The second day of the Solid Waste Management Summit in Cebu City features speakers from waste solution companies and international investors including the World Bank. | Delta Dyrecka Letigio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City is now tackling solutions for the waste management problem in the second day of its Solid Waste Management Summit.
The three-day summit hopes to gather solutions to the perennial garbage problem.
“We are looking for possible solutions that we can adapt with regards to the garbage. We invited everyone from recycling to waste to energy (WTE) to material recovery. We even have water treatment solution providers,” said Reymarr Hijarra, the appointed summit convenor of Mayor Michael Rama.
On the first day, the city presented to the stakeholders the problems in garbage production, collection, and disposal.
On the second day, Hijarra said they focused on the solutions that might help the city establish a more systematic and efficient collection and disposal.
Solution companies presented proposals such as WTE technology, material recovery facilities (MRF), septage treatment facilities, and even investment prospects.
The World Bank presented prospective projects as well that they have funded internationally for waste management.
Hijarra is hopeful that among the concepts tackled on the second, they will find a long term solution.
“The mayor’s direction is not really to adopt one solution to solve our problem about solid waste but preferrably, it will be a set of solutions that are complementary para matabangan ta dayon (so that we can be helped right away),” he said.
So far, one of the most feasible projects the city can immediately adapt is the MRF concept.
The city has tried to implement MRF facilities in Barangays Inayawan and Kalunasan, but they have yet to take off.
Hijarra believes that if the city is willing to invest in the infrastructure, it will have a long lasting effect to waste management because the MRF concept reduces garbage production from the source and reduces overall disposal.
With all the input, the city government is confident that it will be able to update the 10 year Solid Waste Management Plan as a result of the summit.
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Solid Waste Management summit begins in Cebu City
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