THE INTERFACING Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) took to social media their dismay at Mayor Sebastian Duterte over continued support for the Waste To Energy (WTE) project.
The statement came in the wake of the State of the City Address on Tuesday where the mayor emphasized that WTE is the solution to the city’s waste problem, and failed to discuss other environmental issues in the city.
“IDIS has always been vocal in its opposition to the Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Incineration Project due to its adverse effects on humans and the environment. As we always reiterate, burning wastes produces highly hazardous chemicals such as dioxins and furans,” IDIS in their statement.
The group added incineration affects the neurological development of children which causes respiratory diseases, and water and air pollution.
The project will push the city to produce more waste, eventually resulting in waste importation just to keep the facility running, which only makes the effects of climate change worse.
The group reiterated their call that the city can 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 cited for example the case in barangay Mintal where they have been supporting the Mintal Resource Collectors Association- that since its inception, the collected waste in the barangay dropped drastically– from 24 tons of garbage per collection to 8-9 tons.
The Mintal Resource Collectors Association collects recyclable wastes, such as cardboard boxes (karton), PET bottles, plastic scraps, etc., and earns from it, while aiming for zero waste.
“This only shows that Dabawenyos can be DCplinado if we have enough support from the local government and the decision-makers have the political will to do so,” IDIS said stressing that Zero Waste is not an “idealistic” solution contrary to the mayor’s statement.
“Naay uban idealistic, nga zero-waste gyud daw, walaý ingana, naa gyud nay by-product pirme the goal is to minimize through technology,” the mayor said in his SOCA.
The mayor, in his SOCA, was keen to continue WTE and appealed to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to support the city’s plan to establish the facility. The mayor added that WTE has been “running and proven to be effective” in Japan, hoping the same will be put up in the city.
Councilor Tek Ocampo, committee chair on environment also backed the mayor’s call for support to continue the WTE Project.
“Kung naa man gud ang WTE, it will greatly help and solve the solid waste problem nato,” Ocampo told reporters.
Meanwhile, while IDIS lauded the proclamation of Duterte that mining is not welcome in the city, the group expects him through the governing body to fast-track the decade-long watershed issues.
This includes the illegal selling of ancestral lands, rampant encroachment, and cutting of trees within the Panigan-Tamugan Watershed, one of the sources of our drinking water.
IDIS stressed multiple joint inspections have been conducted, and come up with an action plan, however, up until now, the city seems to disregard it.
“If we do not act now, we might lose one of our watersheds shortly,” IDIS added.
Ocampo in February said the proposed ordinance declaring the Panigan-Tamugan watershed as a protected area is still at the committee level.
It can be noted the said ordinance was proposed to the 20th City Council in 2022.
