The government ban on single-use plastics in government premises has boosted optimism at Oceana, the international marine conservationist group, of widespread acceptance of the practice among Filipinos.
The group said the memorandum circular issued in February banning single-use plastics in the premises of the Department of Health, the Manila International Airport Authority, the Philippine Ports Authority and the Department of Interior and Local Government have helped in pushing further the adoption of the practice.
“We congratulate the leaders of these government agencies for making this huge stride in addressing the plastic crisis. Other government offices should follow this lead to help our environment recover from the mounting problem of plastic waste,” said Gloria Estenzo-Ramos, Oceana vice president, in a statement.
“Banning single-use plastics in the operations of these agencies will have significant impact not only in reducing plastic pollution but also in instilling behavioral change among their officials, staff and the general public,” Ramos added.
Oceana said the circulars issued by the agencies were based on the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and the National Solid Waste Management Commission Resolution No. 1363, Series of 2020 directing the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to prepare and implement the banning of single-use plastics in all national government agencies, local government units and all other government-controlled offices.
Their adoption has to be replicated across the country since Filipino consumption of plastic sachets has reached 163 million pieces daily, according to the World Bank 2021 report .
Oceana said the Philippines generates 2.7 million tons of plastic waste each year. Some 20 percent of these pollute the ocean.
“We hope that this initiative will lead to the same policy that will ban single-use plastics in all local government offices, considering that many of these have passed their own ordinances banning single-use plastics in their towns,” Ramos further said.
Oceana also said the DENR must be stringent in implementing policies as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act passed in 2001 requiring the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) to submit an annual list of non-environmentally sound products and packaging materials.
Ramos said the listing of the illegal production, use and trade of items declared as non-environmentally acceptable products and packaging was long overdue.
“With such a list, the production of billions of single-use plastics, now the scourge of our oceans and marine creatures, would have halted two decades ago and avoided the irreversible damage to our marine and land resources and the health of our people,” Ramos said.
