DAVAO City Councilor Louie John Bonguyan expressed hope that the public scoping for the proposed Waste-to-Energy (WTE) project will proceed smoothly to pave the way for its implementation.
Bonguyan, chair of the Committee on Energy and Water, said the public scoping is part of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) requirements to assess the project’s environmental impact and determine the city’s suitability as a site.
He said the city remains committed to pushing the technology forward.
However, Bonguyan said his office and that of Councilor Temujin “Tek” Ocampo, chair of the Committee on Environment, have yet to receive a formal invitation for the public scoping.
The Davao City government has been advocating for the WTE project, which aims to convert solid waste into electricity, address landfill constraints, and provide a long-term solution to rising waste generation.
The DENR Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-Davao said the public scoping will be open to all stakeholders, including local government units, non-government organizations, people’s organizations, vulnerable sectors, and local institutions.
In an April 4 statement, EMB-Davao said public scoping is a preliminary step in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, providing a platform for stakeholders and communities to raise concerns and issues.
The bureau clarified that the activity does not determine the approval or rejection of the project.
Meanwhile, Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (Idis) opposed the project, citing concerns over its compatibility with circular economy principles.
Idis said the proposed WTE facility could undermine efforts to promote waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and resource efficiency under the European Union-Philippines partnership. RGP