Firm eyes biz against pollution

Japanese experts believe that appropriate measures in dislodging septic waste and waste water treatment using Yokohama City technology can prevent pollution in Cebu.

Ken Araoka, Yokohama international bureau director, was a resource person during the Mega Cebu Development Forum initiated by the Metro Cebu Development Coordinating Board (MCDCB) on Tuesday, Oct. 30.

MCDCB and Japanese officials focused on two notable initiatives, namely solutions in disposing septic waste and waste water; and low carbon emission on power consumption.

Based on feasibility studies conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Araoka said a local government unit (LGU) in Metro Cebu can deal with Yokohama companies to supply them the technology.

Araoka said a Yokohama company named Guuun Plastic Recycling Inc. is now investing in conducting garbage segregation, waste plastic disposal and water treatment in Metro Cebu.

Yuko Okazawa, World Bank-Tokyo urban specialist, said Cebu’s pollution problem was a Yokohama problem years ago. It solved the problem and now has best practices on waste disposal, waste water treatment and low carbon emission.

Gordon Alan Joseph, MCDCB executive committee chair on Research Program and Organizational Development (RPOD), said we cannot have a top tourism destination with dirty water and waste flowing into the sea like inBoracay.

“We should look at how Yokohama solved its problem and adopt its technology to make Cebu a liveable place,” Joseph said.

For Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD), Jefferson Benedicto, senior community relations officer, said there is only one fully-mechanized dislodging and water treatment facility in Cebu located in Cordova town.

He said a treatment plant near SM City is operated by Cebu City Government with the assistance of Amcon of Japan, but not consistently passing the standard set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

For his part, engineer Noel Modesto, Visayan Electric Company (Veco) assistant vice president for engineering operations, said 30-40 percent of its power supply came from renewable energy.

He echoed the statement of Shukei Okuno, Yokohama executive director for climate change policy, who said their government gives incentives to homeowners who reduced energy consumption on their own initiative.

Modesto said Veco supports the government’s net metering program for consumers to engage in power generation through solar energy.