Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte entered into an environmental agreement with Mayor Kenji Kitahashi of the Japanese City of Kitakyushu on Tuesday.
The Strategic Environmental Partnership Agreement, signed at the conference hall of the City Hall Tuesday afternoon, aimed at developing a joint model project in Davao, making the city a “model for intercity cooperation in the Philippines.”
The agreement will lead to the “development of the city environment focusing on waste management” and the “creation of a low-carbon society which is instrumental to the development of a green economy.”
The pact covers urban environmental improvements through waste management and creation of low carbon society “that contributes to the development of green economy.”
Mayor Kitahashi noted that he was aware of the condition in Davao City.
“I heard that as social and economic development rapidly progressed in Davao, the amount of waste produced has grown each year,” the mayor of Kitakyushu said. “On the other hand, existing waste disposal sites are strained, and relieving that strain has become a pressing issue.”
A Japan International Aid Agency (Jica) study showed the city can accommodate a waste-to-energy facility that can improve its waste management program.
In 2015, the city produced 916 tons of wastes daily. This is expected to rise up to 1,053 tons per day by 2021.
The city’s landfill in New Carmen, Tugbok is expected to be filled up in the next 5 to 7 years due to the increase of wastes produced daily.
Mayor Inday expressed gratitude to Mayor Kitahashi for the strategic partnership and for the prospects of the agreement.
“The issue on solid management and handling, carbon emissions, and global warming are universal ones and are a shared concern among all cities, including our cities,” said Mayor Sara. “A partnership such as this is not only beneficial and timely, but has become necessary and encouraged.”
The partnership agreement allows Davao City to learn from experts and technical personnel of Kitakyushu City with the objective that the city will be able to come up with its own methods of effective waste management systems.
“Davao City welcomes the exchange of knowledge, expertise, and technology as a city that is booming and developing, we welcome all the assistance we could get from our partners,” Mayor Sara said.
Mayor Kitahashi was accompanied by other Kitakyushu officials and representatives of Nippon Steel and Sumikin Engineering Co., Ltd., and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).
Source: BiyahengDo30