BACOLOD City — The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) is set to ratify a lease agreement for a proposed P4-billion waste-to-energy (WTE) project during its regular session this week.
Mayor Greg Gasataya signed a 25-year lease agreement on May 4 with Forza Development Corporation (FDC) for the use of a portion of the city’s sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa.
The City Mayor’s Office has endorsed the contract to the SP for ratification. Once approved, the agreement will take effect in accordance with its provisions.
The leased property, covering 95,577 square meters within the city-owned Bacolod Integrated Recycling and Technological Hub (BIRTH), will serve as the site of the planned WTE facility. It has been designated as a WTE Industrial Zone with an annual rental fee of P1.01 million.
FDC President Sheryl Chua signed the agreement on behalf of the company.
Mayor Gasataya emphasized that the agreement covers land use only and does not entail immediate financial obligations on the part of the city government.
“This forms part of our broader initiative to establish a WTE project in Bacolod, which has been prioritized by the Department of Energy (DOE),” the mayor said, adding that the project will be implemented at no cost to the city.
He clarified that the specific technology to be used for the facility has yet to be determined and will be subject to evaluation and approval by the DOE.
“The thrust is to convert waste into energy. As to the technology, we remain neutral at this point and leave it to the DOE to decide,” Gasataya said.
The project is expected to generate employment and boost the local economy through revenue-sharing arrangements linked to power generation.
The signing followed an authorization granted by the city council during its April 29 session, allowing the mayor to enter into a lease agreement with the private developer.
City Legal Officer Karol Joseph Chiu described the initiative as a “significant milestone” for Bacolod.
“The city will not spend for the development—we will only provide the land, while the private partner will finance and build the facility with an investment of P4 billion,” Chiu said in a media interview.
With the council’s support and pending ratification, the project is seen to position Bacolod as a key player in waste-to-energy development in the Philippines, in line with national efforts to promote sustainable waste management and alternative energy sources./PN
