THE Cebu Provincial Government has begun discussions on establishing a waste-to-energy (WTE) plant, citing an urgent need to address the province’s growing garbage problem.
Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro said the Provincial Government has been holding meetings with potential project proponents for a WTE facility.
“Our WTE is already in the works. It’s really a facility that we need right now,” Baricuatro said on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026.
The Provincial Government wants to fast-track the project, citing estimates that about 600 tons of garbage from Cebu City are sent daily to landfills across the province.
Baricuatro earlier said she hopes construction will begin this year, with the facility becoming operational by 2027.
A WTE refers to facilities or technologies that convert solid waste into usable energy, such as electricity, heat, or fuel. This is typically done through processes like incineration, gasification, or anaerobic digestion.
WTE plants are often promoted as a way to:
• Reduce the volume of waste sent to landfills
• Generate power from trash; and
• Support waste management and energy needs
However, they also raise concerns about emissions, costs and environmental impact, which are usually addressed through regulation and environmental safeguards.
The Capitol initially considered a site in the City of Naga, but the governor said Wednesday that no final location has been decided.
Contrary to Capitol, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival opposed adopting WTE technology as a solution for the city’s garbage problem without clear national regulations and environmental safeguards.
He has repeatedly ruled out WTE for Cebu City, citing concerns about environmental safety, the lack of established regulatory guidelines from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and potential long-term risks to public health and the environment.
Discussions on WTE were fast-tracked after a trash slide at the landfill in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City that killed 36 persons.
Meanwhile, the Province vowed to provide financial assistance to the family of a 50-year-old rescuer from Toledo City who died during operations at the Binaliw landfill.
The Provincial Government also extended its condolences to the family and said the governor is expected to visit the wake.
“We will be providing assistance to the family as well,” she added.
Aside from the rescue worker, 36 other people — mostly employees working at the landfill — also died in the incident. / ANV