Gov't assessing locations for waste-to-energy facilities —Marcos

The government is looking into possible facility sites for its waste-to-energy project, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said Wednesday as he inspected clearing operations along the Baclaran River in Parañaque City.

Marcos said the waste-to-energy project is one of the administration’s initiatives to address the growing amount of waste in landfills.

"Imbes na dadalhin sa landfill, dadalhin na lang sa waste-to-energy plant. So, tinitignan natin yung location para naman hindi masyadong malaki ang bayaran ng LGU para sa hauling," Marcos told reporters.

(Instead of bringing the garbage to landfills, it will be brought to the waste-to-energy plant. So, we’re checking the location to minimize the hauling costs for local government units.)

The President said the public may expect developments on the possible project soon.

"Maybe we will be able to see it in a year, a year and a half. We'll push it," Marcos said.

He added that the Department of Energy will buy the power that the waste-to energy facilities will produce.

According to the United States Energy Information Administration, waste-to-energy plants burn garbage to produce steam, which will be used to power an electric generator turbine.

Pumping station

During his inspection in Parañaque City, Marcos said the pumping station along the Baclaran River had never been used until last year.

"Itong pummping station, never gumana. Ngayon lang gumana ito nung last year, nung typhoon season lang last year," Marcos said.

(The pumping station never worked until last year during the typhoon season.)

"Dito sa Parañaque, nangyari ito. Dati hindi naman nangyayari yan eh," the President added, referring to the garbage floating along Baclaran River.

(This is the first time that tons of garbage were seen floating here in Parañaque. It did not occur before.)

Clearing and waste collection operations along the Baclaran River are ongoing to allow water to flow into the pumping station.

The Redemptorist Water Chanel along Baclaran River recently went viral after tons of garbage were seen floating following the torrential rain in Metro Manila. —VAL, GMA News