Iloilo city: The highly urbanized city on Tuesday proudly welcomed its recognition as one of 20 cities worldwide advancing innovative solutions-from reducing food waste to building circular economies-by the United Nations Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Zero Waste, with support from UN-Habitat and the UN Environment Programme.
According to Philippines News Agency, this global acknowledgment highlights Iloilo City's significant contributions to sustainability, climate action, and responsible urban development. Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Tre±as emphasized that the city's Sustainable and Inclusive Resource Circularity (SIRCOL) program has delivered concrete results. These include diverting 2,290 metric tons of waste from landfills, generating PHP16.3 million from recyclable waste recovery and plastic credits, avoiding 2,748 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in greenhouse gas emissions, and creating 360 green livelihood opportunities.
The city has also reached 10,000 individuals through awareness programs, collaborated with 12 key partners, and established critical facilities and tools. Mayor Tre±as stated that the city government plans to expand its efforts through large-scale awareness campaigns and cross-sectoral initiatives, engaging communities, businesses, institutions, and stakeholders across Iloilo City.
"This is not a single, isolated program-it is a unified, city-wide movement that integrates multiple sustainability goals. Through this, we are positioning Iloilo City as a champion of a resilient, inclusive, innovative, and environmentally sustainable urban ecosystem," she remarked.
In a separate interview, General Services Office head Neil Ravena noted the challenges of achieving zero waste in a highly urbanized city. He highlighted recycling initiatives and waste diversion techniques that reduce landfill disposal, with a goal of reaching a 90 percent diversion rate through the Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility. This represents a vision of a zero-waste, highly urbanized city.
Ravena also mentioned the importance of the waste pickers association, organized by the city government to aid in waste diversion. Their efforts were documented and submitted to the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) in September 2025. "We will be monitored by UNEP in some of our programs, and we can now access some of the United Nations funding institutions that will help us expedite all the projects and waste diversion initiatives," he added.
