By CESAR JOLITO III

The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has approved Mayor Greg Gasataya’s request to enter into an agreement with a private firm for a P4-billion waste-to-energy (WTE) facility, marking a significant step in the city’s push to modernize its solid waste management system.

The approval, granted on April 29, authorizes Gasataya to sign a lease agreement with Forza Development Corporation (FDC), which will finance, construct and operate the facility within the city’s sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa.

The project will be developed under the Bacolod Integrated Recycling and Technological Hub (BIRTH) WTE Industrial Zone.

City Legal Officer Karol Joseph Chiu described the move as a “landmark development,” emphasizing that the project will not require direct financial investment from the city government.

Under the agreement, Bacolod will provide the land, while the private partner shoulders the full cost of development.

Chiu said the initiative could place Bacolod among the leading local government units in adopting WTE technology in the country, amid growing interest in similar projects in other areas.

The city is expected to benefit from real property taxes, a share in revenues generated from power production, and employment opportunities for communities near the sanitary landfill.

Records show that the bids and awards committee endorsed the project to the mayor on April 14, awarding it to FDC as the highest calculated responsive bidder.

The firm offered an annual lease payment of P1.01 million.

The WTE project forms part of the Gasataya administration’s broader strategy to address increasing waste concerns while promoting sustainable and economically beneficial solutions for the city./CJ, WDJ