CAMIGUIN (PIA) — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-10 receives Camiguin Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo’s support for amending Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, to advocate for alternative waste management technologies, particularly waste-to-energy solutions.
“Talagang mina-magnify ang segregation of source, but for this waste-to-energy, we are going to make mixed waste. Hindi mo kailangan i-segregate. Even biodegradable waste can be a big stack for you to generate power. So we have to reconcile our laws on this,” Reynaldo Digamo, regional director of the Environmental Management Bureau-10, said during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas.
(Segregation of source is really magnified, but for this waste-to-energy, we are going to make mixed waste. You don’t need to segregate. Even biodegradable waste can be a big stack for you to generate power from. So we have to reconcile our laws on this.)
According to Digamo, the representative supports this amendment in order to properly address the issues of radiation, incineration, and radiation waste in light of the current situation.
The regional director also revealed ongoing discussions with investors from Germany and Italy interested in implementing waste-to-energy projects in Misamis Oriental. He said this technology promises not only to manage waste effectively but also to generate electricity, providing a dual benefit to the local communities.
Normin’s current waste mgmt
DENR-10 highlighted Bukidnon’s prominence in hosting operational sanitary landfills compared to neighboring provinces. They attributed this to the financial capability of local government units (LGUs) in Bukidnon, many of which are first-class municipalities with sufficient funds to construct landfills independently.
“They can construct on their own without going into the application of a loan or maybe asking the national government to provide a budget,” Digamo added.
However, unlike Bukidnon, other provinces, such as Misamis Oriental, face geological challenges that hinder landfill construction. Laguindingan and Gitagum, for example, have underlying limestone, making them unsuitable for landfill sites due to soft walls and cavitation issues.
Noting these issues, Digamo emphasized the importance of updating policies to accommodate new technologies that can handle mixed waste without the need for segregation. He highlighted that while Region 10 currently has the most landfills, with more than 40 operational or under construction, the future lies in more sustainable solutions like waste-to-energy. (RTP/PIA-10/Camiguin)
