AFTER six years of its initial plan of constructing waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities in the city, the 20th Davao City Council unanimously approved a city councilor's proposed resolution to request President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. a P3.486 billion Philippine national government counterpart fund for the continuity of the project.
"During the conduct of the 2020 study, it was confirmed by relevant authorities, foremost of which the Department of Energy, that one of the major conditions or assumptions of the project, which was the application of the feed-in-tariff (FIT) rate set at PhP6.63/kWh for biomass sales for the electricity sales of the project, was no longer applicable; hence, as one of the options recommended in the said study, and consistent with how WTE facilities in the entire world are funded, the City of Davao seeks the support of its national government, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources," Tek Ocampo, chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, said in his resolution, which was filed as an urgent item during the 8th Regular Session on August 23, 2022.
The project was first proposed in 2015 in partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). A feasibility study has been conducted which confirmed the viability of the establishment and operation of a WTE facility in Davao City.
"WTE is a proven and efficient technology that is currently being adopted and used globally," Ocampo said.
He also said it not only significantly reduces the volume of waste dumped in a sanitary landfill, but also contributes to and provides one of the most important resources, energy.
"The current state of the City's sanitary landfill, which is almost filled to the brim and the exponential growth volume of its solid waste, necessitate the adoption and application of existing technologies that address Solid Waste Management," the new city councilor said.
In 2018, Japan Government provided grant assistance, or a donation, amounting to Y5,013,000,000 (estimated to be around P2.04 billion at today's exchange rate) to partially fund the "Project for the Construction of Waste-to-Energy Facilities in Davao City".
Ocampo said the city aims for complete compliance with RA 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which places a focus on reducing waste disposal.
Meanwhile, a Davao-based environmental group continues to oppose the proposed WTE incinerator facility in Davao City.
The proposed WTE facility is planned to be constructed on a 10-hectare land in Barangay Biao Escuela in Davao City.
In a statement on Tuesday, August 23, Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (Idis) expressed concern following the filing of a resolution requesting for the fund allocation for the WTE facility.
Idis said that the WTE facility releases emissions of toxic substances such as dioxins and furans which are carcinogenic or could cause cancer, as well as cause reproductive and developmental problems.
"It will only add to the already increasing problem of the city when it comes to dioxins and furans, highly toxic pollutants in the city's air, water, and land resources in this time of climate crisis," Idis said.
Other environmental groups also call for the abolishment of the WTE facility.
Plastic Free Pilipinas regional coordinator Jill Banta said in a previous interview that the facility could negatively affect 20 barangays with its toxic emissions.
The group's statement is backed by Prof. Jorge Emmanuel who said that the WTE technology that will be used is an old type of technology incapable of burning waste at a safe temperature.
Instead of a WTE facility, Idis said the city government should turn to sustainable solutions such as their proposal to create a "Centralized Composing and Biomass Facility and Systematic Materials Recovery Facilities" per barangay that will address the biodegradable waste and waste segregation problem, as well as strengthen community-based waste management.
"If they only look for sustainable solutions and environmentally sound technologies within our City, they will discover that the answer has long been provided and practiced by our fellow Dabawenyos. What these initiatives need is government support for them to be practiced and materialized throughout the city," Idis said. KSD and ICM
