Committee to review waste management certificate Tom issued to firm

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella is creating a committee that will review the certificate of acceptance issued to Metro Pacific Investments Corporation for the solid waste management contract with the city government.

The mayor said the committee will be composed of lawyers who will look into the nitty-gritty of the terms of reference and contract, among other documents, with the proponent.

“As soon as possible, I will create the committee that will specifically look into that. Daghan man og companies nga ni offer. We have to protect the interest of the city,” he told The FREEMAN.

Labella said there are companies that expressed interest to enter into a solid waste management contract with the city on waste-to-energy (WTE) facility.

He, however, did not disclose the names of the companies for now.

Labella assured the public that his administration will choose the best offer that has the technology that would address the garbage problem in the city.

“The issuance of certificate of acceptance is part of the process. The next thing is there are other notices like the notice to proceed. I really have to go and look into the offer since it is not yet final,” he said.

Former mayor Tomas Osmeña issued the certificate of acceptance to MPIC, which means that the city will continue to negotiate with the proponent.

Osmeña already clarified that the issuance of certificate of acceptance to MPIC authorized the city and the company to proceed with the detailed negotiations on purpose, terms and conditions, scope, as well as the legal, technical, and financial aspects.

He added that the certificate does not bind the city to enter into a joint venture agreement with the proponent.

The previous members of the city’s Joint Venture Selection Committee, which recommended for the issuance of certificate of acceptance to him, extended the period of negotiations until July 24.

Labella’s administration will have a hand whether it will accept or reject the proposal of the MPIC.

The project includes the establishment of a WTE facility in Cebu City as studied by the Asian Development Bank. The (ADB granted the P40 million for the study on WTE.

The ADB was the agency that reviewed all the proposals of different companies that wish to implement innovations in the modernized collection and final disposal of wastes of the city.

It was also authorized by the city to scrutinize the proposals and to recommend as to the company that has complied with all the requisites including the environmental laws.

To recall, former Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office Head Ma Nida Cabrera said that part of the terms of reference entails that the city will give 500 tons to 800 tons of garbage every day to the winning proponent that will undertake the WTE facility.

WTE is a facility which turns garbage into resources that can be used by the city government.

Once the technology is in place, the city envisioned that only 10 percent of the 500 tons to 800 tons of garbage that will be processed by the WTE facility will be dumped into a smaller landfill. This means only fewer garbage will be stored in the landfill. — LPM (FREEMAN)