Waste to energy project to create 1,000 Metro Manila jobs 

A $560-million waste-to-energy (WtE) project expected to create 1,000 jobs for Filipinos is set to rise in Metro Manila, according to a report by Manila Standard.

This follows high-level talks between Presidential Adviser on Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque, and Japanese investors from Kanadevia Corporation and Phil Ecology Systems Corporation (PHILECO).

The project will be built at the former Smokey Mountain landfill. It is designed to thermally treat up to 3,000 metric tons of non-recyclable municipal and industrial waste daily, converting it into as much as 100 megawatts of clean energy.

This initiative is expected to reduce landfill dependence by 90 percent and significantly contribute to flood mitigation efforts in the capital.

“We see this project as a strategic convergence of foreign investment, environmental innovation, and inclusive development,” Roque said.

“It is a testament to the Marcos administration’s whole-of-government approach in delivering transformative solutions that benefit both our economy and our people.”

Roque added that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is committed to evaluating Kanadevia’s eligibility for fiscal and non-fiscal incentives under the CREATE More Law, along with other government investment promotion programs that align with the administration’s Bagong Pilipinas sustainability goals.

Kanadevia, in partnership with Toyo Construction and IHI Construction Service, is also leading the ongoing rehabilitation of the Pasig-Marikina River, a major infrastructure initiative scheduled for completion by January 2030.

With a track record of 1,575 WtE plants worldwide, Kanadevia’s entry into the Philippine market is seen as a major step toward the country’s solid waste modernization goals.

The project is expected to deliver long-term socioeconomic benefits through job creation and green technology transfer.