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International waste-to-resources company begins feasibility study on city’s sanitary landfill

by Nova Mae Francas
written by Nova Mae Francas

A COUNCILOR here said that an international company started its feasibility study on waste-to-resources technology in the city to address its solid waste management problems.

During the Pulong Pulong sa Dabawenyos on Tuesday, June 16, Councilor Tek Ocampo revealed that a Malaysian-Singaporean company began its feasibility study on Monday, June 15. to analyze the types of waste generated in the city that they can process.

“The company is employing a 5th Generation Waste Management System aimed at establishing a circular economy and achieving a zero-landfill target,” he said.

He added that under this system, all types of waste, whether wet or dry, will be processed and recycled into useful energy, Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF), or food waste to compost.

This technology is currently deployed in countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, and is expanding into Vietnam.

Ocampo said if the results prove favorable, Davao City will be the first in the Philippines to implement it.

The councilor said the company is still in the feasibility stage, which is expected to last for a month. Following the study, the company will submit a proposal for the city council’s assessment.

“They will not be asking for funding from the city government; they will fund it themselves,” he stressed.

He noted that the company began communicating with the city government last year and submitted a letter of intent to conduct the feasibility study about two weeks ago, following the tragedy in the sanitary landfill.

Ocampo said numerous companies have expressed interest in partnering with the city, including a Korean firm interested in mining methane gas from the sanitary landfill.

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News

Davao City to participate in auction for 230-MW green energy capacity for WTE

by Nova Mae Francas
written by Nova Mae Francas

THE CITY council passed an ordinance on Wednesday, June 10, authorizing the city government to apply for and participate in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) special auction round for Waste-to-Energy (WTE).

The ordinance proposed by Councilor Louie John Bonguyan authorizes the local government to participate in the Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP).

“Kita karon ang gihimo sa city, ni-try ta, ni-apil ta sa ilang auction. This time, this is just a first step, na ni-apil ta sa Green Energy Auction,” he said.

The City Council’s committee on energy chairperson confirmed that the city has fast-tracked the submission process ahead of the June 16 deadline. 

Bonguyan said one of the requirements is the ordinance from the City Council and other application forms.

The Department of Energy (DOE) began the registration of qualified suppliers on May 25, 2026 for the Special Auction Round for WTE under the GEAP, to open activities for the 230-megawatt auction dedicated to thermal combustion WTE technology.

The Special Auction Round for WTE was launched on December 30, 2025, through the issuance of the Notice of Auction and Terms of Reference, followed by Supplemental Terms of Reference published on April 28, 2026. 

The auction covers a total capacity of 230 MW, with delivery scheduled between 01 September 2028 and 31 March 2029.

Davao City is aiming to secure around 10 to 11 MW from the pool, which matches the required output capacity of its proposed facility. 

“Hopefully, as chairman sa committee, maka-award ta kay ang atong kailangan is 10-11 MW, and the auction is 230 MW,” he said. 

Bonguyan said Davao City stands out as the lone local government unit participating in this specific sector of the auction, running alongside competing entities from the private sector.

He said the proposal was formalized in February and submitted to the city legal office, and they found that the auction is highly beneficial for the city’s long-term environmental and financial interests.

With the ordinance, the city government and its designated representatives are authorized to apply for and participate in the auction, and if successful, execute the ensuing supply contract under the GEAP.

The councilor hopes that winning the bid will revitalize support from international development partners, specifically the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). 

While JICA had previously committed a grant for the facility, local progress has faced roadblocks due to funding gaps and administrative hurdles.

Bonguyan clarified that the proposed WTE project will not bypass regulatory scrutiny as the facility remains strictly subject to national frameworks, including the Clean Air Act, national emission standards, and solid waste management policies.

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Japanese envoy defends Davao WTE project amid pollution fears

by Rhoda Grace Saron
written by Rhoda Grace Saron

AMID MOUNTING pressure from environmental advocates, Japanese Ambassador Kazuya Endo defended the proposed waste-to-energy (WTE) project in Davao City, asserting that advanced Japanese technology can address the mounting trash crisis without compromising public health.

In a media engagement at the Japanese Consulate in Davao on Friday, Ambassador Endo addressed criticisms from groups like Greenpeace and the Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS), which warned about toxic emissions.

“If you visit Tokyo, many waste-to-energy facilities are operating even in the middle of a very big city,” Endo told reporters. “We believe that with existing technology, we can establish environmentally friendly and sustainable facilities. In fact, existing sanitary landfills can often be even more harmful to the environment than modern WTE plants.”

Japanese tech

Japan has long utilized incineration-based WTE to manage waste in its densely populated urban centers. Endo emphasized that the country’s strict environmental regulations have forced innovations that maintain high air and water quality.

“Japan has had no environmental degradation in terms of air and water quality because technology helped us overcome those challenges,” the ambassador said. “I have visited some landfills in the Philippines—they can be dangerous and produce strong odors. Our technology is designed to address those specific factors.”

The Davao City WTE project, proposed for a 10-hectare site in Biao Escuela, Tugbok District, is designed to process 600 to 800 tons of waste daily. While the project was initially tied to a Japanese loan via the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for a 12-megawatt facility, it has faced significant delays.

When asked about his recent discussions with Mayor Sebastian Duterte, Endo admitted the project is behind schedule.

“We talked a bit, but the project is off [the original timeline] and should have been implemented much earlier,” Endo remarked. He deferred to the city and national government to explain the “concrete stages” of the current implementation.

The project, estimated between ₱3.5 billion and ₱5 billion, now finds itself at a crossroads. While the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) anticipates funding support by 2026, new players have entered the fray. 

An Australian-European partnership has recently proposed a 50-megawatt facility using non-incineration technology, offering a potential alternative to the traditional Japanese model.

Despite the promise of a “cleaner” landfill, local environmental groups remain steadfast in their opposition, pushing instead for a circular economy focused on waste segregation and composting. 

They argue the high cost of WTE could create a financial burden on the city and displace informal waste pickers.

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Environment

EMB XI says public scoping not approval or rejection of WTE

by Nova Mae Francas
written by Nova Mae Francas

THE ENVIRONMENTAL Management Bureau (EMB) XI reiterated that the upcoming public scoping is “neither a ceremony for the approval or rejection” of the proposed waste-to-energy (WTE) project.

In a statement issued on Saturday, April 4, the agency reaffirmed the procedural integrity of the public scoping process as a preliminary step in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process, governed strictly by DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2017-15.

Under DAO No. 2017-15, the EIA process is designed to ensure that environmental and social safeguards are addressed before any decision is made on the issuance of an environmental compliance certificate (ECC).

Public scoping provides a platform for host communities, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders to identify and raise specific concerns.

“As mandated by Section 7, the Public Scoping is the formal mechanism used to ‘determine the coverage, focus, depth, and extent of the assessment’ to be included in the EIS,” it said.

The agency stressed that the technical studies on air quality, toxic emissions, and hazardous ash, which are issues raised by advocacy groups, are not “pre-determined.” 

Rather, the “depth and extent” of the matters raised are established based on the inputs gathered during the scoping.

Citing Section 7 of the order, the proponent is required to conduct FGDs and IEC activities with the identified stakeholders prior to the public scoping to ensure that the community acquires prior knowledge of the project’s basic components before attending the scoping session.

The agency emphasized that public scoping is open to all groups identified in Section 5.2 of DAO 2017-15, such as the local government units, non-government organizations, people’s organizations, the vulnerable sectors, and local institutions.

It added that the public opposition and the technical concerns raised, such as potential toxic emissions, air pollution, and hazardous ash management, are crucial components of the documentation process. 

“All inputs gathered during the scoping are officially recorded and will form the basis of the Scoping Checklist, which defines the specific studies the proponent must undertake in their Environmental Impact Statement (EIS),” it said.

Matters concerning the Clean Air Act and the suitability of the technology will be “deliberately scrutinized” by a multi-disciplinary Environmental Impact Assessment Review Committee (EIARC) once the full impact study is submitted. 

EMB XI stressed it remains “impartial” and is “highly” promoting public participation in handling environmental concerns in pursuit of social justice, urging all concerned groups and residents to join the upcoming public scoping.

“By following these strict protocols and principles aligned to the thrust of the DENR, we ensure that no project moves forward without a comprehensive, transparent, and science-based review that takes the community’s voice into full account,” the agency said.

To note, the environmental group Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) has voiced strong opposition to the proposed Davao City Waste-to-Energy (WtE) Incineration project, ahead of the public scoping.

In a statement on Wednesday, April 1, the group said the project is “counter-intuitive” to the city’s established circular economy goals.

The pronouncement comes as the project prepares for a critical public scoping session “to evaluate potential social and environmental impacts”, scheduled for April 15, 2026, at the Barangay Biao Escuela gym.

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