By CESAR JOLITO III
A youth-led environmental group has formally appealed to Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to address concerns over the proposed waste-to-energy (WTE) project in the city after claiming that the city government has yet to respond to calls for transparency on the matter.
In a letter dated Monday, March 9, the Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment Inc. (NICE) raised issues regarding the integration of the WTE facility into the city’s 10-Year Solid Waste Management Plan.
NICE stressed the need for transparency, public consultation and adherence to environmental safeguards before moving forward with a major waste management infrastructure project.
According to the group, Bacolod has previously taken steps toward sustainability through various initiatives, including the solarization of the Bacolod City Government Center, promotion of environmental programs, and the activation of the Bacolod City Climate Change Council through an executive order.
These efforts, NICE said, helped shape the city’s direction toward climate responsibility and sustainable development.
However, NICE expressed concern that the proposed WTE project is allegedly advancing without sufficient public disclosure or consultation.
The organization warned that large-scale investments in such technology could carry long-term implications for public health, the environment and governance.
“Waste management solutions must strengthen Bacolod’s sustainability direction, not weaken it. Transparency and meaningful consultation are essential before committing the city to a technology that will affect communities and the environment for decades,” NICE Deputy Secretary General John Dyrick Dormis said.
The group called on the city government to temporarily halt further progress on the WTE project until the public is fully informed and given the opportunity to participate in consultations.
Aside from writing to Benitez, NICE said it also sent letters to the Department of Energy, Regional Development Council, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources to request a comprehensive review of the project.
The group said the review should include full disclosure of the proposed technology, environmental safeguards, and compliance with existing environmental policies.
NICE also pointed to the provisions of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, which prohibits the incineration or burning of waste that produces toxic emissions.
The organization noted that thermal WTE technologies typically rely on high-heat combustion, raising questions about potential compliance with the law and possible risks to public health.
“All Bacolodnons share a responsibility in addressing the city’s waste challenges,” NICE campaigner Junjun Mojica said.
“But solutions must be discussed openly, with transparency and participation from the communities that will be affected,” he added./CJ, WDJ