Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
MANDATING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COMPOSTING FACILITIES IN 
EVERY BARANGAY OR CLUSTER OF BARANGAYS AS PART OF 
COMPREHENSIVE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9003, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
“ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT”, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The State provides that it shall adopt a systematic, comprehensive, and 
ecological solid waste management program, and as such, passed into law 
the Republic Act 9003, better known as the “Ecological Solid Waste 
Management Act” in 2000, as well as the Local Government Code of 1991 or 
RA 7160. 
Since these laws have been implemented, evidence has revealed that the 
“overly simplistic transfer of responsibility to the Local Government Units 
has resulted in decades of mediocre policy grounding.”1. Provisions of the 
laws, while devolved to the barangay level, did not translate to effective and 
efficient collection, treatment, and disposal of wastes across the country.  
With 18.05 million tons of solid waste generated annually, 
biodegradables comprise more than half of the classified wastes2 which 
requires composting and organic matter processing hubs for proper disposal.    
To address the proper treatment and disposal of biodegradable wastes, 
1 Domingo, Sonny N. and Arvie Joy A. Manejar, 2021. “An Analysis of Regulatory Policies on 
Solid Waste Management in the Philippines: Ways Forward”, Philippine Institute for 
Development Studies. Accessed Online on October 20,2022  
2 Filipino Environment Planner, 2022. “ 15 Statistics About Solid Waste Management in the 
Philippines that Every Filipino Should Know”  https://enptinio.com/statistics-philippines-
solid-waste-management/ Accessed on October 20, 2022 
August 26, 2025
1:50 pm
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this bill seeks to amend RA 9003 by focusing on the appropriate treatment 
of compostable solid wastes through the establishment of a materials 
recovery facility in every barangay across the country. By ensuring the 
presence of proper viable solid waste treatment at the barangay level, citizens 
will be encouraged to do their part in solid waste management, while 
communities contribute to creating a positive impact on the environment, 
making it more sustainable and livable.  
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 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
MANDATING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COMPOSTING FACILITIES IN 
EVERY BARANGAY OR CLUSTER OF BARANGAYS AS PART OF 
COMPREHENSIVE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9003, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
“ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT”, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Barangay 
Composting Facility Act.” 
SECTION 2. Objectives.  – The establishment of a Composting Facility in 
every barangay or cluster of barangays has the following objectives:  
(a) To provide a sustainable solution forming part of a comprehensive and
ecological solid waste management;
(b) To bring about a waste management process adaptable to the
topographical location of any proponent, waste generation volume, and
cost-efficiency, in contrast to sanitary landfills and controlled
dumpsites, among others;
(c) To ensure an environmentally sound method that encourages resource
recovery and utilization of recovered resources;
(d) To set forth a waste minimization measure aimed to diminish solid
waste entering the final disposal system;
(e) To comply with the mandatory Solid Waste Diversion, Solid Waste
Management Plan, and LGU Materials Recovery Facility requirements
of the law through resource recovery activities;
(f) To utilize recovered resources as an income generation undertaking
that may be commercially distributed as organic fertilizers or soil
enhancers, both of which are valuable to agriculture and horticulture.
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the following 
terms shall be defined as follows:  
 
(a) Board – refers to the multi-level provincial, city, municipal Solid 
Waste Management Boards pertaining to the Local Government 
Units ladder created under Republic Act No. 9003 and tasked to 
develop corresponding Solid Waste Management Plans within their 
respective areas of jurisdiction, in coordination with the National 
Solid Waste Management Commission; 
(b) Composting – the controlled decomposition of organic matter by 
micro-organisms, mainly bacteria and fungi, into a humus-like 
product; 
(c) Composting Facility – a waste diversion site where the organic 
components of solid wastes is decomposed under controlled 
conditions; 
(d) Composting Technologies – the acceptable composting methods 
most beneficial to the proponent in terms of establishment and 
administration cost and its operating efficiency while giving 
consideration upon its locational topography, waste generation 
volume, and general waste characterization of the area. 
 
SECTION 4. Amendatory Provisions. – Chapter III, Article 5 of Republic Act 
No. 9003 is hereby renamed from “Composting” to “Composting Program”. 
New sections, Section 34, 35, and 36 shall be inserted under Article 5. The 
succeeding Sections under the same Act shall be renumbered accordingly. 
Article 5 shall be read as follows: 
 
ARTICLE 5 
COMPOSTING PROGRAM 
 
SECTION 34. ESTABLISHMENT OF BARANGAY COMPOSTING 
FACILITY. – THERE SHALL BE ESTABLISHED A COMPOSTING 
FACILITY IN EVERY BARANGAY OR CLUSTER OF BARANGAYS 
AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF SOLID WASTE DIVERSION 
MEASURES IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 20 OF THIS ACT. 
THE COMPOSTING FACILITY MAY BE WITHIN OR SEPARATE 
FROM THE MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITY, AND SHALL BE 
ESTABLISHED IN A BARANGAY-OWNED OR -LEASED LAND OR 
ANY SUITABLE OPEN SPACE TO BE DETERMINED BY THE 
BARANGAY 
THROUGH 
ITS 
SANGGUNIAN. 
THE 
DETERMINATION OF SITE AND ACTUAL ESTABLISHMENT OF 
THE FACILITY SHALL LIKEWISE BE SUBJECT TO THE 
GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA SET PURSUANT TO THIS ACT. 
 
SECTION 35. GUIDELINES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 
BARANGAY COMPOSTING FACILITY. – FOR THE PURPOSE OF 
THIS ACT, THE BARANGAY COMPOSTING FACILITY SHOULD 
COMPLY WITH THE FOLLOWING CONSIDERATIONS: 


 
(A) 
AS FAR AS PRACTICABLE, THE COMPOSTING FACILITY 
SHOULD BE ADJACENT OR PRACTICALLY CONNECTED TO THE 
EXISTING BARANGAY MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITY (MRF); 
(B) 
THE FACILITY SHALL BE ESTABLISHED ON ANY 
SUITABLE OPEN SPACE OWNED BY THE BARANGAY OR OWNED 
BY THE CITY OR MUNICIPALITY WHERE THE PROPONENT 
BARANGAY IS SITUATED, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF WHICH 
SHALL BE PURSUANT TO THE CORRESPONDING BARANGAY OR 
CITY/MUNICIPAL RESOLUTION, AS THE CASE MAY BE, BEING 
ADOPTED FOR SUCH PURPOSE; 
 
(C) 
 THE 
COMPOSTING 
FACILITY 
DIMENSION 
AND 
CAPACITY MUST BE AT LEAST PROPORTIONATE TO THE 
COMPOSTABLE 
WASTE 
GENERATION 
VOLUME 
OF 
THE 
BARANGAY. FOR THE PURPOSE, THE CLUSTERING OF THE 
BARANGAYS IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO ACCOMMODATE 
TARGETED VOLUME OF COMPOSTABLE MATERIALS; 
 
(D) 
THE ENTIRE FACILITY, INCLUDING ITS EQUIPMENT 
AND OPERATION, MUST SATISFY THE STANDARD SERVICE 
EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY PRESCRIBED BY THE DEPARTMENT 
OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES (DENR), 
THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT BUREAU 
(EMB); 
 
(E) 
SUFFICIENT HUMAN RESOURCES APPROPRIATE TO 
THE COMPOSTING FACILITY DESIGN OR TECHNOLOGY SHALL 
BE DEPLOYED, AFTER TRAINING COMPLETION TO BE 
CONDUCTED FOR FREE BY THE DENR-EMB; 
 
(F) 
FACILITY 
COMPLIANCE 
WITH 
SUCH 
OTHER 
REASONABLE GUIDELINES AS MAY BE SUBSEQUENTLY 
IMPOSED BY THE DENR-EMB OR THE IMPLEMENTING RULES 
AND REGULATIONS OF THIS ACT. 
 
SECTION 36. COMPOSTING FACILITY TECHNOLOGY AND 
DESIGN. – THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND 
NATURAL RESOURCES, THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL 
MANAGEMENT 
BUREAU 
(DENR-EMB), 
SHALL 
PROVIDE 
SEVERAL STANDARD COMPOSTING FACILITY TECHNOLOGIES 
AND DESIGNS WHICH MAY BE ESTABLISHED BY THE 
BARANGAY, 
TAKING 
INTO 
CONSIDERATION 
THE 
TOPOGRAPHICAL 
LOCATIONS 
OF 
THE 
PROPONENTS, 
ENVIRONMENTALLY-SOUND 
FRAMEWORKS, 
AND 
COST-
EFFECTIVE STRUCTURES. 
 
SECTION [34] 37. Inventory of Markets for Composts. – Xxx 
 


 
SECTION 5. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the implementation 
of this Act shall be sourced from the appropriations of all concerned agencies 
and local government units. Additional funds and possible fund sources as 
may be necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be identified and 
provided by the Department of Budget and Management. 
 
SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) 
days upon the effectivity of this Act, The Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources, through its Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-
EMB), in coordination with the National Solid Waste Management 
Commission, the National Ecology Center, the Department of Interior and 
Local Government (DILG), and concerned local government units, shall 
formulate the implementing rules and regulations necessary to carry out the 
provisions of this Act. 
 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If any part, section, or provisions of this 
Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions not affected thereby 
shall remain in full force and effect.  
 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - All other statutes, executive orders, and 
administrative issuances or rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent 
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified 
accordingly.  
 
SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.  
 
Approved,