ORMOC CITY SHINES AT THE EU-PH GREEN ECONOMY PARTNERSHIP WORKSHOP. City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez proudly represented Ormoc City at the Tier 1B National Inception Workshop of the EU-Philippines Green Economy Partnership (SO2: Green LGUs) held last August 27–28, 2025 at Marco Polo Hotel, Ortigas. The two-day gathering brought together mayors and technical teams from 10 new Tier 1B partner cities, alongside pioneering Tier 1A LGUs including Baguio, Del Carmen, and Ormoc. Representatives from the European Union, DENR, DILG, UNDP, and other partners also joined the event, making it a venue for learning, collaboration, and co-creating solutions for a more sustainable Philippines.

In her presentation, Mayor Lucy shared Ormoc’s circular economy journey through its flagship initiative SHINE Ormoc (Sustainable Holistic Innovation for Circular Economy). From small, fragmented waste projects, the city has built a comprehensive Circular Economy Portfolio that covers: Plastics Circularity, Organics Circularity, Sustainable Urban Development and an expanded green tourism programs. Mayor Lucy underscored that Ormoc’s progress is the result of collective effort—from city offices and barangays to civil society groups, schools, informal waste workers, and international partners. She drew inspiration from the Ormocana butterfly, a species unique to the city, saying: “Let us choose to be guardians of the earth, to preserve the beauty of our planet for future generations.” And with the continued support of the EU-PH Green Economy Partnership, Ormoc City is steadfast in its vision of building a safe, resilient, and sustainable future, setting an example for other LGUs to follow. (Grabbed from the City Government of Ormoc FB Page/EV Mail AUGUST 25-31, 2025 issue)