Development of a National Roadmap on Phasing out Single-use Plastics in the Philippines

Published on February 10, 2022

The study aims to undertake analysis, synthesis and consultations to guide the implementation of policy and institutional structures for plastics, and to formulate related recommendations for the development of Roadmap for Phasing out Single-Use Plastics in the Philippines.

The Roadmap is envisioned to:

a. achieve significant reduction in consumption and increased recovery for recycling and treatment, or proper SUPP disposal.

b. ensure just transition and provide social safety nets for affected workers and business, especially MSMEs

c. formulate producer responsibility schemes.

d. develop strategies for the identification and mainstreaming the use of reusable and compostable SUPP alternatives.

e. increase awareness on the impact of SUPP use and improper disposal and the best practices in waste management.

f. establish mechanisms for fiscal and non-fiscal rewards and incentives.

The basis for the roadmap development is the ongoing legislative discussions on Single-use Plastic Products (SUP) Regulation and Extended Producers’ Responsibility (EPR). The SUP bill was approved on 3^rd reading at the House of Representatives, while the EPR bills filed both at the Senate and House of Representatives, were also passed on third reading (both on 31 January 2022). There were significant amendments made in the Senate Bill 2425 (EPR legislation) during the Senate Plenary Session on January 27, 2022.

The Roadmap supports the following SDG targets:

SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production

· 12.5 - By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse

· 12.6 - Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle

SDG 13 – Climate Action

· 13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

SDG 14 – Life below Water

· 14.1 - By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.

SDG 12 – Sustainable Cities and Communities

· 11.6 - By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management

· 11.B - By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels

SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

· 9.4 - By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities

SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth

· 8.3 - Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services

· 8.4 - Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead