Cebu archbishop calls on Catholics to be responsible in waste disposal

February 5, 2026 – 7:00 AM

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Saying that environmental care is a moral and spiritual duty, Archbishop Alberto Uy urged Cebuanos to take personal responsibility for the city’s garbage problem.

In a pastoral appeal issued Feb. 2, he emphasized that solutions start with individual habits, not machines or government programs.

“The real solution to the garbage problem is not in machines. It is in changing habits,” Uy said. “Garbage is not first a city problem. Garbage is a lifestyle problem.”

“Nothing truly disappears. It only goes somewhere else — to rivers, to seas, to dumpsites, and eventually back to us,” Uy said.

The archbishop said Christians are stewards of creation and must act responsibly.

“To throw garbage irresponsibly is not only bad citizenship. It is poor stewardship,” he said. “Caring for the environment is not optional for Christians. It is part of our faith.”

Uy encouraged practical steps such as segregating waste, reducing single-use plastics, reusing items, composting biodegradable waste, and teaching children proper habits.

These small acts, according to him, become powerful when practiced by thousands of families daily.

He also called on parishes, schools, and religious communities to lead by example.

“Practice proper waste segregation, avoid plastic in parish events, teach environmental responsibility in catechism and classrooms, and show that faith and care for creation go together,” Uy said.

He urged Cebuanos to act without waiting for government intervention.

“Do not wait for the government to solve this problem for you. Be part of the solution,” he said. “The cleaner Cebu we desire will not come from machines. It will come from changed hearts and changed habits.”