Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

501i

H. B. No.

Introduced by HONORABLE JUAN EDGARDO “SONNY” M. ANGARA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

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 bags. Some of these plastic bags are reused, others are easily
dumped either properly or improperly: 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

It is clear therefore that the use of plastic bags must be reduced. This may be achieved
by requiring retailers to establish a recycling mechanism for plastic bags and reuse recycled
plastic bags in future purchases.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is being earnestly sought.

JUAN EDGARHO “SONNY” M. ANGARA
Representativ
Lone District, Province of Aurora


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
First Regular Session )

H. B. No.

Introduced by Honorable JUAN EDGARDO “SONNY” M. ANGARA

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A PROACTIVE APPROACH IN RECYCLING USED
PLASTIC BAGS BY STORES AND OTHER RETAIL OUTLETS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Title. This Act shall be known as the “Stores Proactive in Plastic Bag
Recycling Act”

SEC 2. Definitions. As used in this bill, the following terms shall have the meanings

indicated:

a) OPERATOR - A person which may include, but is not limited to, the owner of the
store, managing or responsible for the daily operation of a store.

b) STORE - A retail establishment that provides plastic reusable bags to its customers
as a result of the sale of a consumer good and belongs to a chain of five or more
retail establishments that are engaged in the same general field of business and are
under one common ownership or management or pursuant to a franchise agreement
with the same franchisor.

c) REUSABLE PLASTIC BAG - A plastic bag with handles specifically designed and
manufactured by a store as container for purchases in its store.

SEC. 3. Store Recycling Program. The operator of a store shall establish a recycling
program located at the store pursuant to the provisions of this bill. Such program shall provide
an opportunity for members of the public to return to the store clean plastic bags from that
originated from the store or from any store of a chain of five or more retail establishments.

SEC. 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 that the 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.

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b) That all plastic bags collected by the store are to be collected, handled and recycled in a
manner consistent with all applicable laws or any pertinent rule or regulation.

¢) 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 bags until the collected bags in a batch of collection were used.

SEC 5. Assistance for Stores. Appropriate national and local government agencies shall
assist the stores to comply with the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 6. Rules and Regulations. The Department of Trade and Industry and the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall promulgate any rules and regulations
as they deem necessary for the implementation and enforcement of the provisions of this Act

SEC. 7. Separability Clause. 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.

SEC. 8. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication
in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,