public of the Bllippines
Bouse of Representatives
@uexon City, Metro Mails

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 5312

Introduced by Representative Frederick W. Siao

EXPLANATORY NOTE

After several weeks of intensive Manila Bay cleanup from the launching
of the Manila Bay Clean Up Program on January 27, 2019, the government
agencies and volunteers are now nowhere to be seen. The clean up program
seemed to have been launched effectively as there were about five thousand
people who showed up during the kickoff. However, the lack of volunteers
today proves that the clean up program is temporary or unsustainable. What we
need is a sustainable solution to the solid waste crisis.

In Iligan City, the residents are vigilant against polluters and litterbugs to
preserve and protect the beautiful tourist spots and maintain cleanliness. Clean
and beautiful sceneries continue to attract more tourists. Further, the people are
also protected from diseases caused by polluted environment.

Appeals to Filipinos to return their plastic bottles, wrappers and other
solid wastes to redemption centers are not enough. The thought of having to go
back to the store carrying a load or bags of recyclable solid waste is unattractive
to most consumers. However, when that chore is matched with a corresponding
reward, the people are much more willing to cooperate and do their part to solve
the solid waste crisis.

With these incentives, the consumers will be more willing to segregate
their wastes at home. They will have a bag or box in their house where they
will collect all plastic bottles, wrappers, and containers. They will not mix their
recyclable waste with their food waste. When Filipino families do their general

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house cleaning, knowing there are incentives for proper disposal of recyclable
wastes, they will now set aside the disposables in a large bag and go to the
nearest redemption and recovery centers to exchange their wastes for cash or
basic goods that their families may use.

This is what we envision will happen when this bill is enacted. A whole
nation actively engaged in segregating and recycling its waste because the
citizens of the nation are well-motivated to do so, Altruism and civic duty are
good, but the fervor does not last for everyone. This bill will keep that fire of
love for the environment alive and burning.

In collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Department of
Trade and Industry, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will
be tasked to encourage individuals, households, civic associations, parents-
teachers associations, homeowners associations, and non-profit institutions to
gather and exchange the collected non-hazardous and recyclable solid wastes,
such as plastic bottles, wrappers, bags, sachets, metal canisters, unserviceable or
used electrical and electronic devices, discarded hardware and recyclable
computer parts.

Under this bill, the collected solid wastes may be exchanged for rice,
water, canned goods, basic household consumer items or cash. The DENR, DA
and DTI shall determine the reasonable and compliance-inducing exchange
values for graduated weights or volumes of solid wastes. The minimum
exchange value of one kilogram of non-hazardous and recyclable plastic waste
is one kilogram of commercial quality rice or its cash equivalent, while for one
kilogram of metallic, non-hazardous, recyclable waste is two kilograms of
commercial quality rice or its cash equivalent.

For hazardous waste recovery, this bill authorizes the DENR, DTI and
DA to establish the Hazardous Waste Recovery Protocols and Reporting System
in which individuals may report the exact location and details of the suspected
hazardous waste. Especially trained and equipped personnel or teams may be
deployed to safely recover the hazardous waste. The Hazardous Waste
Recovery Protocols and Reporting System shall have a cash reward or incentive
feature to encourage the public to help the government pinpoint and confirm the
exact location of hazardous wastes.


For large-scale, corporate-level systemic recovery of solid wastes, the
DENR, DTI, and Department of Finance will be tasked to adapt the carbon
credits system for reducing carbon emissions.

National government agencies shall also enable private corporations and
government-owned or controlled corporations to establish special purpose
corporations or enter into joint ventures with the specific mission of redeeming
and recovering plastic wastes. It shall include a combination of mechanisms
and incentives designed for corporate social responsibility programs and non-
tax incentives.

If private organizations such as the Justice, Peace and Integrity of
Creation — Integrated Development Center (JPIC-IDC) and 12 Baskets
Movement of the Rotary Foundation, Inc. are helping in reducing solid wastes
through the buy-back system or barter system, the government is much more in
the position to do the same. In fact, Barangay Tartaria and Barangay Tatalon in
Cavite, the Caticlan Village Council in Malay, Aklan and the BASECO
Compound in Manila are already implementing the buy-back system of
exchanging solid wastes, particularly, plastic wastes which are exchanged for
Tice, grocery items or hygiene products.

An earlier version of this bill was filed by Rep. Harlin Neil Abayon, III
during the Seventeenth Congress.

In view of the foregoing, the early Passage of |



Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
@neeon City, Metro Mila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO,__5312

Introduced by Representative Frederick W. Siao

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A SOLID WASTE REDEMPTION AND RECOVERY
SYSTEM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress of the
Philippines assembled:

oN ausone

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Solid Waste
9 Redemption and Recovery Act.”
10 SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to adopt a

11 systematic, comprehensive and ecological solid waste management program

12 which shall:
123 (a) Ensure the protection of the public health and environment;
14 (b) Utilize environmentally-sound methods that maximize the utilization

15 _ of valuable resources and encourage resource conservation and recovery;
16 (©) Set the guidelines and targets for solid waste avoidance and volume
17 _ reduction through source reduction and waste minimization measures, including

18 composting, recycling, re-use, recovery, green charcoal process, and other

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processes, before collection, treatment and disposal in appropriate and
environmentally sound solid waste management facilities in accordance with
ecologically sustainable development principles;

(d) Ensure the proper segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment
and disposal of solid waste through the formulation and adoption of the best
environmental practice in ecological waste management excluding incineration;

(e) Promote national research and development programs for improved
solid waste management and resource conservation techniques, more effective
institutional arrangement, and indigenous and improved methods of waste
reduction, collection, separation and recovery;

(f) Encourage greater Private sector participation in solid ‘waste
management;

(g) Retain primary enforcement and tesponsibility of solid waste
management with local government units and establish a cooperative effort
between and among the national government, local government units, non-
government organizations, and the private sector;

(h) Encourage cooperation and self-regulation among waste generators
through the application of market-based instruments;

(i) Institutionalize public Participation in the development and
implementation of integrated, comprehensive, and ecological waste

management programs at the national and local level; and


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() Strengthen the integration of ecological solid waste management and
resource conservation and recovery concepts into the academic curricula of
formal and non-formal education in order to promote environmental awareness
and action among the citizenry.

SEC. 3. Solid Waste Redemption and Recovery System. — There is
hereby established a waste redemption and recovery system wherein any person
may exchange through buy-back or redemption and recovery centers, collected
recyclable solid wastes such as plastic bottles, wrappers, bags, sachets, metal
canisters, unserviceable or used electrical and electronic devices, discarded
hardware, recyclable computer parts, and other recyclable wastes, for cash or
rice, water, canned goods and basic household consumer items.

All cities and municipalities shall establish in every barangay under their
jurisdiction a solid waste buy-back or redemption and recovery center which
shall facilitate the exchange of recyclable wastes for cash or rice, goods or other
similar items.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) shall, in
collaboration with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of
Trade and Industry (DTI), determine the reasonable exchange values for
graduated weights or volumes of solid wastes.

The minimum exchange value of one kilogram of non-hazardous and

recyclable plastic wastes is one kilogram of commercial quality rice or its cash


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equivalent, while for one kilogram of metallic non-hazardous recyclable waste
is two kilograms of commercial quality rice or its cash equivalent.

SEC. 4. Hazardous Waste Recovery Incentive. — The DENR, DTI and
DA shall establish the Hazardous Waste Recovery Protocols and Reporting
System, through which individuals may report the exact location and details of a
suspected hazardous waste, so that especially trained and equipped personnel or
teams may be deployed to safely recover the hazardous waste. The Hazardous
Waste Recovery Protocols and Reporting System shall have a cash reward or
incentive feature to encourage the public to help the government Pinpoint and
confirm the exact location of hazardous wastes.

SEC. 5. Systemic Recovery of Solid Wastes. ~To encourage large -scale,
Corporate-level systemic Tecovery of solid wastes, the DENR, DTI, and
Department of Finance are hereby mandated to jointly adapt the carbon credits
system for reducing carbon emissions,

These national government agencies shall enable private corporations and
government-owned or controlled corporations to establish special purpose
corporations or enter into joint ventures with the specific mission of redeeming
and recovering plastic wastes. It shall include a combination of mechanisms
and incentives designed for corporate social Tesponsibility programs and non-
tax incentives.

SEC. 6. Public Information, Education, and Communication. — To

adequately inform the general public about the Purposes, mechanisms, and
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incentives of this Act, the Philippine Information Agency shall conduct
nationwide public information, education and communication campaigns in
barangays, educational institutions, workplaces and offices.

SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days
from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Environment and Natural
Resources shall, in consultation with the Department of Trade and Industry and
the Department of the Interior and Local Government, issue the necessary rules
and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 8. Appropriations. — The Secretary of Environment and Natural
Resources shall immediately include in the Department’s Program the
implementation of this Act. Thereafter, the amount necessary to implement this
Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive orders, and
administrative orders or parts thereof inconsistent with any provision of this Act
are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved,