Iloilo City’s city council has given the green light to a revised 10-year Ecological Solid Waste Management (ESWM) Plan, setting the stage for a shift to a new integrated solid waste management facility. This decision comes as the city’s current sanitary landfill is scheduled to close in 2026. Engineer Neil Ravena, head of the General Services Office (GSO), highlighted the critical need for this updated plan during a city council session on January 30, 2025.
Ravena explained that the existing landfill’s operational life will end in 2026, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will oversee its closure. The new plan is essential for obtaining the necessary permits to establish a new facility in Barangay Ingore. This upcoming facility will include a significant material recovery center and a waste-to-energy system designed to transform organic waste into usable energy.
Currently, the GSO is in the process of securing the required permits and an environmental compliance certificate from the DENR’s central office. Once approved, construction of the new facility, which will handle 400 tons of waste daily, is expected to take 18 months. Additionally, Ravena mentioned the need to finalize the safe closure plan for the current landfill in Barangay Calahunan, including the installation of a drainage system for leachate and soil cover.