Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A TOTAL BAN ON THE IMPORTATION OF WASTE, 
PROVIDING MEANS FOR ITS ENFORCEMENT, APPROPRIATIONS, AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The United Nations Environment Programme reported that Asia is the 
largest dumping ground for illegally traded waste, including the Philippines.  
Despite the recent pronouncements and contravention of international 
and national regulations, large amounts of waste continue to be unlawfully 
exported, as a series of events in the country show.  
In 1999, 120 container vans containing toxic and hazardous wastes, 
including hospital wastes, were illegally shipped into the country from Japan. 
Mislabeled trash containers that really included mixed household wastes 
reached Port Manila between 2013 and 2014. 2,400 tons of trash were only 
returned to Canada after five years of diplomatic and legal wrangling. 6,000 tons 
of garbage, including discarded batteries, diapers, and dextrose tubes, were sent 
to Misamis Oriental from South Korea in 2018. Unintentionally labeled as 
"assorted electronic accessories," a container of electronic garbage from Hong 
Kong entered the country in 2019. 
These are only a few of the highly known and contentious instances of 
shipments of illicit garbage into the nation. According to the EcoWaste Coalition 
and Greenpeace, there are likely many more instances of rubbish entering the 
country illegally and being imported without the authorities' knowledge.  
July 27, 2023
3:54 pm
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This bill establishes a total ban on the importation of waste, processed 
waste and its by-products. This will not only establish a national policy against 
the importation of waste into the Philippines and stop similar incidents in the 
future, particularly from more developed nations, but it will also uphold every 
Filipino's right to a healthy environment and prevent the worsening of our local 
trash problem and environmental pollution. 
With the passage of this measure, we aim to send a strong message to the 
international community that the Philippines is not a dumping ground for their 
waste. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 
REP. PM VARGAS 
Fifth District, Quezon City 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A TOTAL BAN ON THE IMPORTATION OF WASTES, 
PROVIDING MEANS FOR ITS ENFORCEMENT, APPROPRIATIONS, AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Total Ban on the 
Importation of Wastes Act”. 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – IT is State policy to protect and advance 
the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the 
rhythm and harmony of nature. It is hereby declared a policy of the State to 
prohibit the entry and importation of wastes to the Philippine territory for 
whatever purpose to ensure environmental integrity and sustainability, protect 
public health and safety, and promote the overall wellbeing of the Filipino people. 
SECTION 3. Total Ban on Importation of Wastes, Processed Wastes, and 
Waste By-Products. – It is hereby declared illegal for any person, group of 
persons, business, corporate entity or government office, to import, for use, 
treatment, processing, recycling, storage, or whatever purpose, any form and 
whatever amount of waste, processed waste materials, waste by-products, 
whether organic or inorganic, and in whatever form whether solid, liquid, 
liquefied, gaseous, or mixture of substances. 
Imported cargoes declared as wastes or mis-declared to conceal the true 
waste cargo or smuggled into the country shall not be offloaded from any 
transport vessel and shall be immediately ordered by port authorities to depart 
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from the port and return the illegal cargo to its port of origin, with all costs borne 
by the shipper. 
 
 
The Department of Transportation (DOTr), in coordination with the 
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Bureau of Customs (BOC), and 
Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), shall take control of the seized vessel, 
hire the services of competent and properly certified officers and crew, and return 
the seized vessel to the port of origin of the contraband waste cargo. 
 
 
SECTION 4. Environmental Protection Desk at All Ports of Entry. – To enable 
the proper front-line enforcement of this Act, the Department of Environment 
and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Finance (DFA) and the DOTR 
shall jointly establish an environmental Protection Desk at every port of entry in 
the country to be manned twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week 
by competent and adequately trained personnel. 
 
 
SECTION 5. Penalties. – The relevant penal provisions of environmental and 
customs law, including but not limited to, the following laws shall apply as 
penalties to violations of this Act: 
a) Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (Republic Act NO. 
9003); 
b) Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 (Republic Act No. 8749); 
c) Philippine Clean water Act of 2004 (Republic Act NO. 9275); 
d) Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 
1990 (Republic Act No 6969); and 
e) Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (Republic Act No. 10863). 
 
Transport vessels which refuse to comply with the lawful orders of port 
authorities to immediately depart and not to offload the imported contraband 
waste cargo shall be seized, and all its officers, crew, contraband shipment 
consignee shall be immediately arrested for violation of this Act and of customs 
and environment protection laws. 
 
 
The shipper of the imported contraband waste cargo shall be immediately 
and permanently banned from shipping or causing the transport of any cargo to 
the Philippines. 
 
 
The implementing Rules and Regulations of this Act shall include other 
penalties and fines as may be deemed necessary. 
 
 
SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). – The Departments 
of Transportation, Environment and Natural Resources, Finance, Justice, and 
Foreign Affairs shall jointly craft, adopt, and execute the IRR of this Act within 
sixty (60) days from its enactment into law. 
SECTION 7. Appropriations. – The annual budget necessary to implement this 
Act shall be included in the regular annual general appropriations. 


 
 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part hereof is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision or part not 
otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
 
SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation 
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, 
modified, or amended accordingly. 
 
 
SECTION 10. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation in the Philippines. 
 
Approved,