As 2026 ASEAN Chair, the Philippines will hold the Regional Dialogue on Circular Economy on September 22–23. The DENR is optimistic the event will drive progress toward circular systems and away from single-use waste, shifting from linear “take-make-dispose” models to reuse, recycling and efficiency. Aligned with key ASEAN frameworks, talks will cover national policies, local government roles, Extended Producer Responsibility and financing, with special focus on including SMEs and informal waste workers. Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna stressed source-based solutions and resource protection. Expected benefits include cleaner communities, new livelihoods and better support for waste workers. Cross-border cooperation will be prioritized, producing a Chair’s Summary to feed into the October ASEAN Circular Economy Forum and November’s 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila.
Meanwhile, the Net Zero Carbon Alliance (NZCA) shares this urgency, noting the global 1.5°C warming threshold has been breached. For climate-vulnerable Philippines, decarbonization is critical for safety, energy independence and economic resilience. NZCA chief Allan Barcena said net zero serves as both environmental shield and economic blueprint. The alliance’s recent conference covered climate governance, disclosures, finance and technologies like AI and smart energy. Founded in 2021 by First Gen’s Energy Development Corp., NZCA leads private-sector efforts for net-zero emissions by 2050.
