President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. —File photo/Official Facebook page of PCO
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday stressed the need for the immediate passage of the Waste-to-Energy bill to address flooding in the country.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Marcos made the pronouncement during the 6th Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) full meeting in Malacañang.
“We have to look at it in a more urgent sense because it really becomes such an important part of the flood control program,” the PCO quoted Marcos as saying in a statement.
READ: Waste-to-energy: The perils for human health, environment
The PCO said Marcos also recognized the need to revisit the proposed measure, noting the waste-to-energy measure is an important discussion in flood control “because the garbage problem is actually severe.”
According to Marcos, waste-to-energy projects have also already reduced flooding by 40 percent, noting that it has to be implemented at the local government level.
“I think waste-to-energy now has taken on a new role. It is no longer just for garbage, or waste disposal or waste management. It is also now very much part of the flood control effort,” Marcos said.
The Waste-to-Energy bill has already been approved on third reading by the House of Representatives.
Its Senate version, however, is still pending on second reading.