The Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (NICE) has appreciated the efforts of the City of Bacolod in conducting a public consultation to incorporate a waste-to-energy (WTE) component in its 10-year solid waste management plan (2024–2033), Tuesday at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City, according to a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office.
The initiative addresses long-standing garbage management challenges while aligning with the city’s policies on procurement neutrality and non-commitment. However, NICE is advocating for safer WTE technologies to safeguard public safety.
Joshua Villalobos, secretary general of NICE, expressed appreciation for the city’s willingness to engage in dialogue. He clarified that the organization’s support for WTE does not cover thermal waste-to-energy technologies, citing concerns over public health risks, environmental hazards, and potential disruption to waste hierarchy priorities.
“We would like to make it clear that despite of what we have been advocating, we are not against waste to energy technologies in general, since our initial engagement we always made it clear that what we are really concerned about is technologies that involve thermal waste to energy,” Villalobos emphasized.
“We would like to suggest to the city to create a provision considering only technologies with clear regulatory guidelines and align with global environmental health standards,” he added.
He also stressed the importance of integrated waste management strategies, particularly source segregation.
During a public consultation, Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya encouraged community involvement, noting that all input would be considered as the city develops its waste management strategies.
“We assure you that our ears and eyes were open to listen to all of your suggestions.”
Stakeholders in attendance included representatives from the Solid Waste Management Board, barangay officials, the private sector, and government agencies such as the DILG, DOE, DOST, DENR, and DepEd, along with civil society organizations. The city presented updates to its WTE framework, which is integrated into the existing 10-year plan.
In January 2026, Gasataya signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Energy to implement WTE in Bacolod. The proposed Bacolod Integrated Recycling Technology Hub (BIRTH Ecopark) will be constructed on a 25.7-hectare site in Barangay Felisa, adjacent to the existing 5-hectare sanitary landfill.
Under the waste management hierarchy, waste avoidance, reduction, reuse, and recycling are prioritized, with WTE as a recovery option and landfilling as the final resort. The BIRTH Ecopark will feature a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), and the WTE project will be executed as a public-private partnership to ensure public health protection, regulatory compliance, and legal adherence.*
