P56.4-M 'eco-friendly' sewage systems in the works for Cebu hospitals

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — The Cebu Provincial government is investing P56.4 million in new sewage treatment facilities across eight provincial hospitals, aiming to improve sanitation and wastewater management in public healthcare facilities.

The initiative moved forward on July 4, 2026, with Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro leading the groundbreaking ceremony for an P8.4-million sewage treatment plant at Oslob District Hospital.

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Modern wastewater treatment

Dr. Nikki Catalan, Capitol Piso health consultant, said sewage treatment plants (STP) were needed to ensure that healthcare facilities would remain environmentally sustainable in their operations.

“Hospitals generate wastewater every day. An STP helps make sure this is properly treated before it is released back into the environment,” Catalan said in a Facebook post.

She said the projects would help improve patient safety, infection prevention, sanitation, environmental compliance, and the protection of nearby communities.

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Catalan added that support facilities such as sewage treatment systems should have been prioritized years ago, but the provincial government is now addressing those long-standing infrastructure needs.

More efficient system

Unlike conventional sewage treatment plants, the new facilities will use membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology, an advanced wastewater treatment system.

Catalan explained that the technology uses beneficial microorganisms to break down waste before wastewater passes through fine membrane filters that remove remaining solids.

This, she added, made the treatment process more efficient while requiring less space than older systems.

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Eight hospitals covered

Aside from Oslob District Hospital, Catalan said similar sewage treatment plants were under construction in the provincial hospitals in Carcar, Argao, Bantayan, Minglanilla, Pinamungajan, Camotes, and Tuburan.

Based on the Cebu Infrastructure Project Management and Monitoring System, the initial allocations are P1.6 million for Carcar, P6.04 million for Bantayan, P8.58 million for Argao, P4.94 million for Minglanilla, P9.36 million for Pinamungajan, P8.55 million for Camotes, and P9.02 million for Tuburan.

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The projects, together with the P8.4-million Oslob facility, have a combined value of about P56.4 million.

Aside from the sewage treatment plant, Oslob District Hospital is also undergoing an emergency room upgrade as part of efforts to improve public healthcare facilities across the province.

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