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New Sky Energy Philippines plans to invest P5 billion in a waste-to-energy (WTE) facility in Cebu City’s mountain barangay of Guba through a joint venture with the local government.
While some residents have voiced concerns over the project’s potential health and environmental risks, barangay officials clarified they have not yet taken an official position on the project, countering reports that suggested formal opposition and political friction.
According to Guba’s Barangay Captain Orland Herrera, the proposed project has sparked divisions among both officials and residents. While some council members oppose the plan, others have yet to take a position. Building public trust remains a key challenge, especially as a petition highlighting health and environmental concerns has already circulated among concerned residents.
He added that the barangay has not yet received any formal request to either endorse or oppose the project.
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Project benefits
SunStar Cebu columnist Lujen P. Limosnero noted that the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) Industrial Technology Development Institute, through its Environmental Technology Verification Group, prepared a verification report assessing the environmental performance of New Sky’s WTE technology.
Test results from a September 2018 monitoring of a facility in China using the technology showed that the system can reduce input waste by more than 91%, converting it efficiently into slag and fly ash.
Additionally, the facility generates 480.641 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity for every ton of waste it processes. Its air emissions comply with the Philippine Clean Air Act (RA 8749), while wastewater discharges meet the standards of the Philippine Clean Water Act (RA 9275).
Limosnero wrote, “…its gist was that the technology basically passed with flying colors.”
During the October 24 public hearing, DOST 7 Science Research Specialist Imee Kassandra Cacho emphasized that the WTE process is “safe and the way to go,” mentioning its proven success in countries such as South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and Japan.
Meanwhile, Department of Health (DOH) officials explained that current landfills generate more pollution than a waste-to-energy facility.
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Why many locals are against the project
Despite repeated assurances from government agencies about the project’s safety and feasibility, many residents remain skeptical.
Manila Times’ Marit Stinus-Cabugon wrote that residents opposed the facility not only to protect their rural, agricultural community but also as a critique of the city’s waste management. With low local waste generation, Guba faces becoming the daily dumping ground for trash from Cebu’s crowded lowland barangays.
She stated, “I also understand the affected residents questioning why, of all the 80 barangays in the city, theirs was chosen as the site to set up the facility, considering most of the garbage comes from the coastal areas.”
Cabugon added that neighboring Barangay Binaliw endures a similar burden, hosting a sanitary landfill that handles roughly 1,000 tons of waste daily. The constant flow of garbage trucks and lingering odors, she warned, could soon become a reality for Guba as well.
One woman who attended the public hearing observed that, despite the presence of numerous national government experts, none directly addressed the specific risks and negative impacts of the WTE project. “Instead, they only mentioned them in general terms,” Cabugon wrote.
The columnist further stated that even the local media reported that the representatives largely gave general assurances that the WTE project is safe and beneficial. Officials emphasized that emissions would be monitored and safeguards would be in place.
Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera attributed residents’ concerns to widespread mistrust in government. He said the long-planned WTE facility in Cebu City could be delayed by up to three years. Originally set for completion this year, the project has yet to start construction due to public opposition.
Looking ahead
Limosnero believes that Cebu City cannot afford to remain at a standstill, emphasizing that urgent action is needed to move the project forward. “The clock is ticking,” he wrote. “The city’s decades-old garbage crisis and its power deficits are all too real. I hate to say it, but things can only get worse before they can get better.”
Cabugon suggests conducting a house-to-house campaign in the barangay to share detailed information, helping residents understand the project’s significance and address their concerns, paving the way for its progress.
Meanwhile, Garganera noted that the city is still obtaining permits from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR), which depend on public approval and require additional hearings. He also cited the need to reclassify the project site from agrarian land.
Earlier estimates indicate that the WTE project could produce roughly 208 KW per ton of waste, translating to about 140,000 KW from 500 tons. Once operational, the Cebu City government is projected to earn three percent of the facility’s gross power sales revenue.
Sources:
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/briones-why-cebu-city-cant-afford-to-wait-on-wte