DENR EMB-Davao Calls for Public Participation in Waste-to-Energy Project Scoping
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau-Davao Region (DENR EMB-Davao) has reaffirmed its commitment to impartiality and public engagement in addressing environmental issues, as it announced the initiation of public scoping for the proposed Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Project in Davao City. In a statement released on April 4, 2026, the bureau emphasized that this scoping is a critical preliminary step in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, designed to provide a platform for stakeholders, communities, and advocacy groups to voice their concerns and identify key issues.
Understanding the Public Scoping Process
DENR EMB-Davao clarified that the public scoping is not a ceremony for approving or rejecting the project but rather a formal mechanism governed by DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2017-15, specifically Section 7. This section outlines that scoping determines the coverage, focus, depth, and extent of the assessment to be included in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). As a result, technical studies on critical aspects such as air quality, toxic emissions, and hazardous ash management will not be predetermined; instead, they will depend on inputs gathered during the scoping sessions.
The bureau further detailed that project proponents are required to conduct Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) activities with identified stakeholders prior to the public scoping. These measures aim to ensure that communities have prior knowledge of the project before participating in scoping sessions, fostering informed dialogue and transparency.
Strict Protocols and Community Involvement
DENR EMB-Davao stated that the public scoping is open to all, including representatives from groups specified in Section 5.2 of DAO 2017-15, Local Government Units (LGUs), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), People’s Organizations (POs), vulnerable sectors, and local institutions. The bureau highlighted its dedication to promoting public participation in environmental matters and achieving social justice, encouraging all concerned groups and residents to join the upcoming scoping.
By adhering to strict protocols and principles, DENR EMB-Davao ensures that no project will advance without a comprehensive, transparent, and science-based review that fully incorporates community voices. The bureau practices rigorous substantive reviews in line with the Clean Air Act, with technology suitability scrutinized by a multi-disciplinary Environmental Impact Assessment Review Committee (EIARC) upon EIS submission. Under DAO No. 2017-15, the EIA process is structured to address environmental and social safeguards before any decision on issuing an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).
Public opposition and technical concerns, such as potential toxic emissions, air pollution, and hazardous ash management, are documented as essential components of the scoping process. Inputs collected will be recorded and form the basis for a scoping checklist, defining the specific studies required in the EIS.
Environmental Group Raises Circular Economy Concerns
In response to the bureau’s announcement, the Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (Idis) expressed strong opposition to the WTE project. Idis cited concerns that the project contradicts waste management approaches aligned with circular economy goals, which are supported by the European Union-Philippines (EU-PH) partnership focusing on waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and resource efficiency.
Idis argued that adopting WTE could push Davao City into a take-make-dispose-burn system, undermining its environmental commitments and long-term sustainability. The group referenced a study by Hernandez-Romeo et al., indicating that WTE incineration destroys material quality, such as plastics, hindering their return to production loops. Additionally, Idis noted that circular economy sectors in Davao City, including the informal waste sector, junk shops, and recycling companies, rely on sorted municipal solid waste and could face disruption from the WTE project, affecting livelihoods and trade.
Idis called for the public scoping session to fully address these critical concerns and ensure that affected sectors are heard and accommodated.
Background on the WTE Project in Davao City
The local government of Davao has been advocating for the construction of the WTE project to convert solid waste into energy (electricity), address landfill and waste management crises, and provide a long-term solution to increasing waste generation. In April 2025, the city government indicated a need to revisit the project’s financial projections due to extended implementation delays, involving a short feasibility reassessment to determine financial viability and local funding support.
Councilor Temujin “Tek” Ocampo, chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, stated on March 4, 2025, that the city is collaborating with the Japanese government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) to advance the project. Implementation options include a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) scheme or a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), with Japanese funding for construction and the Davao LGU handling permitting and land acquisition.
Previously, on July 16, 2024, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Davao Region (DENR-Davao) announced that the project was ready for implementation, pending approval from the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
