THE Bacolod City Government and the Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (Nice) conducted a public hearing to incorporate a waste-to-energy (WTE) component in their 10-year solid waste management plan (2024–2033) on March 17, 2026.
"The future of our city will not be decided behind closed doors, but in the open light with those whom we serve," Mayor Greg Gasataya said.
He said open dialogue and transparency are the absolute foundation of how government should be.
"I deeply appreciate the dedication of every citizen, expert, and community leader who attended, shared their perspectives, and asked questions," he said.
The mayor noted that being in public service means listening directly to the people they serve.
“I value your input immensely, especially when your insights are aimed at improving the services of our City Government and safeguarding the overall welfare of Bacolod,” Gasataya said.
Amid rapid development and urbanization, he said finding sustainable and long-term solutions for the city's solid waste management is a complex challenge for the growing city, and the active participation ensures they are making informed decisions together.
"Thank you for your continued partnership in building a cleaner, more sustainable Bacolod for all of us. Thank you for being the reasons we continue to believe that we are truly stronger together," Gasataya added.
In January 2026, Gasataya signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Energy to implement WTE in Bacolod.
The proposed Bacolod Integrated Recycling Technology Hub (Birth Ecopark) will be constructed on a 25.7-hectare site in Barangay Felisa, adjacent to the existing five-hectare sanitary landfill.
Under the waste management hierarchy, waste avoidance, reduction, reuse, and recycling are prioritized, with WTE as a recovery option and landfilling as the final resort.
The Birth Ecopark will feature a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), and the WTE project will be executed as a public-private partnership to ensure public health protection, regulatory compliance, and legal adherence.
Nice also lauded the city's efforts on conducting a public consultation to incorporate WTE.
The initiative addresses long-standing garbage management challenges while aligning with the city’s policies on procurement neutrality and non-commitment. However, Nice is advocating for safer WTE technologies to safeguard public safety.
Joshua Villalobos, secretary general of Nice, expressed appreciation for the City’s willingness to engage in dialogue.
He clarified that the organization’s support for WTE does not cover thermal waste-to-energy technologies, citing concerns over public health risks, environmental hazards, and potential disruption to waste hierarchy priorities.
“We would like to make it clear that despite of what we have been advocating, we are not against waste-to-energy technologies in general. Since our initial engagement, we always made it clear that what we are really concerned about is technologies that involve thermal waste to energy,” Villalobos said.
He proposed to the city to create a provision considering only technologies with clear regulatory guidelines and align with global environmental health standard.
Villalobos noted the importance of integrated waste management strategies, particularly source segregation.
Also present were representatives from the Solid Waste Management Board, barangay officials, the private sector, and government agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Energy, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Education, as well as civil society organizations.
The City presented updates to its WTE framework, which is integrated into the existing 10-year plan. (MAP)