The City Government of Isabela, through the City Environment and Natural Resources Management Office, City General Services Office, City Agriculture Office and Local Circular Economy Action Team (LCEAT), hosted a three-day Waste Analysis and Characterization Study (WACS) Training from July 21-23. The first two days were held at the JB Dans Hall, City Hall, while the third day moved to the East Terminal for an actual field demonstration and simulation of the WACS process.
The training was conducted under the EU-PH Green Economy Partnership, a program of the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative, in coordination with DENR, DILG, and the UNDP. Isabela City is one of only ten LGUs nationwide chosen as a partner city under the Partnership’s Green LGUs component.
Resource persons from DENR-EMB Region IX and UNDP technical staff guided city employees, informal waste workers, community-based organizations, and barangay representatives through the full process of planning, conducting, and using WACS data.
A WACS is a mandatory activity under RA 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act), requiring every LGU to determine exactly what kinds of waste it generates and in what volume. This data becomes the basis for updating the city’s Solid Waste Management Plan, deciding on proper waste facilities, and shaping programs that cut down what ends up in the dumpsite.
Among the resource speakers were EMO Engr. April Joy Delos Santos and the LCEAT team, who walked participants through RA 9003 and the city’s waste profile; Engr. Kaven Jay Pabroa, who discussed SWM equipment and technologies and later led the WACS dry-run; DENR-EMB IX ESWM Section Chief Karen Tandang, who gave an in-depth overview of the WACS process itself; Engr. Jesrel Acope, who tackled sanitary landfill planning; and Engr. Ricardo Alindayu, who shared Iloilo City’s real-world WACS experience. Wendel Rei G. Lagroma linked the Extended Producer Responsibility Act to local SWM and later facilitated the actual field demonstration at the Lamitan Terminal.
CENRMO Albino Orbecido and CGSO Eugene Cal Strong were also present during the assessment, lending their support to the activity.
With this training, Isabela City moves closer to a more accurate, data-driven approach to solid waste management — one that supports its bigger push toward a circular economy. (Words by S. Angging, CIO/Photos by K. Galano, IsaTV)
