The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod has approved on first reading the proposed “Bacolod Integrated Recycling and Technology Hub (BIRTH) Declaration and Waste to Energy Industrial Zone Lease or PPP Enabling Ordinance of 2026,” a landmark measure formally recognizing the Bacolod Integrated Recycling and Technology Hub (BIRTH) as the city’s integrated solid waste management hub and establishing a lawful, transparent framework for the development of a Waste-to-Energy (WtE) industrial zone within the site.
The ordinance is principally authored by Councilors Caesar Distrito and Homer Bais, and co-authored by Councilors Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Roberto Rojas, Israel Salanga, Em Legaspi Ang, Jason Villarosa, Dindo Ramos, Psyche Marie Sy, Celia Matea Flor and Lady Gles Gonzales-Pallen.
The proposed measure aligns with the Bacolod City Updated Ten-Year Solid Waste Management Plan (2024–2033) and integrates Waste-to-Energy (WtE) as an anchor component for residual waste management and energy recovery, consistent with national solid waste and environmental laws. This is also the subject matter of the signed Memorandum of Agreement of the City of Bacolod and the Department of Energy (DOE).
Key features of the ordinance include the formal declaration of BIRTH as Bacolod’s integrated solid waste management hub; designation of a defined waste-to-energy industrial zone within the city-owned property in Barangay Felisa; authorization of a competitive lease process or implementation through a public-private partnership (PPP); mandatory fair market rental valuation supported by independent appraisal;
A transparent competitive selection process through the city’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) acting as Lease BAC; strict non-exclusivity and non-endorsement provisions ensuring no automatic project award, feedstock guarantee, or preferential treatment; environmental, safety, and DOE qualification requirements prior to any construction or operations; posting of a city development security to protect public interest; and requirement of prior sangguniang authorization before the city mayor may execute any lease or PPP agreement.
Distrito emphasized that the ordinance is an enabling governance framework designed to protect the City’s long-term interest.
“This measure does not award any project nor grant automatic rights to any private entity. It establishes the legal, transparent, and competitive structure necessary to implement our solid waste management plan responsibly. Every step will be subject to independent valuation, strict safeguards, environmental compliance, DOE qualification, and final sangguniang approval,” Distrito stated.
For his part, Bais underscored the importance of institutional readiness and accountability.
“This ordinance ensures that if Bacolod pursues waste-to-energy as part of its long-term waste management strategy, it will be done through a competitive, transparent, and accountable process. The safeguards built into this measure are intended to protect public assets, uphold environmental standards, and secure the best value for the city and its people,” Bais said.
The ordinance also allows the city to pursue development through a PPP arrangement pursuant to Republic Act No. 11966, or the PPP Code of the Philippines, should that implementation route be determined most advantageous.*
