The Department of Energy (DOE) pushes for the immediate passage of the waste-to-energy (WTE) technology bill as a potential solution to the persistent floods and waste reduction in the country.

More than 50 countries have already embraced this technology as of 2020, including an ASEAN neighbor country, Singapore, since 2009.

“We pushed for it in the last three years… I think [President Ferdinand R. Marcos] is very supportive of this, so hopefully, the waste-to-energy law will finally be passed,” Energy Secretary Sharon Garin told reporters last week.

The WTE Act or the Senate Bill 2267, sponsored by Senator Migz Zubiri, former Senator Bong Revilla Jr., and former Senator Francis Tolentino, and cosponsored by Senator and former DOE Chairman Win Gatchalian aims to significantly reduce waste disposal from trash as an energy source, contributing to economic and environmental benefits.

“One thing about WTE is that it is more of an environmental activity rather than an energy one. What we’re really doing is making the environment cleaner by using waste and transforming it into energy,” Garin said.

She added that the proposed bill was delayed due to prioritizing the legislation of other issues.

However, she is hopeful that Senator Pia Cayetano, the newly-appointed chair and Senator Gatchalian will continuously support this sustainable measure.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority earlier said that Indian engineering company Uttamenergy Ltd. in partnership with a local company, Global Heavy Equipment and Construction Corp. and ATD Waste-to-Energy Corp. have plans to invest P4 billion in a WTE facility in Capas, Tarlac.

The group is targeting to start the construction within two years while commercial operations are within three years of contract signing.

Pathma Sheida Omandam

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