Iloilo breaks ground on P15-M waste hub

ILOILO CITY — The Iloilo provincial government has broken ground on a P15-million facility in Passi City that will consolidate recyclable materials from across the province, strengthen waste trading, and help communities reduce plastic waste.

The WOW (Weave Out Waste) Limpyo Iloilo Hub, located in Barangay Talongonan, Passi City, is designed to connect local government units, waste workers, and recyclers through a centralized system for collecting, consolidating, and trading recyclable materials.

Targeted for completion within 10 months, the hub aims to bring together larger volumes of recyclables to help secure better market prices and improve the efficiency of solid waste management across Iloilo.

The groundbreaking ceremony was led by Passi City Mayor Stephen Palmares; Iloilo Board Member Amalia Debuque, who represented Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.; Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 6 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 representatives of the two organizations, also attended the event.

The delegates led the turnover of recyclable collection trikes to the Passi City government to support local waste collection efforts.

Before the groundbreaking, the delegation visited the Passi City Eco Center, where they interacted with waste workers involved in the city's solid waste management initiatives.

The UNDP and The Coca-Cola Foundation are development partners of the Iloilo provincial government in implementing programs to improve solid waste management, particularly efforts to reduce plastic pollution.

With funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation, the UNDP is implementing the three-year PH Plastics Circularity Project in Iloilo, which will run until October 2027.

The initiative is being piloted in Banate, Dumangas, Pototan, and Passi City, with the goal of encouraging lasting changes in household and community practices to minimize plastic waste.

The new hub is expected to complement these efforts by providing a centralized facility where recyclable materials can be consolidated and linked to potential buyers, helping strengthen the province's circular economy initiatives.