1
Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Nineteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____ 
Introduced by Representative Rudys Caesar G. Fariñas I 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This proposed measure seeks to protect life on land and water from the hazards 
of plastic pollution and ensure that non-compostable single-use synthetic plastic 
products deemed necessary to society do not harmfully leak into nature. 
Similarly, there is a need to prolong the service life of sanitary landfills by 
reducing the volume of single-use plastic (SUP) wastes for final disposal. Finally, 
there is an urgency to discourage the consumption of SUP products and promote 
circularity through reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic trash.  
To this end, this bill mandates the Department of Environment and Natural 
Resources (DENR) to formulate, within six (6) months and in consultation with 
identified agencies, a phaseout plan on SUP wastes, with components on 
reducing consumption, increasing recovery, keeping producers accountable, 
developing alternatives, and raising awareness. The DENR also takes the lead in 
implementing and enforcing the Act, with the assistance of the National Solid 
Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) and Local Government Units (LGUs) 
to implement and manage the disposal of plastic wastes. 
This bill obligates producers and importers to start phasing-in extended 
producers' responsibility (EPR) activities to prevent plastic wastes from polluting 
the environment. It also requires commercial establishments to promote 
reusable, recyclable, and retrievable products in their stores. These, among 
others, are the salient features of this bill. 
Hence, the passage of this measure is sought.   
RUDYS CAESAR G. FARIÑAS I 
November 21, 2022
3:39 pm
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 2
Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Nineteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____ 
Introduced by Representative Rudys Caesar G. Fariñas I 
AN 
ACT 
REGULATING 
THE 
PRODUCTION, 
IMPORTATION, 
SALE, 
DISTRIBUTION, PROVISION, USE, RECOVERY, COLLECTION, RECYCLING, 
AND DISPOSAL OF SINGLE-USE PLASTIC PRODUCTS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short title. – This Act shall be known as the “Single-Use Plastic 
1 
Products Regulation Act.” 
2 
3 
SEC. 2. Definition of terms. – As used in this Act: 
4 
5 
(a) Commercial establishment refers to an establishment or cluster of
6 
establishments engaged in commerce or sales of goods or services
7 
including 
market 
stores, 
shopping 
mall 
outlets, 
supermarkets,
8 
department stores, online stores, grocery stores, drug stores, convenience
9 
stores, food chains, restaurants, cafes, bars, sari-sari stores, ambulant
10 
vendors, with or without stalls, and the like;
11 
12 
(b) Compostable plastic product refers to a plastic product that is suitable for
13 
home composting that undergoes degradation by biological processes
14 
during composting to yield carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds,
15 
and biomass, at a rate consistent with other known compostable
16 
materials, and leaves no visible, distinguishable, or environmentally
17 
harmful residue;
18 
19 
(c) High in replaceability refers to a condition wherein a plastic product is
20 
deemed non-acceptable, unnecessary, or can be replaced by a more
21 
efficient and eco-friendly alternatives;
22 
23 
(d) Importer refers to any entity that imports or distributes single-use plastic
24 
products, or goods utilizing single-use plastic products, to any
25 
commercial establishment in the Philippines;
26 
27 
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(e) Low in recyclability refers to a condition wherein the value for recovery 
1 
and reprocessing of a plastic product is low, or nonexistent, due to its 
2 
design, composition, content, and density, among other things; 
3 
 
4 
(f) Low in retrievability refers to a situation wherein after use of the plastic 
5 
products, a significant volume cannot be recovered, properly recycled, 
6 
processed or disposed of, on account of inefficient recovery schemes, or 
7 
low value for recovery, recycling or reprocessing; 
8 
 
9 
(g) Plastic footprint refers to the total amount of plastic or composite 
10 
materials used in the production, distribution, promotion, and sale of 
11 
single-use plastic products or services; 
12 
 
13 
(h) Plastic products refer to bags, containers, food service necessities, 
14 
packaging, and promotional materials, or any other non-healthcare 
15 
products using synthetic polymers as a major component, or as one of 
16 
the layers thereof, designed to be utilized, to carry or protect goods for 
17 
transportation, distribution, and sale, or to promote these products or 
18 
services; 
19 
 
20 
(i) Producer refers to any entity that manufactures or distributes single-use 
21 
plastic products or goods utilizing single-use plastic products, to any 
22 
commercial establishment in the Philippines; and 
23 
 
24 
(j) Single-Use Plastic Products refer to plastic products designed to be 
25 
disposed, destroyed, or recycled, after only one use. 
26 
 
27 
SEC. 3. Phase Out of Single-Use Plastic Products. – The following non-
28 
compostable single-use plastic products shall be phased out within a period of 
29 
four (4) years from the effectivity of this Act: 
30 
 
31 
(a) Plates and saucers; 
32 
(b) Cups, bowls, and lids; 
33 
(c) Cutlery like spoons, forks, knives, and chopsticks; 
34 
(d) Food and beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene; 
35 
(e) Oxo-degradable plastics; 
36 
(f) Film wrap, packaging, or bags of less than 50 microns in thickness; and 
37 
(g) Sachets and pouches that are multilayered with other materials. 
38 
 
39 
The following products shall be phased out within a period of one (1) year from 
40 
the effectivity of this Act: 
41 
 
42 
(a) Drinking straws; 
43 
(b) Stirrers; 
44 
(c) Sticks for candy, balloon, and cotton bud; 
45 
(d) Buntings; 
46 
(e) Confetti; and 
47 
(f) Packaging or bags of less than 10 microns in thickness. 
48 
 
49 
Thereafter, the production, importation, sale, distribution, provision or use of 
50 
the said plastic products shall be prohibited. 
51 
 
52 
Property labelled flexible disposable plastic drinking straws for persons with 
53 
special medical conditions shall be allowed, when no suitable reusable or 
54 
compostable alternatives are available. 
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SEC. 4. Phase Out of Other Single-Use Plastic Products. Two (2) years after 
1 
the effectivity of this Act, and every two (2) years thereafter, the Department of 
2 
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), in coordination with the 
3 
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Science and 
4 
Technology (DOST), and the National Solid Waste Management Commission 
5 
(NSWMC), shall regularly determine whether plastic bottles, packaging, or 
6 
products that are multilayered with other materials, multilayered tetra packs, 
7 
election or advertising paraphernalia, streamers, and other non-compostable 
8 
single-use plastic products not listed under Section 3 of this Act are deemed 
9 
either high in replaceability, low in recyclability, or low in retrievability. Upon 
10 
determination by the DENR, these products shall be phased out within a period 
11 
of two (2) years. 
12 
 
13 
Products are low in recyclability or retrievability when these are not properly 
14 
recovered or offset, in compliance with the provisions or standards established 
15 
pursuant to Section 7 of this Act. 
16 
 
17 
SEC. 5. Phase Out Plan for Single-Use Plastic Products. – A Phase Out Plan, 
18 
hereinafter referred to as the Plan, shall be formulated by the DENR, in 
19 
coordination with the NSWMC, and in consultation with relevant departments 
20 
or agencies of the government and stakeholders, within six (6) months upon the 
21 
effectivity of this Act. The Plan shall include the following components: 
22 
 
23 
(a) 
Consumption, Reduction, and Recovery Program. – The DTI, in 
24 
cooperation with the DENR, the DOST, and the Food and Drug Administration 
25 
(FDA) of the Department of Health (DOH), and in consultation with 
26 
stakeholders, shall formulate a Consumption, Reduction, and Recovery 
27 
Program, to achieve a significant reduction in consumption and increased 
28 
recovery for recycling and treatment, or proper disposal of single-use plastic 
29 
products, within the phase out period prescribed by this Act. Such measures 
30 
shall include national consumption reduction, waste recovery targets, and 
31 
other measures ensuring that reusable and compostable alternatives to single-
32 
use plastic products are made available, and that the said products are not 
33 
free of charge at the point-of-sale to the final consumer; 
34 
 
35 
(b) 
Producer Responsibility Schemes. 
– 
Producer responsibility 
36 
schemes shall be formulated to carry out the objectives of Section 7 of this 
37 
Act, and as part of interim measures, to cushion the impact of single-use 
38 
plastic products on the environment within the phase out periods; 
39 
 
40 
(c) 
Reusable and Compostable Alternatives to Single-Use Plastic 
41 
Products – Appropriate strategies to implement the requirements provided 
42 
under Sections 6 and 14 of this Act shall be formulated to assist local 
43 
manufacturers in developing or acquiring the appropriate technology and 
44 
sustainable materials for the production of reusable or compostable 
45 
alternatives to single-use plastic products, which shall also be highly 
46 
recoverable and highly recyclable; 
47 
 
48 
(d) 
Awareness-Raising Measures. – As part of the Information and 
49 
Education Campaign (IEC) under Section 11 of this Act, the DENR shall, 
50 
together with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of the 
51 
Interior 
and 
Local 
Government 
(DILG), 
formulate 
an 
information 
52 
dissemination plan to inform consumers of: (i) the impact of use and improper 
53 
disposal of single-use plastic products on the environment; (ii) waste 
54 
reduction, reuse, recycling, and recovery systems; and (iii) other best practices 
55 
in waste management; and 
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(e) 
Fiscal and Non-Fiscal Rewards and Incentives. – The Department of 
1 
Finance (DOF), the DILG, and the DTI shall establish mechanisms that will 
2 
provide fiscal or non-fiscal rewards and incentives allowed under existing 
3 
laws, to encourage manufacturers, importers, sellers, and end-users to 
4 
participate in the programs geared towards achieving the objectives of the 
5 
Plan. 
6 
  
7 
SEC. 6. Compostable Plastic. – Producers, importers, and commercial 
8 
establishments may provide compostable plastic products to their consumers. 
9 
The plastic product shall have a visible logo identifying that it is compostable. 
10 
The manufacturing date and name of manufacturer, importer, and distributor 
11 
shall be labelled as well. 
12 
 
13 
The DTI, in coordination with the DENR, DOST, leagues of local government 
14 
units (LGUs), NSWMC, and other government and private agencies and 
15 
organizations concerned shall promulgate the appropriate Philippine National 
16 
Standard (PNS) for compostable plastic products within six (6) months from the 
17 
effectivity of this Act. Recoverability, recycling, or reprocessing value of these 
18 
products into other useful materials or commodities shall likewise be explored 
19 
by the DTI. 
20 
 
21 
SEC. 7. Responsibility of Producers and Importers. – Within two (2) years 
22 
following the effectivity of this Act, producers and importers of single-use plastic 
23 
products, regardless of whether compostable or recyclable, shall establish and 
24 
start phasing in the extended producers’ responsibility programs, aimed at 
25 
effectively preventing plastic wastes from leaking to the environment. To achieve 
26 
the purposes of this section, the producers and importers shall incorporate 
27 
themselves in accordance with Republic Act No. 11232, otherwise known as the 
28 
“Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines,” to implement the extended 
29 
producers’ responsibility programs that may include the following activities: 
30 
 
31 
(a) Recovery schemes for plastic wastes through redemption, buy-back, 
32 
offsetting, or any model or strategies that will efficiently effect high 
33 
retrievability and recyclability; 
34 
 
35 
(b) Transportation of recovered plastic wastes to the appropriate 
36 
composting, recycling, and other diversion or disposal sites in the 
37 
country;  
38 
 
39 
(c) Cleanup of plastic wastes leaked to coastal areas, public roads, and 
40 
other sites; and 
41 
 
42 
(d) Establishment of recycling, composting, thermal treatment, and other 
43 
wastes diversion or disposal facilities of commercial or industrial scale 
44 
for plastic products, when investment therein is viable. 
45 
 
46 
For this purpose, each producer or importer shall recover or offset and divert 
47 
into value chains and value-adding useful products, whenever possible, at least 
48 
fifty percent (50%) of their single-use plastic product footprint, three (3) years 
49 
after the effectivity of this Act: Provided, That the DENR, upon the review and 
50 
recommendation of the NSWMC, shall gradually increase the percentage until a 
51 
one hundred percent (100%) recovery or offsetting of their single-use plastic 
52 
product footprint is achieved five (5) years following the effectivity of this Act. 
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SEC. 8. Responsibility of Commercial Establishments. – Sixty (60) days after 
1 
the effectivity of this Act, commercial establishments shall undertake the 
2 
following activities: 
3 
 
4 
(a) Promote the use of highly reusable, recyclable, and retrievable products 
5 
in their establishments, or make available for sale locally-made 
6 
products, such as bayong, buli, and other reusable containers and bags 
7 
that are made of abaca, water lily, and other organic or compostable 
8 
materials or reusable or recyclable containers that promote their 
9 
circular economy; 
10 
 
11 
(b) Charge their customers a minimum fee of Five pesos (P5.00) for every 
12 
single-use plastic bag: Provided, That the imposition of the minimum 
13 
fee shall not preclude the LGUs from imposing other fees and charges 
14 
on the use of plastic bags; 
15 
 
16 
(c) Charge take-out food or delivery services a minimum fee of Five pesos 
17 
(P5.00) for every single-use plastic product provided, regardless of 
18 
whether it is a disposable or compostable alternative; and 
19 
 
20 
(d) Establish an effective in-store recovery program that will facilitate and 
21 
encourage customer return of their used plastic products to the 
22 
commercial establishment, and implement the recovery scheme 
23 
established pursuant to Section 7 of this Act. 
24 
 
25 
The fees collected pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (c) shall be reflected in the 
26 
receipts. The DOF shall prescribe the rules and regulations to be issued to 
27 
implement this section with respect to the collection, recording, and remittance 
28 
of fees: Provided, That fifty percent (50%) of the said fees shall be remitted to the 
29 
National Government and deposited to the National Solid Waste Management 
30 
Fund pursuant to Section 46 of Republic Act No. 9003, while the other fifty 
31 
percent (50%) shall be remitted to the barangay where the fee was collected, to 
32 
finance exclusively their solid waste management programs. 
33 
 
34 
SEC. 9. Lead Agency. – The DENR, in coordination with the NSWMC, unless 
35 
otherwise provided herein, shall be the primary government agency responsible 
36 
for the implementation of this Act. 
37 
 
38 
SEC. 10. Monitoring and Market Inspections. – The DENR and the DTI shall, 
39 
in coordination with the LGUs and local law enforcement agencies, instigate the 
40 
regular and routine inspection and monitoring of the point-of-sale stores and the 
41 
facilities of commercial establishments, producers, and importers, to determine 
42 
compliance with this Act. Inspection and monitoring shall include the following: 
43 
 
44 
(a) Entry or access to the premises of operation and business, including 
45 
storage rooms and stockrooms; 
46 
 
47 
(b) Inspection of off-site storage facilities, distribution centers, and trans-
48 
shipment points; and 
49 
 
50 
(c) Inspection of the recovery, recycling, treatment, and disposal facilities, 
51 
to determine if residual plastic products are being properly diverted and 
52 
disposed of. 
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SEC. 11. Public Access to Information. – The public shall have access to 
1 
records, reports, or information concerning the implementation and mandates 
2 
of this Act. 
3 
 
4 
The said documents shall be made available for inspection or reproduction 
5 
during normal business hours: Provided, That the DENR, the DTI or concerned 
6 
LGU may consider confidential a record, report, or information, or particular 
7 
portions thereof, and shall therefore not be made public when such would 
8 
divulge trade secrets, production, or sales figures, or methods, production, or 
9 
processes unique to the manufacturer, seller, or distributor, or would otherwise 
10 
tend to adversely affect the competitive position of such manufacturer. 
11 
 
12 
SEC. 12. Information and Education Campaign. – The DENR, in coordination 
13 
with the LGUs, the DILG, the DTI, the DepEd, the Commission on Higher 
14 
Education (CHED), the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), and other private or 
15 
nongovernment organizations and concerned agencies, shall conduct a 
16 
continuing IEC on the proper implementation of this Act, including the necessity 
17 
to regulate plastic products in the country, in relation to our environment. 
18 
 
19 
The said IEC shall be incorporated in the public IEC under Section 55 of Republic 
20 
Act No. 9003, otherwise known as the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act 
21 
fo 2000.” 
22 
 
23 
SEC. 13. Linkage Mechanisms. – The DENR and the NSWMC, in coordination 
24 
with the DTI, may consult, and enter into an agreement with other government 
25 
agencies, LGUs, or with concerned non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or 
26 
people’s organizations (Pos), or private enterprises in the furtherance of the 
27 
objectives of this Act. 
28 
 
29 
SEC. 14. Role of the National Solid Waste Management Commission. – The 
30 
NSWMC, created pursuant to Section 4 of Republic Act No. 9003 shall, in 
31 
addition to its functions under the said law, aid and assist in the implementation 
32 
of this Act. 
33 
 
34 
The NSWMC shall, in partnership with research institutions and academic 
35 
communities, 
conduct 
relevant 
studies 
to 
realize 
the 
harmonious 
36 
implementation of this Act with Republic Act No. 9003. It shall also ensure that 
37 
the provisions of this Act are made part of the programs being implemented 
38 
under Republic Act No. 9512, otherwise known as the “National Environmental 
39 
Awareness and Education Act of 2008.” 
40 
 
41 
The DENR shall provide the necessary financial and manpower resources to 
42 
enable the NSWMC to perform its additional functions under this Act. 
43 
 
44 
SEC. 15. Role of LGUs. – The LGUs shall be primarily responsible for the 
45 
implementation and/or monitoring of compliance with wastes segregation, 
46 
collection, recovery, transport, recycling, and disposal of plastic products. The 
47 
LGUs may enjoin the participation of other concerned government agencies, 
48 
private entities, and industries for this purpose. 
49 
 
50 
The DENR shall, in coordination with the NSWMC and the DOST, provide the 
51 
LGUs with technical assistance, trainings, and continuing capability-building 
52 
programs to attain the objectives of this Act. 
53 
 
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SEC. 16. Fines and Penalties. – Deliberate violations of Sections 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 
1 
14, and 15 of this Act, and the falsification of documents required pursuant to 
2 
this Act, or misrepresentation of persons producing, importing, or distributing 
3 
single-use plastic products, and commercial establishments shall be penalized 
4 
in the following manner: 
5 
 
6 
(a) Large, Medium, and Small Enterprises: 
7 
 
8 
(1) A fine of not less than Two hundred fifty thousand pesos (P250,000.00) 
9 
but not exceeding Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) for the 
10 
first offense; 
11 
 
12 
(2) A fine of not less than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) but 
13 
not exceeding Seven hundred fifty thousand pesos (P750,000.00) for 
14 
the second offense; and  
15 
 
16 
(3) A fine of not less than Seven hundred fifty thousand pesos 
17 
(P750,000.00) but not exceeding One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) and 
18 
automatic revocation of its business permit for the third offense. 
19 
 
20 
(b) Micro Enterprises, and Other Smaller Businesses: 
21 
 
22 
(1) A fine of not less than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) but not 
23 
exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) for the first 
24 
offense; 
25 
 
26 
(2) A fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) but 
27 
not exceeding Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00) for the 
28 
second offense; and  
29 
 
30 
(3) A fine of not less than Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00) 
31 
but not exceeding Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) and 
32 
automatic revocation of its business permit for the third offense. 
33 
 
34 
The Pollution Adjudication Board of the DENR shall hear and adjudicate cases 
35 
of violations or offenses in this section, and impose appropriate fines therefor. 
36 
For purposes of the imposition of appropriate fines hereof, the DTI shall establish 
37 
the classification of commercial establishments based on their capitalization. 
38 
 
39 
Forty percent (40%) of the fines collected under this Act shall be allocated to or 
40 
retained by the barangay where the fined prohibited acts are committed in order 
41 
to finance the solid waste management of said unit 
42 
 
43 
SEC. 17. Administrative Action. – Without prejudice to the right of any person 
44 
to file an administrative action, the DENR shall, on its own instance or upon 
45 
verified complaint by any person, institute administrative proceedings in the 
46 
proper forum against any natural or juridical person who violates any of the 
47 
provisions of this Act with respect to standards and limitations provided by this 
48 
Act, or such order, rule, or regulation issued by the DENR pursuant thereto. 
49 
 
50 
SEC. 18. Independence of Action. – The filing of an administrative suit against 
51 
any person or entity does not preclude the right of any other person to file any 
52 
criminal or civil action.  
53 
 
54 
SEC. 19. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. – The Joint 
55 
Congressional Oversight Committee, created under Section 60 of Republic Act 
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No. 9003, shall likewise monitor the implementation of this Act and review the 
1 
rules and regulations promulgated by the DENR to implement this Act. The Joint 
2 
Committee shall be cochaired by the Chairpersons of the House Committee on 
3 
Ecology and the Senate Committee on Environment. 
4 
 
5 
SEC. 20. Citizen’s Suit. – Any citizen can file an appropriate civil, criminal, or 
6 
administrative action in the proper courts or bodies against: any person who 
7 
violates or fails to comply with the provisions of this Act and its IRR; the 
8 
department or other implementing agencies with respect to orders, regulations, 
9 
and issuances inconsistent with this Act; and any public officer who willfully or 
10 
grossly neglects the performance of an act specifically enjoined as a duty by this 
11 
Act or its IRR, or abuses the authority vested upon him in the performance of 
12 
duty, or in any manner improperly performs the duties assigned under this Act 
13 
or its IRR: Provided, however, That no suit can be filed until after a thirty (30)-
14 
day notice has been given to the public officer and the alleged violator concerned 
15 
and no appropriate action has been taken thereon. With this, free and accessible 
16 
legal help should be given to individual persons who shall file a lawsuit under 
17 
this Act. 
18 
 
19 
SEC. 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The DENR, in coordination 
20 
with the NSWMC, DTI, DOST, and other relevant government agencies and 
21 
organizations, shall promulgate the IRR governing this Act within six (6) months 
22 
from its effectivity. 
23 
 
24 
SEC. 22. Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any provision of this Act or 
25 
part thereof is declared unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent 
26 
jurisdiction, the other provisions or parts hereof not affected shall remain in full 
27 
force and effect. 
28 
 
29 
SEC. 23. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders, issuances, ordinances, 
30 
rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act 
31 
are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
32 
 
33 
SEC. 24. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
34 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
35 
 
36 
Approved, 
37 
 
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