World · Philippines Bureau
UN rights expert visits Manila's Smokey Mountain amid WTE facility concerns
A United Nations human rights official heard directly from Smokey Mountain residents about their apprehensions over a proposed waste-to-energy project, including fears of displacement and exclusion from decision-making processes.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — A member of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights visited Smokey Mountain in Tondo on August 13 to assess community concerns regarding a planned waste-to-energy facility in the densely populated area.
Dr. Pichamon Yeophantong conducted the academic visit at the invitation of local stakeholders, where residents voiced worries about potential displacement, threats to their livelihoods, and insufficient participation in discussions that could reshape their community.
The visit comes as Manila pursues waste management solutions for one of the country's most pressing environmental challenges. However, residents of the historic neighborhood have expressed concerns that their voices may be overlooked in decisions affecting their future.
Smokey Mountain, named for the smoke that once billowed from the now-closed landfill, remains home to thousands of families whose livelihoods depend on waste-related activities. The proposed waste-to-energy facility has prompted broader questions about how infrastructure projects balance development needs with community rights and participation.
The UN working group's visit underscores growing international attention to how development projects in the Philippines address the concerns of affected communities, particularly in vulnerable areas where economic dependency on existing systems is high.