SWM summit in Cebu City set April 6-8

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government will be holding a Solid Waste Management (SWM) summit on April 6 to 8, 2022, to tackle the perennial garbage problems of the city.

Mayor Michael Rama said in a press conference on Monday, April 4, 2022, that the summit is part of his 21-gun salute plan before his term ends.

The 21-gun salute programs are Rama’s way to continue the legacy of late Mayor Edgardo Labella and ensure that the projects will be completed for what was supposed to be by the end of Labella’s first term.

“When we ascended as Mayor, we gave prime to waste management, only interrupted by Odette. Be that as it may, we will in a few days undertake our Waste Summit. The convenors undertook preliminary focus group discussions that yielded valuable outputs that will be reported and consolidated during the main Summit,” he said.

Reymar Hijarra, one of the summit’s convenors, said the summit will be held from April 6 to 8, 2022, be attended by a city government department, national agencies, and nongovernment organizations (NGOs), and other stakeholders.

Furthermore, solution companies will be also in attendance to discuss the new technologies for managing waste.

“We also have panel discussions with establishments that are solid waste generators such as hotels, malls, and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCCI) for a general assessment,” said Hijarra.

Embassies, the Cebu academe, and other groups will also be joining the summit.

The goal of the summit will be to consolidate input from all stakeholders in order to come up with a SWM plan that would satisfy the Commission of Audit’s (COA) requirement for the city’s 10-year SWM Plan.

The summit will be held at SM Seaside Sky hall.

WTE Debate

Mayor Rama is also looking forward to hearing the debate for the possible Waste-to-Energy project in the city that has become controversial since the City Council has passed a proposed Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) between the city government and New Sky Energey Philippines over the project.

Rama said that while it is not a matter of proving whether the WTE will be beneficial or detrimental to the environment of the city, he wants all minds to be poured in over the issue.

“At the end of the day, there will be a decision to be made,” he said.

The WTE project is now up for Swiss Challenge within 30 days for possible other proponents who wish to provide a better proposal to Cebu City.

Ahead of the city’s organized SWM summit, Philippine Earth Justic Center Inc., will be holding its own summit at the University of Cebu on April 5, 2022, to discuss the WTE project.

/bmjo

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Cebu City to hold Environment and Solid Waste Management Summit