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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH 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, RECYCLE, AND DISPOSAL OF 
SINGLE-USE PLASTIC PRODUCTS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
When will we act? 
The Filipino people have yet to grasp the devastating effects 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 April 4, 2019, in a speech by Ms. 
Agata E. Pawlowska: 
“We all know the shocking statistics about marine plastic pollution. 
Current studies suggest that 8 million tons of plastic end up in our 
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 
August 5, 2025
12:07 pm
3049


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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 
with 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 single-use plastics, let alone 
ban them.” 
“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.” 
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.” 
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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“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 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. 3049 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
REGULATING THE PRODUCTION, IMPORTATION, SALE, DISTRIBUTION, 
PROVISION, USE, RECOVERY, COLLECTION, RECYCLE, AND DISPOSAL OF 
SINGLE-USE PLASTIC PRODUCTS 
“Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled.” 
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act 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 degradation by biological processes
during composting to yield carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds,
and biomass, at a rate consistent with other known compostable materials,
and leaves no visible and distinguishable, or environmentally harmful
residue.
(c)
High in replaceability refers to a condition wherein a plastic product is
deemed non-acceptable, unnecessary, or can be replaced by a more efficient
and eco-friendly alternative.


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(d) Importer refers   to  any  entity that  imports  or distributes single-use plastic 
products, or goods utilizing single-use plastic products, to any commercial 
establishment in the Philippines; 
 
(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 situation 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 of, 
destroyed, or recycled after only one use. 
 
SEC. 3. Phase Out 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; 


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(b) Stirrers; 
(c) Sticks for candy, balloons, and cotton buds; 
(d) Buntings; 
(e) Confetti; and 
 
(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 
recyclability 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 and 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 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; 
 


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(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 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 the 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 the 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 effectiveness of this 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 waste from leaking to the environment. To achieve the purposes 


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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 affect 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 
waste 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 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. 
 
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 importers’  
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. 
 


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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 
mechanisms, transparency, and data reporting on the recovery plan. 
 
 
SEC. 8. Responsibility of Commercial Establishments. — Sixty (60) days after the 
effectivity of this Act, commercial establishments shall undertake the following 
activities: 
 
(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; 
 
(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 facilitate and 
encourage customer' return 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. 


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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, including 
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. 
 
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 agencies, 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 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. 
 


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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 their purpose, minimize their waste footprint, and increase 
their recoverability and recyclability. For this purpose, 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 to 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 partnership 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 ensure 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 waste segregation, 
collection, recovery, transport, recycling, and disposal of plastic products. The LGUs 
may enlist 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, training, 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, 
or misrepresentation of persons producing, importing, or distributing single-use


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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; 
 
(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) a 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 initiative 
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 provided by this Act, or such order, rule, or regulation 
issued by the DENR pursuant thereto. 
 


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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. 
 
SEC. 21.  Joint  Congressional Oversight Committee. — The 
Joint 
Congressional Oversight  Committee,  created under  Section 60 of Republic  Act No. 
9003, shall likewise monitor the implementation of this Act and review the rules and 
regulations promulgated by the DENR to implement this Act. The Joint Committee 
shall be cochaired by the Chairpersons of the House Committee on Ecology and the 
Senate Committee on Environment. 
 
SEC. 22. Citizens' 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 Regulations. — 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, and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this  Act 
are hereby 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,