SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 2613 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
'I') 
FEB ··2 P5 :36 
AN ACT REGULATING THE PRODUCTION, IMPORTATION, 
SALE, PROVISION, USE, RECOVERY, COLLECTION, RECYCLING AND DISPOSAL 
OF PLASTIC BAGS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Plastic bags, plates, utensils, cups and styrofoam containers have been used 
widely nowadays because it makes our lives more convenient and easier. However, 
because of the perceived convenience with the use of these materials, our ecology is 
being sacrificed. These materials are made of petroleum and are hard to dispose 
causing pollution and degradation of the environment. 
Often these materials clog 
drainage pipes and block sewage systems which contribute to massive flooding during 
typhoons. 
In recognition of the adverse effects of using plastic bags, there has been a 
universal clamour in cutting down the use of plastic products and Styrofoam containers. 
This bill seeks to do just that. The proposed measure wishes to regulate the use of 
plastic bags and promote recycling if its use will be inevitable, 
It is high time that we participate in the global movement of minimizing if not 
totally banning the use of plastic products so that we can contribute in the preservation 
of the ecological balance and give our share to attaining sustainable development. In 
this regard, passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
) 
'i'i Il8 ·-2 PS :36 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 2613 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
AN ACT REGULATING THE PRODUCTION, IMPORTATION, 
SALE, PROVISION, USE, RECOVERY, COLLECTION, RECYCLING AND DISPOSAL 
OF PLASTIC BAGS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Congress assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. Short Title, - This Act shall be known as the "Plastic Bag Regulation Act of 
2 
2015", 
3 
4 
SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. - For the purpose of this Act: 
5 
6 
(a) Biodegradable plastic bag refers to a plastic bag that degrades into fine 
7 
wettable fragments through oxidation processes and thereafter attain molecular 
8 
structure suited for biodegradation that results from the action of naturally occurring 
9 
microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and algae, Such plastic bags shall, within 
10 
twenty-four (24) months after its use, have a sixty percent (60%) biodegradation where 
11 
organic carbon is converted to carbon dioxide without leaving significant harmful 
12 
residues. 
13 
14 
(b) Commercial establishment refers to an establishment or cluster of 
15 
establishments engaged in commerce or sales of goods or services including, but not 
16 
limited to, market stores, shopping mall outlets, supermarkets, department stores, 
17 
groceries, convenience stores, food chains, restaurants, cafes, bars, sari-sari stores 
18 
and the like, 
19 
20 
(c) Department refers to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 
21 
(DENR). 
22 
1 


1 
(d) Operator refers to a person or group of persons in control of, or having daily 
2 
responsibility for, the daily operation of a store which may include, but not limited to, the 
3 
owner of the store. 
4 
5 
(e) Plastic bag refers to a polymer bag designed to be provided or utilized at the 
6 
point of sale for carrying and transporting goods. 
7 
8 
(f) Reusable bag refers to a washable canvass bag, a bayong or any shopping 
9 
bag used for carrying and transporting goods, which bags are made of organic or 
10 
nonorganic materials and can be used several times. 
11 
12 
SEC. 3. Biodegradable Plastic Bags. - Six (6) months after the effectivity of this Act, 
13 
commercial establishments shall provide biodegradable plastic bags to their consumers: 
14 
Provided, That they shall promote and make available for sale locally-made bayong, buli 
15 
and other reusable bags that are made of abaca, water lily and other organic or 
16 
compostable materials: Provided, furlher, That establishments may still provide other 
17 
plastic bags as 
18 
sanctioned under Section 5 of this Act. 
19 
20 
For this purpose, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in coordination 
21 
with the Department, leagues of local government units (LGUs), National Solid Waste 
22 
Management Commission (NSWMC), and other government and private agencies and 
23 
organizations concerned shall, within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act, 
24 
promulgate the appropriate Philippine National Standard (PNS) for biodegradable 
25 
plastic bags: Provided, That the DTI shall consider in the PNS the recyclability of 
26 
biodegradable plastic bags. 
27 
28 
SEC. 4. In-Store Recovery Program. - Within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this 
29 
Act, the operator or cluster of operators of commercial establishments that provide 
30 
plastic bags to consumers as part of a purchase at retail, shall establish an in-store 
31 
recovery program that will give their customers an opportunity to return their used 
32 
plastic bags to the commercial establishments from which the plastic bags originated. 
33 
34 
An in-store recovery program provided by the operator of said commercial 
35 
establishment shall include the following: 
36 
(a) A plastic bag shall have printed or displayed on it in a manner visible to the 
37 
consumer, a logo and/or words showing that it is a biodegradable plastiC bag; 
38 
2 


1 
(b) A plastic bag printed with the name or logo of the establishment shall have 
2 
printed or displayed on it the words "PLEASE RETURN TO ANY STORE FOR 
3 
RECYCLING", in addition to the requirement of the immediately preceding paragraph; 
4 
5 
(c) A plastic bag recovery bin shall be placed at each store or cluster of stores 
6 
and shall be visible, easily accessible to the costumer, and clearly marked that the 
7 
recovery bin is available for the purpose of collecting, recycling and disposal of plastic 
8 
bags; 
9 
10 
(d) All plastic bags recovered by the store shall be collected, transported, and, 
11 
whenever practicable, recycled and disposed by the LGUs pursuant to Section 8 of this 
12 
Act. 
13 
14 
(e) The commercial establishment shall maintain records describing the recovery, 
15 
collection, transport, and whenever applicable, recycling and disposal of plastic bags 
16 
collected for a minimum of three (3) years, and every year thereafter. It shall make the 
17 
records available to the Department and/or LGU, upon request, to demonstrate 
18 
compliance with this Act. The LGU concerned shall likewise maintain records it has 
19 
recovered, collected and transported for recycling or disposal, and shall make the 
20 
records available to the Department; 
21 
22 
(f) The commercial establishment shall require their customers to surrender an 
23 
equivalent or practically equivalent plastic bag for the provision of a new plastic bag. 
24 
Otherwise, the customer or consumer will be charged a fixed fee of P1.00 per plastiC 
25 
bag, which fee shall be reflected in their receipts; and 
26 
27 
(g) The commercial establishment shall make local reusable bags available to 
28 
consumers within the establishment, which shall be purchased in lieu of surrendering an 
29 
old plastic bag or purchasing a new plastic bag. 
30 
31 
SEC. 5. Phaseout of Nonbiodegradable Plastic Bags. - Notwithstanding the provision of 
32 
Section 4 of this Act, nonbiodegradable plastic bags shall be gradually phased out 
33 
within a period of three (3) years from the effectivity of this Act. Thereafter, production, 
34 
importation, sale, distribution, provision or use of said bags shall be prohibited. 
35 
36 
SEC. 6. Lead Agency. - The Department, unless otherwise provided herein, shall be 
37 
the primary government agency responsible for the implementation and enforcement of 
38 
this Act. 
3 


1 
2 
SEC. 7. Linkage Mechanism. - The Department, in coordination with the DTI and the 
3 
NSWMC, shall consult, and enter into an agreement with other government agencies or 
4 
LGUs, or with concerned nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) or people's 
5 
organizations (POs), or private enterprises in the furtherance of the objectives of this 
6 
Act. 
7 
8 
SEC. 8. Role of Local Government Units (LGUs). - The LGUs shall have the primary 
9 
responsibility in the effort to decrease the percentage of plastic bag waste produced 
10 
within their respective territorial jurisdictions. 
11 
12 
For this purpose, they shall be primarily responsible for the collection, 
13 
transportation, recycling and disposal of plastic bags recovered pursuant to this Act. 
14 
The LGUs may enjoin the participation of other concerned government agencies, 
15 
private entities and industries. 
16 
17 
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), in coordination with the 
18 
National Ecology Center, shall provide the LGUs with technical assistance, trainings 
19 
and continuing capability-building programs to attain the objectives of this Act. 
20 
21 
SEC. 9. Fines and Penalties. - Violations of Sections 3, 4 and 5 of this Act shall be 
22 
penalized in the following manner: 
23 
(a) A fine of not exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) for the 
24 
first offense; 
25 
(b) A fine of not exceeding Two hundred fifty thousand pesos (P250,000.00) for 
26 
the second offense; 
27 
(c) A fine of not exceeding Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) for the 
28 
third offense; and 
29 
(d) A fine of not exceeding Seven hundred fifty thousand pesos (P750,000.00) 
30 
and automatic revocation of its business permit for the fourth offense. 
31 
32 
Fines 
shall 
be 
imposed 
based 
on 
the 
capitalization 
of commercial 
33 
establishments. For this purpose, the Department shall establish such classification of 
34 
commercial establishments. 
35 
36 
For purposes of the imposition of appropriate fines hereof, the Department shall 
37 
establish classification of commercial establishments based on their capitalization. 
38 
4 


1 
Any fine collected pursuant to this section shall be retained by the barangay unit 
2 
where the store is located in order to augment its waste management capability. 
3 
4 
SEC. 10. Administrative Action. - Without prejudice to the right of any person to file an 
5 
administrative action, the Department shall, on its own instance or upon verified 
6 
complaint by any person, institute administrative proceedings in the proper forum 
7 
against any natural or juridical person who violates any of the provisions of this Act with 
8 
respect to: 
9 
10 
(a) Standards and limitations provided by this Act; or 
11 
(b) Such order, rule or regulation issued by the DTI with respect to such standard 
12 
or limitation. 
13 
14 
SEC. 11. Independence of Action. - The filing of an administrative suit against such 
15 
person or entity does not preclude the right of any other person to file any criminal or 
16 
civil action. 
17 
18 
SEC. 12. Enforcement. - The enforcement of the penal provision of this Act shall be 
19 
made through the Department, in coordination with the Office of the Mayor of the LGU 
20 
concerned. 
21 
22 
SEC. 13. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. -
The Joint Congressional 
23 
Oversight Committee created under Section 60 of Republic Act No. 9003, otherwise 
24 
known as the "Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000", shall likewise monitor 
25 
the implementation of this Act and review the implementing rules and regulations 
26 
promulgated by the Department. 
27 
28 
SEC. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department, in coordination with 
29 
the DTI, the NSWMC and other relevant government agencies and organizations shall, 
30 
within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate the implementing rules 
31 
and regulations (lRR) governing this Act. 
32 
33 
SEC. 15. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act 
34 
shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the concerned agencies. 
35 
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the operation and maintenance of this 
36 
Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act. 
37 
5 


1 
SEC. 16. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any provision of this Act or part 
2 
thereof is declared unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the 
3 
other provisions or parts hereof not affected shall remain in full force and effect. 
4 
5 
SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, issuances, ordinances, rules 
6 
and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
7 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
8 
9 
SEC. 18. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
10 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
6