KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — With the strong backing of Mayor Jane Yap and Vice Mayor Atty. Adam Relson Jala, a three-member delegation from Tagbilaran City traveled to Malaysia last week to bring home fresh ideas on managing one of the city’s most pressing challenges — solid waste.
From August 12 to 14, City Administrator Alvin Luis Acuzar, Executive Assistant to the City Mayor for Secretary and Documentation Alexis Cadeliña, and City Environmental Management Office Head Engr. Raul Aparicio II joined the ASEAN Governors and Mayors Forum (AGMF) 2025, specifically the Pairing and Learning Session on Solid Waste Management Practices. The event was organized by the United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) in collaboration with Urban-Act (Integrated Urban Climate Action for Low-Carbon and Resilient Cities) — a project that supports local governments in implementing climate-responsive and sustainable urban solutions.
The learning program began with a visit to Bukit Tagar EnviroPark (BTEP) — Malaysia’s largest waste-to-energy facility and a model of modern environmental engineering. Spanning 659 acres, with a surrounding 1,000-acre green buffer zone, BTEP processes solid waste through advanced recycling and energy recovery systems, producing more than 400 million kWh of electricity each year.
For the Tagbilaran team, seeing waste turned into a renewable energy source was a clear example of innovation with real-world impact.
The delegation then joined panel discussions and workshops tackling decentralized cooperation, sustainable urban development, and city-to-city collaboration. Experts from the European Commission, the United Nations, and various Asian cities shared proven strategies for meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), building climate resilience, and financing long-term environmental initiatives.
One of the most engaging parts of the forum was the city pairing workshop.
Here, Tagbilaran — as a “learner city” — worked alongside “knowledge cities” to explore practical joint projects, from improving local waste management systems to launching community recycling campaigns, reuse programs, and technical cooperation agreements.
Mayor Yap and Vice Mayor Jala emphasized that solid waste management is a top priority of the Yap–Jala administration.
“The knowledge and partnerships formed in this forum will strengthen Tagbilaran’s efforts toward sustainable development and a better quality of life for our residents,” they said in a joint statement.
With new insights, a stronger network of regional partners, and the firm support of city leadership, the delegation returned to Tagbilaran determined to turn these lessons into action — ensuring that the city’s progress is not only forward-looking but also sustainable for generations to come.
