DAVAO City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to pursue the Waste to Energy (WTE) Incineration project.
During his third State of the City Address (Soca) on Tuesday afternoon, August 6, 2024, at Rizal Park, Duterte said that the DENR halted the project in 2023 and has not provided an explanation for the stoppage. He added that the city government will comply with whatever processes or requirements the department needs
“We are still hoping in calling out DENR to pursue this project because well it’s your job,” he said.
Duterte emphasized that relying on landfills is unsustainable, as there will eventually be no land available. He argued that the project is feasible since the national government has sufficient funds to finance it.
“I think the national government has enough money to invest on this, total naa man ta [we have a] grant from Japan which is a very reliable partner,” he said.
Duterte mentioned that the government of Japan has provided a grant of P2.5 billion, while the remaining funds would come from the national government. However, the local government unit (LGU) has been informed by DENR that efforts for the WTE Incineration project, particularly regarding funding support, will resume in 2026.
He acknowledged that some people argue against the WTE Incineration project, noting that there is no perfect WTE incineration system and that byproducts are inevitable. The goal is not to achieve zero waste but to minimize it.
The mayor expressed his intention to acquire WTE technology from Japan, which has been successful there.
Duterte also said that Davao City respects nature and has many plants. He urged Dabawenyos not to litter, avoid cutting down trees, and refrain from touching animals that are not livestock.
“Simple ra gyud kaayo og gusto ninyo i-preserve ninyo ang environment — ayaw mo pagkalat (It is so simple, if we want to preserve our environment, do not litter),” he said.
He added that by preserving the environment, future generations will be able to enjoy fresh air and a lush environment. The mayor also stressed how mining is strictly prohibited in the city.
Meanwhile, the Davao City-based environmental group Interfacing Development Interventions For Sustainability (Idis) in their statement expressed dismay over the constant support of Duterte to the WTE Incineration project. The environment group has been vocal in its opposition to the project since the chemicals that would be generated by burning wastes can heavily affect the environment and humans.
The group mentioned in their statement on their Facebook page that instead of fixing the waste problem of the city, the WTE project would exacerbate it since the city needs more waste to keep the facility running which will lead to the city importing waste from other areas.
“Instead of pushing for this project, we have been urging the city government to opt for zero waste solutions, such as reducing plastic usage, enhancing segregation system facilities, segregated-based collection, composting facilities, Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF), and supporting Community-Based Waste Management systems, small-scale recycling and composting enterprises, and resource collectors,” Idis wrote in their statement.
Idis cited the success of barangay Mintal in its solid waste management highlighting the decreased number of waste collected. The barangay now collects eight to nine tons per collection compared to the 24 tons before the initiative.
“This also proves that Zero Waste is not an ‘idealistic’ solution to address our waste management problem,” the group stated
Although Idis commends Duterte on his stance on mining, the group said they expect the mayor to address other environmental issues such as the watershed, illegal selling of ancestral lands, rampant encroachment, and cutting of trees within the Panigan-Tamugan Watershed.
“We already conducted multiple joint inspections in the said areas and convened various meetings to come up with an action plan, but up until now, the city has not acted on any of it. If we do not act now, we might lose one of our watersheds shortly,” Idis said.
Idis also hoped that Duterte would discuss expanding and maintaining green spaces to improve urban air quality and combat the increased urban heat index. The group advocates for sustainable public transportation and its inclusivity and hopes that the LGU will implement initiatives to enhance the city’s resilience to climate change
To recall, Idis has expressed its expectation that Duterte will abandon the WTE incineration project, arguing that it offers false solutions to the city’s waste management problems in its statement on August 5, 2024. RGP