By CESAR JOLITO III
The Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB) and the Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance have thrown their support behind the Bacolod City government’s proposed waste-to-energy (WTE) project, positioning it as a long-term response to the city’s growing garbage problem and recurring flooding concerns.
The WTE facility forms a central pillar of Bacolod’s 10-year Solid Waste Management Plan for 2024 to 2033, crafted in coordination with the Department of Energy.
The project is set to rise within the 25.7-hectare Bacolod Integrated Recycling and Technology Hub in Barangay Felisa, beside the city’s existing sanitary landfill.
Once operational, the plant is expected to convert municipal waste into as much as 15 megawatts of electricity — enough to help power thousands of households — while easing pressure on landfill capacity.
Business leaders have warned that Bacolod’s current waste disposal system is nearing a breaking point.
Atty. Juliana Carbon, president of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said data indicates that a single landfill could reach full capacity in as little as 18 months if waste generation continues at its current pace.
“A waste-to-energy system is really needed considering our garbage volume. We need new processing technology,” Carbon said, adding that the initiative could also encourage wider adoption of reuse, recycling, and composting practices in communities.
Environmental and civic groups, however, stressed that WTE should not replace waste reduction efforts.
Dionisio dela Cruz of the Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance emphasized that the technology sits at the final stage of the waste management hierarchy — after avoidance, reuse, recycling, and composting have been maximized.
Church leaders echoed calls for stronger policy implementation.
Fr. Julius Espinosa, director of the Diocese of Bacolod Social Action Center, welcomed the initiative but urged the city to strictly enforce existing ordinances, particularly those regulating single-use plastics.
A city council resolution that will formally adopt the WTE Integration and Implementation Framework is now pending approval.
Once cleared, the plan will be submitted to the National Solid Waste Management Commission for review, bringing Bacolod a step closer to rolling out its first large-scale WTE facility./CJ, WDJ