DFA, Japan ink fresh P3.5-B ODA projects

PNA photo

MANILA — Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda on Tuesday signed two new official development assistance (ODA) project to the Philippines, amounting to PHP3.5 billion.

The first project is focused on the development and construction of waste-to-energy facilities in Davao City, with an estimated cost of PHP2.5 billion. It involves the establishment of a sustainable integrated waste management system through the procurement, construction, and commissioning of waste to energy facility in Davao.

Due to Davao’s growing population, the daily amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated within its territory is expected to reach to more than 1,000 ton per day in the future.

Most of the MSW that are collected in Davao are brought to the New Carmen Sanitary Landfill Site (SLF), an area which is 15 kilometers away from the city center.

The SLF has a total surface area of 3.8 hectares and in a few years time, Davao City expects this to be full due to the rapid increase of MSW and expansion of collection areas.

Given the risk it poses, a viable but sustainable alternative is the solution eyed to prolong the use of existing sanitary landfill sites.

The second project amounting to PHP1 billion is to further support the rehabilitation of Marawi City– a sign of Japan’s commitment to the Marawi reconstruction efforts as reaffirmed last week.

The additional aid comes days after the Japan government provided PHP500 million through the United Nations-Habitat to fund livelihood and shelter of communities affected by the war that ravaged Marawi.

During a press conference, Cayetano said this PHP1 billion worth of fresh assistance would be coursed through various departments but with supervision of the Task Force Marawi. He did not name specific government agencies.

“They (Task Force Bangon Marawi) are in constant contact, but one thing we communicated with the Japanese is aside from the actual equipment, and the logistics, the planning side is important for us and remember we still consider the rehabilitation area as an area of conflict,” he said.

“Kahit wala nang conflict, (but) because nga of the threats and the ISIS, because ‘di pa natatapos angpeace talk, we can’t consider it like the rehabilitation, for example, Yolanda, so sooner, in a few weeks, we’ll come out with the list kung anong agencies mismo.”