BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — La Consolacion College Bacolod is moving into the implementation phase of its EU-supported sustainability initiative following its participation in the Visayas Grant Partners Onboarding Workshop held Jan. 6, 2026, in Talisay City, Negros Occidental.
The workshop formally onboarded Visayas-based grant partners implementing demonstration projects under the EU-PH Green Economy Partnership, a flagship program of the European Union’s Global Gateway. The initiative is co-implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in partnership with Philippine government agencies and local stakeholders.
LCC Bacolod is the recipient of a grant for the project “Circular Biohubs for Decentralized Waste Valorization and Green Livelihoods in Bacolod City,” which will run from December 2025 to May 2027. The project aims to establish and institutionalize decentralized circular systems that transform organic agricultural and food waste into marketable products such as organic fertilizers, vermicompost, and Black Soldier Fly (BSF)–based animal feed.
Dr. Rodjhun B. Navarro, vice president for research, innovation and linkages and project director, said the onboarding workshop marked a critical transition from planning to execution.
“This onboarding workshop provides a shared understanding of the policy framework, technical standards and accountability mechanisms that will guide project implementation,” Navarro said. “It gives us clarity on how our work in Bacolod fits into the broader EU-PH Green Economy Partnership and ensures that our local actions are aligned with international sustainability goals.”
According to the grant agreement, the project will pilot three decentralized circular biohubs, including a BSF hub, a vermicomposting site and a hybrid biohub combining composting, insect-based feed production, poultry and community gardening. Initial implementation will be based at the LCC Bacolod Amistad Center in Barangay Tangub, with expansion planned to two additional barangay clusters in coordination with the Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office and the City Planning and Development Office .
The project also includes capacity-building components such as training of trainers, stakeholder workshops, business model development using the Triple Layer Business Model Canvas, and community innovation hackathons. At least 150 direct beneficiaries—including informal waste workers, women and youth—are expected to benefit from training and livelihood opportunities, with wider indirect benefits for barangay communities and local markets.
Navarro emphasized that the initiative reflects LCC Bacolod’s role as both an academic institution and a development partner.
“Our responsibility goes beyond implementing activities,” he said. “We are expected to generate evidence, develop replicable models and support local governments in adopting inclusive and climate-responsive circular economy solutions.”
Funded by a grant from the European Union, the EU-PH Green Economy Partnership supports the Philippines’ transition to a greener economy by strengthening policies, fostering alliances and accelerating sustainable economic growth. The program is co-funded by the European Union and the German government and implemented by GIZ together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau.
With the grant agreement now in force and the onboarding completed, LCC Bacolod is set to proceed with project mobilization, stakeholder coordination and pilot implementation, contributing locally grounded solutions to the Visayas’ circular economy and green livelihoods agenda.