Jica awaits city approval on waste mgm’t proposal

DAVAO City will be the first in the country to replicate the well practiced waste management system of Kitakyushu City in Japan once the city government approves the project proposal of Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).

The eight-man team from Jica who have been in the city for almost a year now presented the result of their feasibility study to government officials Tuesday. The Jica team eyes further reduction of the household-related waste via recycling and proper segregation.

According to the study, the city can accommodate a waste-to-energy facility and it can help the city improve its waste management program.

City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) Engr. Liza Madrazo, in an interview

with Sun.Star Davao yesterday, said that the city of Kitakyushu initiated the project proposal to share their practice of waste management to Davao City.

“The technology that they have there are no visible garbage on their streets as well as in dump sites anymore as they are processing everything, making reusable materials out of the scratch,” Madrazo explained.

The Jica team, however, has yet to analyze some portions of the study with the University of Mindanao that has been been coordinating with them.

Madrazo also bared that Kitakyushu City Mayor Kenji Kitahashi will grace the second presentation of the team with the Davao officials slated November this year.

“The Kitakyushu mayor calls it a marriage of the two cities,” Madrazo added.

In an earlier interview with City Administrator Atty. Zuleika Lopez, she expressed huge possibility of the project’s approval.

“This is a very good project, we can work with the city of Kitakyushu to improve our waste management,” Lopez said.

She added that the project will be implemented immediately as soon as the city decides to partner with Jica.

“This study will be for implementation if we wish to partner with the Jica team,” she said.