OFFICIALS of Davao City Government and the Kitakyushu City Government of Japan signed a strategic environmental partnership agreement on Monday, November 15, to solve issues on solid wastes here in the metropolis.
The signing of the agreement was made at the office of the city mayor after officials from the Kitakyushu City paid a courtesy visit at the Davao City Council and presented the partnership during the regular session.
Committee on agriculture and food head Councilor Marissa Abella, in her privilege speech, said the partnership will develop a joint model project for the development of the environment in Davao City.
Abella said the project focuses on waste management and creation of a low carbon society which is an instrument to the development of green economy.
"This will also intensify the participation of the private sectors, such as enterprises and universities in both cities, and encourage support both from the national government and international agencies to realize the project," Abella said.
Kitakyushu City Mayor Kenji Kitahashi, on the other hand, assured the city that the excellent waste power generation technology from Nippon Steel and Sumikin Engineering, based from their city, can help solve issues on waste materials.
"I heard that as social and economic development rapidly progressed here, the amount of waste produced has grown every year. The waste disposal sites are strained and relieving that has become a pressing concern," Kitahashi said.
Kitahashi also said the goal of the agreement is to jointly carry out model projects in the city under themes such as "urban environmental improvements through waste management."
The other is "creation of a low carbon society that contributes to the development of a green economy," with the aim of turning them into models of inter-city cooperation in the Philippines, Kitahashi said.
Kitahashi said he is hoping for a full cooperation so that in 10 to 20 years from now the Davao City and the Kitakyushu City can develop as global green growth cities and become exemplary cases for the rest of the world to follow.
A resolution and its corresponding ordinance, meanwhile, was passed last Tuesday authorizing Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to sign for, on behalf of the city, the agreement between Davao City and the Kitakyushu City.
Duterte-Carpio, in an interview after the City Peace and Order Council meeting at the Grand Menseng Hotel, welcomed the partnership.
Duterte said the city is happy with Kitakyushu City's commitment and assistance to Davao.