The Iloilo Provincial Government has broken ground on a P15-million waste management hub in Passi City to strengthen recycling operations and promote a circular economy across the province.
The WOW (Weave Out Waste) Limpyo Iloilo Hub, funded by the provincial government, is being constructed in Barangay Talongonan and is targeted for completion within 10 months.
The facility will serve as a province-wide aggregation and trading center linking local government units, waste workers and recyclers while streamlining the collection, consolidation and trading of recyclable materials.
By consolidating recyclable waste from different areas, the hub aims to increase the volume of materials available for trading and help secure better market prices.
The groundbreaking ceremony was led by Passi City Mayor Stephen Palmares; Board Member Amalia Debuque, who represented Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.; Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region VI OIC-Regional Executive Director Atty. Ramar Niel V. Pascua; Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office Supervising Environmental Specialist Mitzi Peñaflorida; and Provincial Tourism Officer and LEDIP Center Chief Aulynn Yue Sin.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in the Philippines Christophe Bahuet and The Coca-Cola Foundation President Carlos Pagoaga, along with other delegates from both organizations, also attended the event.
The delegates also led the turnover of recyclable collection tricycles to the Passi City local government unit and visited the Passi City Eco Center, where they interacted with waste workers.
The UNDP and The Coca-Cola Foundation are development partners of the provincial government in implementing solid waste management initiatives, particularly programs aimed at reducing plastic waste.
With funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation, the UNDP is implementing the PH Plastics Circularity Project in Iloilo, a three-year initiative running until October 2027.
The project is being piloted in Banate, Dumangas, Pototan and Passi City, with the goal of encouraging lasting changes in household and community practices to reduce plastic waste.IMT
