Senator Raffy Tulfo on Tuesday. July 25, pressed the Senate to pass Senate Bill 2267, or the Waste-to-Energy Act.
Senator Raffy Tulfo, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Energy, sponsors a bill which promotes the use of waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities for the proper management and disposal of household wastes on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. (Senate PRIB Photo)

In a sponsorship speech in today’s regular session, Tulfo said that in many countries, including Japan, Sweden, South Korea, and Singapore, the waste-to-energy technology and system has long been relied upon.  ‘’Hindi po groundbreaking itong konsepto na ito (This is not a ground breaking concept).  We are simply applying the best practices that have been adapted and proven effective by other countries.  And if we learn from them, we will make sure that we will not compromise our environment in exchange for this valuable electricity,’’  he said . "In fact, in Sweden, the energy supplied to the district heating network from Waste-to-Energy plants provides enough heat in the winter to warm 1,250,000 apartments and 680,000 houses each year," according to Tulfo who is chairman of the Senate energy committee. He pointed out that the Philippines,  with a population of over 100 million, produces more than 21 million metric tons of trash each year. "The Environmental Management Bureau has forecasted that 92 million tons of trash would be produced in the country between 2022 and 2025,’’ he said. "Currently, sanitary landfill is the primary long-term method of solid waste disposal under RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. But sanitary landfill requires vast parcels of land to accommodate our ever-growing waste production. Unfortunately, land is limited and it is far from being the picture-perfect solution to our garbage problem.  In fact, it is a major source of pollution,’’ he said. "The most pressing environmental concern regarding landfills is their release of methane gas. As the organic mass in landfills decompose, methane gas is released.  Methane absorbs the sun’s heat approximately 80 times more than carbon dioxide, making it one of the most potent greenhouse gases and a huge contributor to climate change,’’ he explained. "Also, the creation of landfills typically means destroying natural habitats for wildlife.  Hectares and hectares of land are taken from our wildlife just to accommodate our trash.  Landfills also tend to leak hazardous substances which may contaminate nearby water sources,’’ he added. Tulfo said that in the Philippines, there are currently 13 Waste-to-Energy plants, only six of which are operational.   "There is a growing clamor among LGUs  (local governments units) such as Ormoc City, Quezon City, Clark Special Economic Zone, Cebu City, Davao City, and Naga City for Waste-to-Energy plants," he told his colleagues in his speech. Tulfo said his bill explicitly prohibits the use of imported waste as feedstock for WASTE-TO-ENERGY facilities.  "This prohibition serves to safeguard our country from becoming a dumping ground for foreign waste, protecting our environment, public health, and national interests," he added. "Finally, the bill provides specific penalties for failure to include and implement WASTE-TO-ENERGY Strategy whenever feasible, failure to perform the regulatory roles of the concerned government agencies, and non-compliance with the standards and requirements under the law for waste-to-energy facilities," he pointed out. Tulfo insisted there is a way to address both the country's energy and garbage problems.   "Let us weigh the advantage of opening our doors to this technology that creates energy out of our waste.  Hindi po ito basta basta gagamitin ng ibang bansa (Other countries will not use this) without considering its risks and problems.  It is high-time we adjust our policies to welcome this technology and move forward towards a greener approach in waste management and energy generation," he stressed. Sen. Ramon ‘’Bong’’ Revilla Jr. also pledged his support in establishing national energy policies and regulatory frameworks in utilizing waste-to-energy technologies in the country. In his manifestation in the plenary session, Revilla said the country's persistent issues with solid waste have negatively impacted the lives of many Filipinos for generations. "We have to act swiftly before the consequences become too unbearable. Let us leave [the next generation] with a world protected from the threats of environmental damage and degradation through our collective efforts and shared advocacies," Revilla said.