SIXTEENTHCONGRESSOFTHE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.B. No.348 
!i_<tt~ 
c.l3U';;, "t Ii,~,i .. ~,t~r"l 
'13 c Jill -3 Pl2:4ii 
Introduced by Senator LOREN LEGARDA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
c Philippine urban areas are dotted with malls and supermarkets, grocery stores 
and other retail outlets. Purchases in these stores are concluded with customers 
walking out of the mall or store carrying several plastic bqgs. Some of these plastic 
bags are reused; others are easily dumped either c properly or improperly. c In all 
instances, plastic bags, because they are very light are easily moved from place 
to place, clogging drainages. in streets, polluting waterways and even endangering 
fish and ecosystems. In addition, 'the production of these (bags requires considerable 
amounts of crude oil and natural gas. 
The use of plastic, bags must be reduced. This may be achieved byxequiring 
retailers to establish a recycling rnechariism for plastic bags and reuse recycled plastic 
bags in future purchases. 
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In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is being earnestly sought. 
~ 
LoRltN dFcARDA 
> 
Senator 


. SIXTEENTH: CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OFTHE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Sesf;lion 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B.No. 348 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda, 
. 
AN ACT 
'13 
JUL -3 Pl2 :46 
PROVIDING FOR A PROACTIVE APPROACH IN RECYCLING USED PLASTIC 
. BAGS ~Y STORES AND OTHER RETAIL OUTLETS 
Be it enacted by . the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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. Section 1. Title. This'law shan be known .as t~e "Stores Proactive in Plastic! Bag 
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Recycling Act". 
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Section 2. Definitions. As used in this bill, the folloMng terms shall have the 
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meanings indicated: 
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,a: OPERATOR - A person which may include., but is not limited to, the owner of the 
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store, managing or responsible for the daily operation of a store. 
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b. STORE - A retail establishment that provides plastic reusal?le bags to its customers 
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,as a result of the sale of a consumer good and- belongs to a chain of five or more 
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retail establishments that~e engaged in the same genera\ field of business and are 
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under one rCommon Qwnership or management or pursuant to a 'franchise 
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agreement with the same franchisor. 
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16c. REUSABLE PLASTIC BAG - A plastic bag with handles specifically designed and 
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manufactured by a sfore as container for purchases in its store: 
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Section 3. Store Recycling Program. The operator of a. store shall establish. a 
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. recycling program located .at the store pursuant to the provisions of this bill. Such program 
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shall provide an opportunity for members of thep~biic to return to the store clean plastic 
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bags 'from that originated from the store or from any store of a chain of five or more retail 
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establishments. 
Section 4. Program Requirements. The recycling program provided by the operator 
of a store shall require: 
A. A plastic bag collection bin to be placed 'at or near the entrance to each store, and 
such bin shall be highly visible and indicate thatj:he bin is intended for the reusing 
of plastic bags and not for the discarding of garbage. Such collection bin shall be 
easily accessible to the costumer;' and such collection bin shall be clearly marked 
that the collection bin is available for the purpose of collecting and recycling plastic ' 
bags only. 
B. That all plastic bags collected by the store are to be collected, handled and recycled, 
in a manner con~istent with all applicable laws or"any pertinent rule or regulation. 
C. That the operator of the store shall direct store personnel to reuse plastic bags 
collected through the program as container for purchases of customers instead of 
using new plastic b~gs until the collected bags 'in a batch of collection were used. 
Section 5. Assistance for Stores. Appropriate national and local government 
agencies shall assist the stores:to comply with the provisions of this Ad. 
Section 6. Rules and Regulations. The Department of Trade and Industry and the 
Department' of Environment "and Natural Resources shall promulgate such rules and 
regulations' as they deem necessary for the implementation and enforcement of the' 
provisions of this Act. 
Section 7. Separability Claul!e. If any part of this Act should hereafter be declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, such other parts not affected thereby shall continue in full 
force and effect. 
Section 8. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
publication in at least two' (2) newspapers of general circulation, 
Appr.oved, ' 
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