MANILA, Philippines—Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said on Tuesday that foreign diplomats visited the city’s Innovation for Circular Economy (ICE) Hub to learn about its waste reduction and resource recovery initiatives.
He said that the diplomatic delegation included ambassadors and representatives from the European Union, Australia, Norway, Canada, Switzerland, Brazil, and New Zealand.
The visit was organized by the United Nations Resident Coordinator and the United Nations Development Program in the Philippines. Sotto said the ICE Hub has allowed the city to “incubate and develop innovations and opportunities that would lead to waste reduction, resource recovery, and more livelihood opportunities for Pasigueños.”
Among the facilities housed in the hub were a waste management system, which included a loading conveyor, trommel bag opener, sorting line conveyor, baler machine, rapid composter, bottle and glass crusher, and multipurpose shredder. The mayor said that Pasig had operated a mobile materials recovery facility that could move between barangays (villages), and weaving groups trained by the Bayo Foundation and other small circular economy enterprises.
Sotto said the city would continue to expand its waste management projects and strengthen segregation and recycling campaigns, starting from schools and communities.
Located in Barangay San Jose, the ICE Hub serves as a training and incubation center for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), materials recovery facilities, and community cooperatives developing sustainable production and recycling practices.
Built in partnership with the UNDP and the European Union’s Green Economy Program, the hub demonstrates how urban governments can integrate environmental protection with livelihood generation. It has hosted training programs on circular food systems, waste reduction, and enterprise development since its operational launch in 2023.
In 2024, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed also visited the facility, describing it as “a model for local action on global sustainability goals.”
