In a significant step towards sustainable waste management practices, Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez and Dr. Marlon Era, president of the Solid Waste Management Association of the Philippines (SWAPP), signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to conduct a Waste Analysis and Characterization Study (WACS) in the city, at the City Mayor’s Office Monday, a press release from City Hall said.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by notable figures in the field, including Mary Jane Ortega, former mayor of San Fernando City, La Union, Lilia Casanova, an International and Local Environment consultant, Cathay Orbien, Project Management Support Logistics specialist, City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III, and Ma. Fe Tresfuentes, officer-in-charge of the Department of Public Services, it said.
The WACS initiative aims to provide baseline information necessary for the development of a comprehensive and sustainable 10-year solid waste management plan for Bacolod City.
The planning tool allows the city’s authorities to identify and implement effective waste management interventions based on reliable and accurate data. The study will encompass all waste sources in the city, including residential, commercial, industrial, governmental, and others, tracing their journey from generation to disposal.
With the WACS program, Bacolod City seeks to determine the volume of waste generated at its source, assess the potential for waste recovery, and gain insights into the actual volume of waste reaching the disposal sites.
This comprehensive understanding of the waste stream will enable the city to implement targeted and efficient waste management strategies, including waste reduction, recycling, and proper disposal, in line with sustainable development goals, the press release added.
Bacolod City Council, recognizing the significance of the WACS initiative, passed a resolution during its 49th regular session, authorizing Benitez to sign the proposed MOA with SWAPP. The agreement includes a grant of P960,000 to fund the Waste Analysis and Characterization Study in Bacolod City.
The study is expected to yield insights into Bacolod City’s waste management landscape as it is armed with accurate data, the city can take proactive measures to reduce waste generation, increase recycling rates, and establish efficient waste treatment and disposal systems.
Furthermore, this collaborative effort between the local government and SWAPP marks a significant milestone towards a cleaner and greener Bacolod City, the press release concluded.*
