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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
When will we act? 
The Filipino people have yet to grasp the devastating effect of plastic on 
the environment. “Plastics often contain additives making them stronger, 
more flexible, and durable. But many of these additives can extend the life of 
products if they become litter, with some estimates ranging to at least 400 
years to break down.”1 
“In 1992, a shipping container filled with 28,000 “rubber” duckies was 
lost after it fell into the sea somewhere between Hong Kong and the United 
States. Even today, those plastic bath toys still wash ashore from time to time, 
even in totally different oceans as far away as the eastern seaboard of the 
United States, as well as the coasts of Britain and Ireland. That floatilla of 
escaped plastic ducks joins millions of Lego pieces, sneakers, styrofoam 
insulation, plastic crates, and a plethora of other items lost at sea that -- 
surprisingly -- are teaching us about ocean currents and about the astonishing 
indestructibility of plastics in marine environments.”2 
To date, the most harrowing statistic on plastic pollution  was given at a 
Marine Plastics Conference in the Philippines last 4 April 2019 in a speech by 
Ms. Agata E. Pawlowska: 
1 The world’s plastic pollution crisis explained by Laura Parker, National Geographic (Environment/Explainer) 
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/plastics-pollution/ 
2 Five Ways That Plastics Harm the Environment by GrrlScientist 
http://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2018/04/23/fice-ways-that-plastics-harm-the-environment-and-one-way-they-
may-help/#486e913267a0 
September 16, 2022
4:11 pm
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“We all know the shocking statistics about marine plastic 
pollution. Current studies suggest that 8 million tons of plastic end 
up in our oceans every year, the equivalent of one garbage truck 
full of plastic dumped into the ocean each minute. Five of the top 
10 global polluting countries are ASEAN members.” 
 
“The Philippines is estimated to have the 3rd highest rate of 
mismanaged plastic waste worldwide. The Pasig River and Manila 
Bay have been identified among the water bodies around the 
world that need rehabilitation most urgently.” 
 
“Interestingly, less than 20% of leakage originates from ocean-
based sources like fisheries and fishing vessels. This means over 
80% of ocean plastic comes from land-based sources. Once the 
plastic is discarded, it is not well managed, and thus leaks into the 
ocean.” 
 
Again, when will we act? 
 
The Philippines has one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world. 
But in a so-called “sachet economy,” these priceless treasures are alarmingly 
threatened to destruction. In an article by Rappler online3, one  reason pointed 
to was single-use plastics: 
 
“Who’s the culprit? Advocates point to the booming sachet 
economy and the lack of policies in place to regulate sit g1e-use 
plastics, let alone ban it.” 
 
“In a September 21 brand audit by the Break Free from Plastic 
(BFFP) movement, over 3,700 volunteers in 20 locations across the 
country picked up over 37,000 pieces of plastic trash for the World 
Clean-up Day.” 
 
“In a single day’s worth of collection, they picked up about half 
(47.28%) of the total trash or 17,502 pieces of unbranded plastic 
trash.” 
 
 
“The other half were from multinational companies, with Coca-
Cola (7.58%), Nestle (4.74%), and Universal Robina Corporation 
(4.34%) topping the list.” 
                                                 
3 What’s lacking in our plastic laws? By Aika Rey https;//www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/243501-lacking-plastics-laws-
philippines 


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“According to the BFFP report, the top plastic materials collected 
were 
Low-Density 
Polyethylene 
(LDPE) 
and 
Polyethylene 
Terephthalate (PET). Some examples of LDPE are squeezable 
bottles, food wraps, and bags, while PET is  usually in the form of 
soft drink and water bottles.” 
“Earlier 
this 
March, 
the 
Global 
Alliance 
for 
Incinerator 
Alternatives (GAIA) the Asia Pacific found that Filipinos use more 
than 163 million plastic sachet packets daily,  or nearly 60 billion 
sachets a year.” 
This is a matter of transcendental importance of overreaching 
significance to society, or of paramount public interest with intergenerational 
implications. The right of the citizens to a “balanced and healthful ecology is 
solemnly incorporated in the fundamental law of our land. It carries a 
correlative duty to refrain from impairing the environment.”4 We have to do 
something, if not for us, for the people who will inherit this world. And it 
should start with a ban on single-use plastics. 
Accordingly,  the immediate approval of this bill is a  must. 
BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
4 Arigo et al v. Swift et al. GR No. 206510, 16 September 2014 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
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 House of RepFesentatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled.” 
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Acl shall be known as the “Single-Use 
Plastic Products Regulation Act”. 
SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act: 
(a) Commercial establishment refers to an establishment or cluster of
establishments engaged in commerce or sales of goods or services including 
market stores, shopping mall outlets, supermarkets, department stores, online 
stores, grocery stores, drug stores, convenience stores, food chains, 
restaurants, cafes, bars, sari-sari stores, ambulant vendors, with oz without 
stalls, and the like; 
(b)
Compostable  plastic  product  refers to a plastic product  that  is
suitable for home composting  that  undergoes degfadation by biological 
processes during  composting  to yield  carbon  dioxide, water, inorganic 
compounds, and biomass, at  a rate consistent with  other  know compostable 
materials, and leaves no visible anddistinguishable, or environmentally 
harmful residue, 
(c) High in replaceability refers to a condition wherein a plastic products
deemed, non-acceptable, unnecessary, or can be replaced by a more efficient 
and eco-friendly alternatives; 
(d) Importer refers   to  any  entity that  imports  or  distributessingle-us
plastic products, or goods utilizing single-use plastic products, to any 
commercial establishment in the Philippines; 
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(e) Low in recyclability refers to a condition wherein the value for 
recovery and reprocessing of a plastic product is low, or nonexistent, due to 
its design, composition, content, and density, among other things; 
(f) Low in retrievability refers to a siluation wherein after use of the 
plastic products, a significant volume cannot be recovered, properly recycled, 
processed or disposed of, on account of inefficient recovery schemes, or low 
value for recovery, recycling or reprocessing; 
(g)  Plastic footprint  refers to the total amount  of plastic or composite  
materials used in the production, distribution, promotion, and sale of single-
use plastic products or services; 
(h) Plastic prducts refer to bags, containers, food service necessities, 
packaging, and promotional materials, or any other non-healthcare products 
using synthetic polymers as a major component, or as one of the layers 
thereof, designed to be utilized, to carry or protect goods for transportation, 
distribution, and sale, or to promote these products or services; 
(i) Producer refers to any entity that manufactures or distributes single-
use plastic products or goods utilizing single-use plastic products, to any 
commercial establishment in the Philippines; and 
(j) Single-use plastic products refer to kinetic products designed to be 
disposed, destroyed, or recycled, after only one use. 
 
SEC. 3. Phase Our of Single-Use Plastic Products. — The following non-
compostable 
single-use plastic products shall be phased out within a period of four (4) 
years from the effectivity of this Act: 
 
(a) Plates and saucers; 
(b) Cups, bowls, and lids; 
(c) Cutlery like spoons, forks, knives, and chopsticks; 
(d) Food and beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene; 
(e) Oxo-degradable plastics; 
(f)  Film wrap, packaging, or bags of less than 50 microns in thickness; 
and 
(g) Sachets and pouches that are multilayered with other materials. 
 
The following products shall be phased out within a period of one (1) year 
from the effectivity of this Act 
 
(a) Drinking straws; 
(b) Stirrers; 
(c) Sticks for candy, balloon, and cotton bud; 
(d) Buntings; 
(e) Confetti; and 


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(f) Packaging or bags of less than 10 microns in thickness. 
 
Thereafter, the production, importation, sale, distribution, provision or 
use of the said plastic products shall be prohibited. 
 
Properly labelled flexible disposable plastic drinking straws for persons 
with special 
medical conditions shall be allowed, when no suitable reusable or 
compostable alternatives are available. 
 
SEC. 4. Phase Out of Other Single-Use Plastic Products. — Two (2) years 
after the 
effectivity of this Act, and every two (2) years thereafter, the Department of 
Environment and  Natural  Resources  (DENR),  in  coordination 
with the 
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Science and 
Technology (DOST), and the National Solid Waste Management Commission 
(NSWMC), shall regularly determine whether plastic bottles, packaging, or 
products that are multilayered with other materials, multi-layered tetra packs, 
election or advertising paraphernalia, streamers, and other non-compostable 
single-use plastic products not listed under Section 3 of this Act are deemed 
either high in replaceab‹lity, low in recyclability, or low in retrievability. Upon 
determination by the DENR, these products shall be phased out within a 
period of two (2) years. Products are low in recyelability or retrievability 
when these are not properly recovered or offset, in compliance with the 
provisions or standards established pursuant to Section 7 of this Act. 
 
SEC. 5. Phase Out Plan for Single-Use Plastic Products. — A Phase Out 
Plan, hereinafter referred to as the Plan, shall be formulated by the DENR, in 
coordination with the NSWMC, and in consultation with relevant 
departments or agencies of the government arid stakeholders, within six (6) 
months upon the effectivity of this Act. The Plan shall include the following 
components: 
 
(a)  Consumption, Reduction, and Recovery Program. — The DTI, in 
cooperation with the DENR,  the DOST,  and  the  Food and  Drug  
Administration (FDA) of the Department of Health (DOH), and in 
consultation with stakeholders, shall formulate a Consumption, Reduction, 
and Recovery Program, to achieve a significant reduction in consumption and 
increased recovery for recycling and treatment, or proper disposal of single-
use plastic products, within the phase out period prescribed by this Act. Such 
measures shall include national consumption reduction, waste recovery 
targets, and other measures ensuring that reusable and compostable 


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alternatives to single-use plastic products are made available, and that the 
said products are not free of charge at the point-of-sale to the final consumer; 
 
(b) Producer Responsibility Schemes. — Producer responsibility 
schemes shall be formulated to carry out the objectives of Section 7 of this Act, 
and as part of interim measures, to cushion the impact of single-use plastic 
products on the environment within the phase out periods; 
 
(c) Reusable and Compostable Alternatives to Single-Use Plastic 
Products. — Appropriate strategies to implement the requirements provided 
under Sections 6 and 14 of 
this Act shall be formulated to assist local manufacturers in developing or 
acquiring the appropriate technology and sustainable materials for the 
production of reusable or compostable alternatives to single-use plastic 
products, which shall also be highly recoverable and highly recyclable; 
 
(d) Awareness-Raising Measures. —  As part of the Information and 
Education Campaign   (IEC)  under   Section 11 of  this  Act, the DENR  shall, 
together with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of the 
Interior and Local Government 
(DILG), formulate an information dissemination plan to inform consumers of: 
(i) the impact of use and improper disposal of single-use plastic products on 
the environment; (ii) waste reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery systems; 
and (iii) other best practices in waste 
management; and 
 
(e)  Fiscal and  Non-Fiscal  Rewards and Incentives.— The Department 
of Finance (DOF), the DILG, and the DTI shall establish mechanisms that will 
provide fiscal or non-fiscal rewards and incentives allowed under existing 
laws, to encourage manufacturers, importers, sellers, and end-users to 
participate in the programs geared towards achieving the objectives of the 
Plan. 
 
SEC. 6. Compostable Plastic. — Producers, importers, and commercial 
establishments may provide compostable plastic products to their consumers. 
The plastic product shall have a visible  logo  identifying   that  it  is  
compostable.  The  manufacturing 
date 
and 
name 
of 
manufacturer, 
importer, and distributor shall be labelled as well. The DTI, in coordination 
with the DENR, DOST, leagues of local government units (LGUs), NSWMC, 
and other government and private agencies and organizations concerned shall 
promulgate the appropriate Philippine National Standard (PNS) for 
compostable plastic products within six (6) months from the effeetivity of this 


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Act. Recoverability, recycling, or reprocessing value of these products into 
other useful materials or commodities shall likewise be explored by the DTI. 
 
SEC. 7. Responsibility of Producers and Importers. — Within two (2) years 
following the effectivity of this Act, producers and importers of single-use 
plastic products, regardless of whether compostable or recyclable, shall 
establish and start phasing in the extended producers’ responsibility 
programs, aimed at effectively preventing plastic wastes from leaking to the 
environment. To achieve the purposes of this section, the producers and 
importers shall incorporate themselves in accordance with Republic Act No. 
11232, otherwise known as the “Revised Corporation  Code of the 
Philippines,” to implement the extended  producers’ responsibility programs 
that may include the following activities: 
 
(a) Recovery schemes for plastic wastes through redemption, buy-back, 
offsetting, or any model or strategies that will efficiently effect high 
retrievability and recyclability; 
 
(b) Transportation of recovered plastic wastes to the appropriate 
composting, recycling, and other diversion or disposal sites in the country; 
 
(c) Cleanup of plastic wastes leaked to coastal areas, public roads, and 
other sites; and 
 
(d) Establishment of recycling, composting,  thermal  treatment,  and  
other  wastes diversion or disposal facilities of commercial or industrial scale 
for plastic products, when investment therein is viable. 
 
For this purpose,  each  producer  or  importer  shall  recover  or  offset  
and  divert  into  value  chains  and   value-adding  useful products, whenever 
possible, at least fifty percent {50%) of their single-use plastic product 
footprint, three (3) years after the effectivity of this Act: Provided, That the 
DENR, upon the review and recommendation of the NSWMC, shall gradually 
increase the percentage until a one hundred percent (100%) recovery or 
offsetting of their single-use plastic product footprint is achieved five (5) years 
following the effeetivity of this Act. The producer or importer shall submit to 
the DENR a verifiable notarized documentation of its single-use plastic 
product footprint. An  independent third party auditor  shall 
be  
engaged 
by both  the  DENR and the producer or importer to verify the 
authenticity of the plastic product footprint report and its recovery or 
offsetting report. 
 


Page 9 of 14 
 
Expenses relevant to the abovementioned activities, and the recovery 
and diversion of their plastic product footprint, are considered part of 
necessary expense, and shall be allowed as deduction from the taxable income 
of the producers and importers, under Section 34(A) of the National Internal 
Revenue Code, as amended, for a period of five (5) years from the effectivity 
of this Act. 
 
If a producer or importer fails to meet the recovery or offsetting of 
plastic product footprint target set pursuant to the preceding paragraph, the 
producer or importer shall be required to pay the equivalent amount of five 
percent (5%) of the cost of the single-use product set in the market to the 
producers and  mpoRers’  responsibility corporat3on  created pursuant to 
Section  7 hereof,  net  of whatever  amount  already  spent  for  recovery  for 
the period. The producers’ and importers’ responsibility corporation may 
increase the rate or amount three (3) years after the effectivity of this Act. 
 
Producers and importers shall provide appropriate labelling for their 
packaging and products, providing information on specific plastic types and 
packaging structure, and other information important in the proper recovery 
and diversion of their wastes after use. For this purpose, the DTI in 
coordination with the recycling and waste processing industry is mandated to 
formulate the guidelines for proper labelling of packaging and plastic 
products. 
 
Implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for this section shall include, 
but not be limited to, multi-sectoral compliance  monitoring schemes, 
accountability mechanism, transparency, and data reporting on recovery plan. 
 
 
SEC. 8. Responsibility of Commercial Establishments. — Sixty (60) days 
after the effectivity of this Act, commercial establishments shall undertake the 
following activitles: 
 
(a) Promote the use of highly reusable, recyclable, and retrievable 
products in their establishments, or make available for sale locally made 
products such as bayong, buli, and other reusable containers and bags that are 
made of abaca, water lily, and other organic or compostable materials or 
reusable or recyclable containers that promote circular economy; 
 
(b) Charge their customers a minimum fee of Five pesos (P5.00) for 
every single-use plastic bag: Provided, That the imposition of the minimum 
fee shall not preclude the LGUs from imposing other fees and charges on the 
use of plastic bags; 
 


Page 10 of 14 
 
(c)  Charge take-out food or delivery services a minimum fee of Five 
pesos (P5.00) for every single-use plastic product provided, regardless of 
whether it is a disposable or compostable alternative; and 
 
(d) Establish an effective in-store recovery  program that will facilitated 
and encourage customer feturn of their used plastic products to the 
commercial establishment, and implement the recovery scheme established 
pursuant to Section 7 of this Act. 
 
The fees collected pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (c) shall be reflected 
in the receipts. The DOF shall prescribe the rules and regulations to be issued 
to implement this section with respect to the collection, recording, and 
remittance of fees: Provided, That fifty percent (50%) of the said fees shall be 
remitted to the National Government and deposited to the National Solid 
Waste Management Fund pursuant to Section 46 of Republic Act No. 9003, 
while the other fifty percent (50%) shall be remitted to the barangay where the 
fee was collected, to finance exclusively their solid waste management 
programs. 
 
SEC. 9. Lead Agency. — The DENR, in coordination with the NSWMC, 
unless otherwise provided herein, shall be the primary government agency 
responsible for the implementation and enforcement of this Act. 
 
SEC. 10. Monitoring and Market Inspections. — The DENR and the DTI 
shall, in coordination with the LGUs and local law enforcement agencies, 
instigate the regular and routine inspection and monitoring of the point-of-
sale stores and the facilities of commercial establishments, producers, and 
importers, to determine compliance with this Act. 
Inspection and monitoring shall include the following: 
  
(a) Entry or access to the premises of operation and business, incJuding 
storage rooms and stockrooms; 
 
(b) Inspection of off-site storage facilities, distribution centers, and 
trans-shipment points; and 
 
(c) Inspection of the recovery, recycling, treatment, and disposal 
facilities, to determine if residual plastic products are being properly diverted 
and disposed of. 
 
SEC. 11. Public Access to Information. — The public shall have access to 
records, reports, or information concerning the implementation and mandates 
of this Act. 


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The said documents shall be made aval1able for inspection or 
reproduction during normal business hours: Provided, That the DENR, the 
DTI or concerned LGU may consider confidential a record, report, or 
information, or particular portions thereof, and shall therefore not be made 
public when sueh would divulge trade secrets, production or sales figures, or 
methods, production, or processes unique to the manufacturer, seller, or 
distributor, of would otherwise tend to adversely affect the competitive 
position of such manufacturer. 
 
SEC. 12.  Information and Education Campaign.  — The DENR,  in 
coordination  with the LGUs, the DILG, the DTI, the DepEd,  the Commission  
on Higher Education  (CHED), the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), and 
other private or nongovernment organizations is and concerned  agerlcies, 
shall  conduct a continuing  IEC on  the proper  implementation of this Act, 
including the necessity to regulate plastic products in the country, in relation 
to our environment. 
 
The said IEC shall be incorporated in the public IEC under Section 55 of 
Republic Act No. 9003, otherwise known as the “Ecological Solid Waste 
Management Act of 2000”. 
 
SEC. 13. Linkage Mechanism. — The DENR and the NSWMC, in 
coordination with the DTI, may consult, and enter into an agreement  with 
other government  agencies,  LGUs, or with concerned nongovernmental 
organizations (NGOs) or people’s organizations (POs), or private enterprises 
in the furtherance of the objectives of this Act. 
 
SEC. 14. Shift to Alternatives. — The DOST, in cooperation with the 
Department of Agriculture (DA), the DTI, the DENR, and the NSWMC, shall 
develop and implement a program that will assist local manufacturers in 
developing or acquiring sustainable sources of raw materials, appropriate 
technology for the production of highly reusable, recoverable, recyclable, or 
compostable materials, as an alternative to plastic products and provide 
applicable incentives therefor. Consistent with the program, the DTI, through 
the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS), shall take the lead in developing the 
appropriate standards for alternatives. 
 
SEC. 15. Production and Importation Control. — The DTI shall, in 
cooperation with the DA, DOST, DENR, and NSWMC, develop a framework 
plan that will ensure that the single-use plastic products being produced or 
imported in the country will maximize its purpose, minimize its waste 
footprint, and increase its recoverability and recyclability. For this purpose, 


Page 12 of 14 
 
standards shall be established for the dimensions, thickness, labelling, 
structures, capacity, color-coding, materials and other relevant parameters of 
a particular single-use plastic product. 
 
SEC. 16. Role of the National Solid Waste Management Commission. — The 
NSWMC, created pursuant lo Section 4 of Republic Act No. 9003 shall, in 
addition to its functions under the said law, aid and assist in the 
implementation and enforcement of this Act. 
 
The NSWMC shall, in partneTship with research institutions and 
academic communities, conduct   relevant   studies   to  realize the  
harmonious implementation  of  this  Act   with Republic Act No. 9003. It shall 
also ensuTe that the provisions of this Act are made part of the programs  
being implemented  under Republic  Act No. 9512, otherwise known as the 
“National Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008”. 
 
The DENR shall provide the necessary financial and manpower 
resources to enable the NSWMC to perform its additional functions under this 
Act. 
 
SEC. 17.  Role of LGUs.  — The LGUs shall be primarily responsible for 
the implementation  and/or monitoring 
of 
 
compliance 
with 
wastes  
segregation, collection, recovery, transport, recycling, and disposal of plastic 
products. The LGUs may enjoin the participation of other concerned 
government agencies, private entities, and industries for this purpose. 
 
The DENR shall, in coordination with the NSWMC and the DOST, 
provide the LGUs with technical assistance, trainings, and continuing 
capability-building programs to attain the objectives of this Act. 
 
SEC. 18. Fines and Penalties. — Deliberate violations of Sections 3, 4, 6, 7, 
8, 14 and 15 of this Act, and the falsification of documents required pursuant 
to this Act, ormisrepresentation 
of persons producing, 
importing, 
or 
distributing single-use 
plastic products, and commercial establishments 
shall be penalized in the following manner: 
 
(a) Large, Medium and Small Enterprises: 
 
(1) A fine of not less than Two hundred fifty thousand pesos 
(P250,000.00) but not exceeding Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) 
for the first offense; 
 


Page 13 of 14 
 
(2) A fine of not less than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) 
but not exceeding Seven hundred fifty thousand pesos (P750,000.00) for the 
second offense; and 
 
(3) A fine of not less than Seven hundred fifty thousand pesos 
(P750,000.00) but not 
exceeding One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) and automatic revocation of its 
business permit for the third offense. 
 
(b) Micro Enterprises, and Other Smaller Businesses: 
  
(1) A fine of not less than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) but not 
exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (Pl00,000.00) for the first offense; 
 
(2) .fi fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) 
but not exceeding Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00) for the second 
offense; and 
 
(3) A fine of not less than Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.40) 
but not exceeding Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) and automatic 
revocation of its business permit for the third offense. 
 
The Pollution Adjudication Board of the DENR shall hear and 
adjudicate cases of violations or offenses in this section, and impose 
appropriate fines therefor. For purposes of the imposition of appropriate fines 
hereof, the DTI shall establish the classification of commercial establishments 
based on their capitalization. 
 
Forty percent (40%) of the fines collected under this Act shall be allocated to 
or retained by the barangay where the fined prohibited acts are committed in 
order to finance the solid waste management of said unit. 
 
SEC. 19. Administrative  Action. —  Without  prejudice  to  the  right of  
any  person to  file  an   administrative  action,   the  DENR   shall,  on  its  own  
instance  or  upon   verified complaint  by  any  person, institute 
administrative proceedings in the proper forum  against any natural or 
juridical person who violates any of the provisions of this Act with respect 
to standards and limitations TOvided by this Act, or such order, rule, or 
regulation issued by the DENR pursuant thereto. 
 
SEC. 20. Independence of Action. — The filing of an administrative suit 
against any person or entity does not preclude the right of any  other  person 
to file any  criminal  or  civil action. 


Page 14 of 14 
 
 
SEC. 21.  Joint  Congressional Oversight Committee. — The Joint 
Congressional Oversight  Committee,  created  under  Section 60 of Republic  
Act No. 9003, shall likewise monitor the implementauon of this Act and 
review the rules and regulations promulgated by the DENR to implement this 
Act. The Joint Committee shall be eochaired by the Chairpersons of the House 
Committee on Ecology and the Senate Committee on Environment. 
 
SEC. 22.   Citizen's Suit.  - Any citizen can file an appropriate civil, 
criminal, or administrative action in the proper courts or bodies against: any 
person who violates or fails  to  comply   with  the  provisions  of  this  Act  
and  its  IRR;  the  department  or  other implementing  agencies  with respect 
to orders, regulations, and issuances  inconsistent with this Act; and any 
public officer w’ho willfully or grossly  neglects  the performance  of an act 
specifically  enjoined  as a  duty  by  this  Act  or its IRR, or abuses  the 
authority vested upon  him  in the performance  of duty, or in  any  manner  
improperly  performs  the   duties assigned under this Act or its IRR: 
Provided, however, That no suit can be filed until after a third (30)-day  notice 
has been given tp the public officer and the alleged  violator concerned and no 
appropriate action has been taken thereon. With this, free and accessible legal 
help should be given to individual persons who shall file a lawsuit under this 
Act. 
 
SEC. 23. Implementing Rules and Regulation. — The DENR, in 
coordination with the NSWMC, DTI, DOST, and  other  relevant government  
agencies  and organizations, shall  promulgate the IRR governing this Act 
within six (6) months from its effectivity. 
 
SEC. 24. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any provision of this 
Act or part thereof is declared unconstitutional or invalid by a court of 
competent jurisdiction, the other provisions or parts hereof not affected shall 
remain in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 25. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, issuances, 
ordinances,  rules to and  regulations  or  parts  thereof  inconsistent  with  the  
provisions  of  this  Act  are  hereby it repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 26. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,