The pending waste-to-energy (WTE) project in Davao City will be on top of the agenda as Mayor Sara Duterte and her counterpart from the Japanese city of Kitakyushu Kenji Kitahashi meet today, Oct. 4, in Davao City.
April Marie Dayap, officer-in-charge of the Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC), told media that among the topics expected to be discussed during the meeting of the two mayors is the WTE facility to be built in Davao City.
Davao City has a sister city agreement since 2018 with Kitakyushu that will provide the technical support in the construction of the WTE.
“I think one of the reasons why they’re here today and they will meet Mayor Sara is because WTE is one of the things that they will be discussing and the updates on the WTE facility. I am not so privy about the updates from Kitakyushu and Davao side,” Dayap said in an interview during the business seminar session of the Davao Japanese Community 100 Years Anniversary held at the grand ballroom of Marco Polo Davao.
Dayap said the meeting of the two mayors will happen at SM Lanang Premier after the opening of the Davao Japanese Community 100 years anniversary trade and exhibit at the atrium that will be participated by various Japanese companies and which will run until October 6.
“They will have a meeting before mulakaw ang mayor sa Kitakyushu back to Japan,” she said.
Green advocates such as Interface Development Interventions (IDIS) and Ban Toxics opposed the construction of the WTE project claiming that emissions from incinerators contain heavy metals, dioxins and furans, which may be present in the waste gases, water or ash. Plastic and metals are the major source of the calorific value of the waste.
Apart from the mayor of Kitakyushu, the City Council of Kitakyushu headed by their speaker will be in Davao City also. She said the city council of Kitakyushu will also visit the Davao City Council.
Dayap also said Davao City will host a fellowship lunch for the Japanese visitors together with the Davao City Council at Marco Polo Davao.
Around 50 Japanese delegates attended the three-day business seminar that opened on Oct. 2.
Dayap said there are several Japanese companies who are into waste-to-energy (WTE) businesses, waste and composting facilities, manufacturing, and tourism sectors.
She said primarily the gain of the city from the said business forum is investments. She added that if they do business here there is a huge gain in terms of generating job opportunities and income as well as additional revenue for Davao City.
“Thankful Kaayo ko nga naay industries nga ingon Ana that will help promote Davao City in the tourism aspect and also promote Davao City as an investment destination,” she said.
Dayap said potential industries for investments include manufacturing, food processing, and automobile.
“In terms of area for industrial parks we really dont have. So Isa sa mga paningkamotan sa Davao City and DCIPC is to look for the possibility and if it is feasible for us to put up an industrial park but as of now there are other LGUs who are willing to host them but we would like to see Davao to have one. We further hope to bring them here and we are looking forward na makakita jud sila ug partners in Davao City so that they can start doing business here,” Dayap said.
