FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
3 
FER 11 W: :27 
Second Regular Session 
S E N A T E  
,/ 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORYNOTE 
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. 
RDA 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
, l  . (  
9 
FED 11 IUC 2-7 
Second Regular Session 
S E N A T E  
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
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 the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
Assembled: 
Section 1. Title. Stores Proactive in Plastic Bag Recycling Act 
Section 2. Definitions. As used in this bill, the following terms shall have 
the meanings indicated: 
a. 
b. 
C. 
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. 
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. 
REUSABLE PLASTIC BAG - A plastic bag with handles specifically 
designed and manufactured by a store as container for purchases in its 
store. 
Section 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. 
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 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. 


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. 
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 bags 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 
Act. 
Section 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. 
Section 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. 
Section 8. Effectiuity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,