23/05/2026
PANGAKO NG PANGANIB: COMMUNITIES, CSOs RESIST FALSE SOLUTION ON WASTE AND ENERGY CRISIS!
The National Anti-Poverty Commission NCR Regional Basic Sector Coordinating Council successfully held the Talakayan on the proposed P26B 100MW Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Facility in Smokey Mountain, bringing together civil society organizations, faith-based institutions, youth groups, and grassroots communities in an important multi-sectoral dialogue on the future of waste management and energy development in Metro Manila. The recently concluded Talakayan is also considered one of the first, if not the first, community-led and -centered activities of NAPC NCR RBSCC, setting a precedent for inclusive and participatory decision-making.
The Talakayan reflects more than a year of community engagement and groundwork by Renewable Energy Institute of the Philippines (RebootPH) in Smokey Mountain, amplifying the issue of WTE in relevant government agencies through its Local Convenor, Chinito Reel I. Casicas, who also represents Youth for Better Baseco in the NAPC. Chinito emphasized that the Talakayan embodies RebootPH’s call to “Resist. Reclaim. Reboot.” by resisting false solutions such as waste-to-energy that threaten public health and environmental protection, reclaiming the dignity and voices of communities, such as Smokey Mountain, that have long carried the burden of waste pollution and neglect, and rebooting the country’s energy future through solutions rooted in justice, resilience, and sustainability.
Throughout the dialogue, participants expressed concerns about the potential impacts of the proposed WTE facility, including toxic emissions, public health risks, environmental consequences, and the burden these projects may impose on future generations. At the same time, the Talakayan became a space for communities and advocates to put forward the importance of people-centered and sustainable alternatives anchored on the principles of Just Transition and Intergenerational Justice. More than a discussion, the event served as a reminder that communities must remain at the center of decisions that directly affect their health, environment, and future.
The Talakayan also resulted in an agreement from the National Anti-Poverty Commission NCR to convene a follow-up Inter-Agency Forum in June 2026 in Manila. The planned forum aims to facilitate a more comprehensive and transparent discussion among concerned government agencies, including the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Environment and Natural Resources Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), and Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Health (DOH), alongside key representatives from Manila Integrated Environment Corp. (MIEC) as the project proponent, environmental civil society organizations, and affected residents of Smokey Mountain in Tondo, Manila. The inter-agency seeks to ensure that all stakeholders, especially directly impacted communities, are meaningfully included in conversations and decision-making processes surrounding the proposed project.
The Pangako o Panganib: Talakayan on the Proposed 100MW Waste-to-Energy in Smokey Mountain is made possible through a collaboration the National Anti-Poverty Commission, Manila Youth for Climate Action, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, Ecowaste Coalition, Healthcare Without Harm, Manila Anti-Incinerator Alliance, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila, Samahang Maralita sa Upper Smokey Mountain, Sama-Sama Tungo sa Maayos na Tahanan, Samahang Magkakapitbahay sa Gawad Kalinga, and Makabayan.
