria Vanessa Aumentado congratulated the mayors, praising their commitment to quality governance and their positive impact on the lives of their constituents.

16/03/2026

BOHOL ON SUPPLY DISRUPTIONS

THE Bohol provincial government has adopted a contingency framework to protect its economy, fuel supply and food security from possible disruptions caused by the Middle East crisis.

Gov. Erico Aris Aumentado stressed the framework adopts a whole-of-government approach to prepare Bohol for possible effects such as oil supply disruptions, inflation and economic uncertainty.

Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado will chair the taskforce.

16/03/2026

YOUR HANDSHAKE JUST KILLED YOUR BUSINESS

Under Philippine law, handshake partnerships dissolve when a partner dies—freezing assets, triggering liquidation, and destroying livelihoods.

Article 1830 of the Civil Code is clear: death dissolves the partnership. Banks freeze accounts. Courts order liquidation. Surviving partners cannot operate. Heirs cannot step in. Without a written agreement, the business doesn't fail from competition—it fails from absence of documentation.

This is a legal time bomb ticking under countless Filipino enterprises. The fix is simple: formalize with a Partnership Agreement containing continuation and buy-sell provisions, or incorporate under the Revised Corporation Code for perpetual existence. Paper today saves everything tomorrow.

16/03/2026

BUHISAN ROAD PROJECT SUSPENDED

THE contractor behind the excavation and hauling operations for the Buhisan road widening project has been issued a cease-and-desist order.

The order was issued following concerns over safety and environmental impact.

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival signed the suspension order against BNE Construction and Development Corp.

There was a site inspection and consultative meeting during which residents raised concerns about their safety.

16/03/2026

MANDAUE HELPING REPATRIATED OFWS

THE Mandaue city government is ready to assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the city who may be displaced by the escalating conflict in the Middle East and are seeking to return home.

The city council has approved a resolution calling on the city government to prepare support services for affected Mandauehanon OFWs who opt for repatriation.

Councilor Carlo Fortuna who authored the resolution said the proposed assistance includes transportation support from the airport to their respective homes.

14/03/2026

SMART FARMING TECHNOLOGIES IN PINAMUNGAJAN

THE Department of Science and Technology and the Pinamungajan municipal government have formalized a partnership.

It aims to introduce SARAI Smart Technologies in the town.

The initiative is part of the SMART Pinamungajan Roadmap which supports local government units in using science and technology to improve public services and community development.

Science and Technology Regional Director Tristan Abando and Pinamungajan Mayor Glenn Baricuatro led the signing of the partnership agreement.