121 LGUs urge nationwide ban on single-use plastics supporting calls for strong implementation of Ecological Solid Waste Management Act - Oceana Philippines

121 LGUs urge nationwide ban on single-use plastics supporting calls for strong implementation of Ecological Solid Waste Management Act

Press Release Date: November 16, 2021

A total of nine provinces, 11 cities, and 101 municipalities nationwide have individually passed resolutions urging the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) to issue the long-overdue list of non-environmentally acceptable products and packaging (NEAPP) which includes single-use plastics, as the said national government agency continues to fail or refuses to perform its mandate to issue the said list as required by RA 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

RA 9003 mandates the NSWMC to issue the NEAPP list every year, beginning one year from the said law taking effect.

Oceana, an international advocacy organization that has been strongly campaigning against the persistent use of disposable single-use plastic in the Philippines and stopping it at the source, shared the list of local government units (LGUs) that have passed the resolutions.

“These 121 LGUs are calling on the NSWMC to carry out its legal mandate. RA 9003 serves as the national policy to address plastic pollution in the country and had it been properly implemented, the LGUs won’t be burdened to deal with the problem at the local level. This is just the tip of the iceberg, considering that a far greater number of LGUs have yet to release similar resolutions,” said Atty. Gloria Estenzo Ramos, Vice President of Oceana.

According to the records of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) as of September 2020, the country has a total of 81 provinces, 146 cities and 1,488 municipalities.

To date, these are the following cities and municipalities that have issued their resolutions, according to Oceana’s records:

Province of AklanMunicipality of Albuquerque, BoholMunicipality of Cateel, Davao OrientalMunicipality of Libmanan, Camarines SurMunicipality of Perez, QuezonMunicipality of Siquijor, Siquijor
Province of BiliranMunicipality of Alilem, Ilocos SurMunicipality of Cervantes, Ilocos SurMunicipality of Lidlidda, Ilocos SurMunicipality of Pilar, SorsogonMunicipality of St. Bernard, Southern Leyte
Province of BoholMunicipality of Anda, BoholMunicipality of Clarin, BoholMunicipality of Liloan, Southern LeyteMunicipality of Pintuyan, Southern LeyteMunicipality of Sta. Fe, Cebu
Province of CebuMunicipality of Anini-y, AntiqueMunicipality of Culaba, BiliranMunicipality of Limasawa, Southern LeyteMunicipality of Pio Duran, AlbayMunicipality of Suyo, Ilocos Sur
Province of Davao OrientalMunicipality of Antequera, BoholMunicipality of Culasi, AntiqueMunicipality of Loboc, BoholMunicipality of President Carlos P. Garcia, BoholMunicipality of Talalora, Samar
Province of Ilocos SurMunicipality of Badian, CebuMunicipality of Daanbantayan, CebuMunicipality of Loon, BoholMunicipality of Quirino, Ilocos SurMunicipality of Talibon, Bohol
Province of MasbateMunicipality of Baganga, Davao OrientalMunicipality of Dauis, BoholMunicipality of Macrohon, Southern LeyteMunicipality of Ronda, CebuMunicipality of Tanjay, Negros Oriental
Province of Oriental MindoroMunicipality of Balud, MasbateMunicipality of Duero, BoholMunicipality of Mahinog, CamiguinMunicipality of San Francisco, Southern Leyten Municipality of Tibiao, Antique
Province of Southern LeyteMunicipality of Banga, AklanMunicipality of Ginatilan, CebuMunicipality of Magsingal, Ilocos SurMunicipality of San Jose de Buenavista, Antique Municipality of Trinidad, Bohol
City of Angeles, PampangaMunicipality of Bantayan CebuMunicipality of Gregorio del Pilar, Ilocos SurMunicipality of Maluso, BasilanMunicipality of San Juan, Southern Leyte Municipality of Ubay, Bohol  
City of Bais, Negros OrientalMunicipality of Bataan, AklanMunicipality of Guindulman, BoholMunicipality of Maribojoc, BoholMunicipality of San Remigio, Cebu Municipality of Villareal, Samar  
City Baguio, BenguetMunicipality of Barbaza, AntiqueMunicipality of Guinsiliban, CamiguinMunicipality of Marabut, SamarMunicipality of Santiago, Ilocos SurMunicipality of Zumarraga, Samar  
City of Bogo, CebuMunicipality of Bien Unido, BoholMunicipality of Ibajay, AklanMunicipality of Motiong, SamarMunicipality of Sebaste, AntiqueMunicipality of Tangalan, Aklan
City of Danao, CebuMunicipality of Buruanga, AklanMunicipality of Jiabong, SamarMunicipality of Nabas, AklanMunicipality of Sta. Monica, Surigao del NorteMunicipality of Pilar, Surigao del Norte
City of Guihulngan, Negros OrientalMunicipality of Caibiran, BiliranMunicipality of Kalibo, AklanMunicipality of Nabunturan, Davao de OroMunicipality of Sta. Rita, SamarMunicipality of Malay, Aklan
City of Cebu, CebuMunicipality of Calbiga, SamarMunicipality of Kawayan, BiliranMunicipality of Narvacan, Ilocos SurMunicipality of Sibalom, AntiqueMunicipality of Pinabacdao, Samar
City of Lapu-Lapu, CebuMunicipality of Candijay, BoholMunicipality of Larena, SiquijorMunicipality of Padre Burgos, Southern LeyteMunicipality of Sibonga, CebuMunicipality of Balete, Aklan
City of Maasin, LeyteMunicipality of Caoayan, Ilocos SurMunicipality of Libacao, AklanMunicipality of Pandan, AntiqueMunicipality of Sikatuna, BoholMunicipality of Libjo, Dinagat Islands
City of Ormoc, LeyteMunicipality of Carmen, BoholMunicipality of Libagon, Southern LeyteMunicipality of Panglao, BoholMunicipality of Silago, Southern LeyteMunicipality of Burgos, Surigao del Norte
City of Talisay, CebuMunicipality of Catarman, CamiguinMunicipality of Libertad, AntiqueMunicipality of Paranas, SamarMunicipality of Sinait, Ilocos SurMunicipality of Malinao, Aklan
Municipality of San Isidro, Surigao del Norte     

Back in August this year, LGUs in Cebu City and other areas affirmed the need to ban single-use plastic, lamenting that they have been left to their own devices in addressing the worsening solid waste crisis in their communities.

“It will take time for all of our LGUs to come up with their own ordinances to ban and regulate single-use plastics, not to mention that these will have differing opinions on what are acceptable and what will need to be banned. The most effective way to carry out the government’s duty to safeguard its citizens against the negative impacts of plastic pollution would be to once and for all implement RA 9003’s provision on listing of NEAPP annually. Doing so would also ease the burden from the LGUs that are painstakingly and not to mention singlehandedly handling the communities’ burgeoning solid waste management including plastic crisis,” urged Ramos.

“The Philippines was way ahead of other countries in that it already has a law in place way back 2001 to help mitigate the consequences of using single-use plastics, it’s just that this was and sadly still is not an utmost priority,” Ramos added.

Oceana is an international advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans. Since 2014, Oceana has been working closely with national and local government agencies, civil society, fisherfolk and other stakeholders to restore abundance of Philippine fisheries and marine resources.


For More Information:   

Joyce Sierra, Communications Manager, Oceana    

Mobile: 09178214430 E-mail: jsierra@oceana.org    

Facebook: www.facebook.com/oceana.philippines   

Twitter: @oceana_ph Instagram: @oceana_ph   

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