THE pollution watchdog EcoWaste Coalition has urged Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama not to sign a joint venture agreement with the incinerator company that would build a waste-to-energy facility in the city, calling the long-term garbage contract a problematic solid waste management system.The group issued the warning after the Cebu City Council approved during its council session Wednesday, March 9, 2022 the unsolicited proposal of New Sky Energy (Philippines) or NSEPI, and authorized Rama to sign the joint venture agreement (JVA).In a statement Friday, March 11, 2022, EcoWaste Coalition said the proposal was “approved by the council despite the lack of proper multi-stakeholders’ consultations and public bidding processes.”It identified NSEPI as a subsidiary of Chinese incinerator firm New Sky Environment Tech. Co. Ltd.“The hasty approval by the Cebu City Council of the incinerator proposal is very unfortunate. There is clear scientific evidence that WTE facilities produce and release harmful toxins that cause serious respiratory diseases. Moreover, the city will be locked into a highly onerous contract for many years. These are serious concerns and the City Government should reconsider its approval of this dangerous agreement,” said lawyer Lievj Alimangohan of EcoWaste Coalition.Under the proposal submitted to the Cebu City Council, NSEPI would establish a waste-to-energy (WTE) garbage incinerator facility that would process and transform solid waste daily into usable materials and energy. The facility would be capable of producing 18 megawatts of electricity.The City would provide “a 40-year secured franchise to the company and minimum guaranteed volume of 800 tons of garbage per day at an expensive rate of P1,300 per ton,” EcoWaste said.“We urge Mayor Rama to reconsider this incinerator proposal. The City should not jump at this quick-fix solution that in the end will be a burden to the city and will threaten the people’s health, welfare, and sources of livelihood,” Alimangohan said.“There are already more ecological and people-centered solutions on solid waste management and we hope these should be considered first and foremost by our local leaders,” said Alimangohan.In his Friday morning press conference, Mayor Rama said he had yet to read the JVA.Environmentalist Lito Vasquez accused the Cebu City Council of railroading the process in allowing Mayor Rama to sign the JVA with NSEPI.“I think it is a midnight deal,” he said in a phone interview with SunStar Cebu on Friday, March 10.“Nganong gihimo nila nga duol na ang election (Why did they do that close to the May elections)?” Vasquez asked.Vasquez said the City Council should have allowed the next administration to review the JVA and decide on it.The aim of establishing a WTE facility is garbage reduction, but if Cebu City succeeds in this aspect, Vasquez said the City would still have to pay the tipping fee per ton even if it cannot deliver 800 tons of waste per day.“Bayad gihapon ang City kay it’s contractual obligation,” Vasquez said, adding that the City would be put at a disadvantage.Vasquez had worked as an executive assistant of then city councilor Nida Cabrera from 2011 to 2016, and as a member of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office from 2016 to 2019.At present, he is not connected with the Cebu City Hall in any capacity. The environmentalist had also worked for the EcoWaste Coalition.Vasquez said environmentalists will seek relief from other venues to question the JVA.He said there should have been a public hearing and the site of the WTE facility should have been identified first.During a regular session on Aug. 26, 2020, Vasquez said, NSEPI presented its proposal online.After the presentation, Vasquez said, City Councilor Alvin Dizon passed resolutions calling for a public hearing with affected communities and public disclosure of documents.Dizon’s resolutions were unanimously approved, Vasquez said.SunStar reached out to City Councilor Raymond Garcia, author of the resolution authorizing Rama to sign the JVA, Friday, but he had not given a response as of press time.After EcoWaste issued its statement on Monday afternoon, SunStar also tried to reach Rama, but City Hall’s public information officer Cerwin Eviota said the mayor had a full schedule.On Thursday, Council minority leader Nestor Archival questioned why the project was approved by the City Council in the absence of a feasibility study from the project’s proponent, including the identification of the location for the facility.Garcia responded by saying the presentation of such documents is done at the level of the Joint Venture Selection Committee while the role of the council is to approve or disapprove the venture. (GDC)