Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH (19th) CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO._______ 
_____________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by REP. JOSEPH STEPHEN S. PADUANO 
_____________________________________________________________________ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Single-use plastic (SUP) is among the products or materials included in the list 
of non-environmentally acceptable products and packaging (NEAPP) as indicated in 
Republic Act (RA) No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.  
In June 2021, wastes from food packaging were identified as primary source of 
aquatic, and included in the 44% of these group of wastes are made of plastic 
according to an article1 published in Nature Sustainability. 
Even without stating any analysis from academic literatures and further citing 
rich statistics, we can observe in our surroundings that waste materials are often 
composed of plastic in all sorts of forms. 
These concerns with regards to the aggravating problem of waste management 
due to single-use plastic have been a subject of campaigns by environmental groups, 
and numerous proposed bills were also forwarded by the members of both Houses of 
the Philippine Congress in response to this ecological concern, and were substantially 
discussed in different venues. 
On this note, this Representation intends to forward the similar measure and 
wishes to continue the pursuit for a more ecology-friendly waste management system 
in our country. 
1 “An inshore–offshore sorting system revealed from global classification of ocean litter”, Nature Sustainability, 
2021, accessed thru: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-021-00720-8 
August 2, 2022
1:37 pm
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The bill entitled “An Act Regulating the Production, Importation, Sale, 
Distribution, Provision, Use, Recovery, Collection, Recycling, and Disposal of Single 
Use Plastic Products” or House Bill No. 9147, with this Representation included as 
principal author of the Third Reading Copy, with the main proponents of similar bills 
that was substituted by the aforementioned measure. It was approved on third and final 
reading by the members of the 18th Congress after it was deliberated and submitted to 
the Plenary by the Committee on Ecology.  Afterwards it was transmitted to the 
Senate, however, due to various factors; it was not enacted into law.  
Hence, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
JOSEPH STEPHEN S. PADUANO 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH (19th) CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO._______ 
_____________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by REP. JOSEPH STEPHEN S. PADUANO 
_____________________________________________________________________ 
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 Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
 SECTION 1.  Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Single-Use Plastic 
1 
Products Regulation Act”. 
2 
3 
SEC. 2. Definition of Terms – As used in this Act: 
4 
5 
(a) Commercial establishment refers to an establishment or cluster of establishments
6 
engaged in commerce or sales of goods or services including market stores, shopping
7 
mall outlets, supermarkets, department stores, online stores, grocery  stores, drug
8 
stores, convenience stores, food chains, restaurants, cafes, bars, sari-sari stores,
9 
ambulant vendors, with or without stalls, and the like;
10 
11 
(b) Compostable plastic product refers to a plastic product that is suitable for home
12 
composting that undergoes degradation by biological processes during composting to
13 
yield carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and biomass, at a rate consistent
14 
with other known compostable materials, and leaves  no visible, distinguishable, or
15 
environmentally harmful residue;
16 
17 
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(c) High in replaceability refers to a condition wherein a plastic product is deemed non-
1 
acceptable, unnecessary, or can be replaced by a more efficient and eco-friendly 
2 
alternatives; 
3 
 
4 
(d) Importer refers to any entity that imports or distributes single-use plastic products, or 
5 
goods utilizing single-use plastic products, to any commercial establishment in the 
6 
Philippines; 
7 
 
8 
(e) Low in recyclability refers to a condition wherein the value for recovery and 
9 
reprocessing of a plastic product is low, or nonexistent, due to its design, composition, 
10 
content, and density, among other things; 
11 
 
12 
(f) Low in retrievability refers to a situation wherein after use of the plastic products, a 
13 
significant volume cannot be recovered, properly recycled, processed or disposed of, 
14 
on account of inefficient recovery schemes, or low value for recovery, recycling or 
15 
reprocessing; 
16 
 
17 
(g) Plastic footprint refers to the total amount of plastic or composite materials used in the 
18 
production, distribution, promotion, and sale of single-use plastic products or services; 
19 
 
20 
(h) Plastic products refer to bags, containers, food service necessities, packaging, and 
21 
promotional materials, or any other non-healthcare products using synthetic polymers 
22 
as a major component, or as one of the layers thereof, designed to be utilized, to carry 
23 
or protect goods for transportation, distribution, and sale, or to promote these products 
24 
or services; 
25 
 
26 
(i) Producer refers to any entity that manufactures or distributes single-use plastic 
27 
products or goods utilizing single-use plastic products, to any commercial 
28 
establishment in the Philippines; and 
29 
 
30 
(j) Single-use plastic products refer to kinetic products designed to be disposed, 
31 
destroyed, or recycled, after only one use. 
32 
 
33 
 
SEC. 3. Phase Out of Single-Use Plastic Products. — The following non-
34 
compostable single-use plastic products shall be phased out within a period of four (4) years 
35 
from the effectivity of this Act: 
36 


 
1 
(a) Plates and saucers; 
2 
(b) Cups, bowls, and lids; 
3 
(c) Cutlery like spoons, forks, knives, and chopsticks; 
4 
(d) Food and beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene; 
5 
(e) Oxo-degradable plastics; 
6 
(f) Film wrap, packaging, or bags of less than 50 microns in thickness; and 
7 
(g) Sachets and pouches that are multilayered with other materials. 
8 
 
9 
The following products shall be phased out within a period of one (1) year from the 
10 
effectivity of this Act: 
11 
 
12 
(a) Drinking straws; 
13 
(b) Stirrers; 
14 
(c) Sticks for candy, balloon, and cotton bud; 
15 
(d) Buntings; 
16 
(e) Confetti; and 
17 
(f) Packaging or bags of less than 10 microns in thickness. 
18 
 
19 
Thereafter, the production, importation, sale, distribution, provision or use of the said 
20 
plastic products shall be prohibited. 
21 
 
22 
Properly labeled flexible disposable plastic drinking straws for persons with special 
23 
medical conditions shall be allowed, when no suitable reusable or compostable alternatives 
24 
are available. 
25 
 
26 
 
SEC. 4. Phase Out of Other Single-Use Plastic Products. — Two (2) years after the 
27 
effectivity of this Act, and every two (2) years thereafter, the Department of Environment and 
28 
Natural Resources (DENR), in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry 
29 
(DTI), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the National Solid Waste 
30 
Management Commission (NSWMC), shall regularly determine whether plastic bottles, 
31 
packaging, or products that are multilayered with other materials, multilayered tetra packs, 
32 
election or advertising paraphernalia, streamers, and other non-compostable single-use plastic 
33 
products not listed under Section 3 of this Act are deemed either high in replaceability, low in 
34 
recyclability, or low in retrievability. Upon determination by the DENR, these products shall 
35 
be phased out within a period of two (2) years. 
36 


 
1 
Products are low in recyclability or retrievability when these are not properly 
2 
recovered or offset, in compliance with the provisions or standards established pursuant to 
3 
Section 7 of this Act. 
4 
 
5 
 
SEC. 5. Phase Out Plan for Single-Use Plastic Products.  — A Phase Out Plan, 
6 
hereinafter referred to as the Plan, shall be formulated by the DENR, in coordination with the 
7 
NSWMC, and in consultation with relevant departments or agencies of the government and 
8 
stakeholders, within six (6) months upon the effectivity of this Act. The Plan shall include the 
9 
following components: 
10 
 
11 
(a) Consumption, Reduction, and Recovery Program. — The DTI, in cooperation with the 
12 
DENR, the DOST, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Department 
13 
of Health (DOH), and in consultation with stakeholders, shall formulate a 
14 
Consumption, Reduction, and Recovery Program, to achieve a significant reduction in 
15 
consumption and increased recovery for recycling and treatment, or proper disposal of 
16 
single-use plastic products, within the phase out period prescribed by this Act. Such 
17 
measures shall include national consumption reduction, waste recovery targets, and 
18 
other measures ensuring that reusable and compostable alternatives to single-use 
19 
plastic products are made available, and that the said products are not free of charge at 
20 
the point-of-sale to the final consumer; 
21 
 
22 
(b) Producer Responsibility Schemes. — Producer responsibility schemes shall be 
23 
formulated to carry out the objectives of Section 7 of this Act, and as part of interim 
24 
measures, to cushion the impact of single-use plastic products on the environment 
25 
within the phase out periods; 
26 
 
27 
(c) Reusable and Compostable Alternatives to Single-Use Plastic Products. — 
28 
Appropriate strategies to implement the requirements provided under Sections 6 and 
29 
14 of this Act shall be formulated to assist local manufacturers in developing or 
30 
acquiring the appropriate technology and sustainable materials for the production of 
31 
reusable or compostable alternatives to single-use plastic products, which shall also be 
32 
highly recoverable and highly recyclable; 
33 
 
34 
(d) Awareness-Raising Measures. — As part of the Information and Education Campaign 
35 
(IEC) under Section 11 of this Act, the DENR shall, together with the Department of 
36 


Education (DepEd) and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), 
1 
formulate an information dissemination plan to inform consumers of: (i) the impact of 
2 
use and improper disposal of single-use plastic products on the environment; (ii) waste 
3 
reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery systems; and (iii) other best practices in waste 
4 
management; and 
5 
 
6 
(e) Fiscal and Non-Fiscal Rewards and Incentives. — The Department of Finance (DOF), 
7 
the DILG, and the DTI shall establish mechanisms that will provide fiscal or non-
8 
fiscal rewards and incentives allowed under existing laws, to encourage 
9 
manufacturers, importers, sellers, and end-users to participate in the programs geared 
10 
towards achieving the objectives of the Plan. 
11 
 
12 
 
SEC. 6. Compostable Plastic. — Producers, importers, and commercial 
13 
establishments may provide compostable plastic products to their consumers. The plastic 
14 
product shall have a visible logo identifying that it is compostable. The manufacturing 
date 
15 
and name of manufacturer, importer, and distributor shall be labeled as well. 
16 
 
17 
The DTI, in coordination with the DENR, DOST, leagues of local government units 
18 
(LGUs), NSWMC, and other government and private agencies and organizations concerned 
19 
shall promulgate the appropriate Philippine National Standard (PNS) for compostable plastic 
20 
products within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act. Recoverability, recycling, or 
21 
reprocessing value of these products into other useful materials or commodities shall likewise 
22 
be explored by the DTI. 
23 
 
24 
 
SEC. 7. Responsibility of Producers and Importers. — Within two (2) years 
25 
following the effectivity of this Act, producers and importers of single-use plastic products, 
26 
regardless of whether compostable or recyclable, shall establish and start phasing in the 
27 
extended producers’ responsibility programs, aimed at effectively preventing plastic wastes 
28 
from leaking to the environment. To achieve the purposes of this section, the producers and 
29 
importers shall incorporate themselves in accordance with Republic Act No. 11232, otherwise 
30 
known as the “Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines,” to implement the extended 
31 
producers’ responsibility programs that may include the following activities: 
32 
 
33 
(a) Recovery schemes for plastic wastes through redemption, buy-back, offsetting, or any 
34 
model or strategies that will efficiently effect high retrievability and recyclability; 
35 
 
36 


(b) Transportation of recovered plastic wastes to the appropriate composting, recycling, 
1 
and other diversion or disposal sites in the country; 
2 
 
3 
(c) Cleanup of plastic wastes leaked to coastal areas, public roads, and other sites; and 
4 
 
5 
(d) Establishment of recycling, composting, thermal treatment, and other wastes diversion 
6 
or disposal facilities of commercial or industrial scale for plastic products, when 
7 
investment therein is viable. 
8 
 
9 
For this purpose, each producer or importer shall recover or offset and divert into 
10 
value chains and value-adding useful products, whenever possible, at least fifty percent {50%) 
11 
of their single-use plastic product footprint, three (3) years after the effectivity of this Act: 
12 
Provided, That the DENR, upon the review and recommendation of the NSWMC, shall 
13 
gradually increase the percentage until a one hundred percent (100%) recovery or offsetting of 
14 
their  single-use plastic product footprint is achieved five (5) years following the effectivity of 
15 
this Act. The producer or importer shall submit to the DENR a verifiable notarized 
16 
documentation of its single-use plastic product footprint. An independent third party auditor 
17 
shall be engaged by both the DENR and the producer or importer to verify the authenticity of 
18 
the plastic product footprint report and its recovery or offsetting report. 
19 
 
20 
Expenses relevant to the abovementioned activities, and the recovery and diversion of 
21 
their plastic product footprint, are considered part of necessary expense, and shall be allowed 
22 
as deduction from the taxable income of the producers and importers, under Section 34(A) of 
23 
the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended, for a period of five (5) years from the 
24 
effectivity of this Act. 
25 
 
26 
  
If a producer or importer fails to meet the recovery or offsetting of plastic product 
27 
footprint  target  set  pursuant  to  the  preceding  paragraph,  the  producer  or  importer  shall  
28 
be required to pay the equivalent amount of five percent (5%) of the cost of the single-use 
29 
product set in the market to the producers and importers’ responsibility corporation created 
30 
pursuant to Section 7 hereof, net of whatever amount already spent for recovery for the 
31 
period. The producers’ and importers’ responsibility corporation may increase the rate or 
32 
amount three (3) years after the effectivity of this Act. 
33 
 
34 
  
Producers and importers shall provide appropriate labeling for their packaging and 
35 
products, providing information on specific plastic types and packaging structure, and other 
36 


information important in the proper recovery and diversion of their wastes after use. For this 
1 
purpose, the DTI in coordination with the recycling and waste processing industry is 
2 
mandated to formulate the guidelines for proper labeling of packaging and plastic products.  
3 
 
4 
Implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for this section shall include, but not be 
5 
limited  to, multi-sectoral compliance monitoring schemes, accountability mechanism, 
6 
transparency, and data reporting on recovery plan. 
7 
 
8 
 
SEC. 8 Responsibility of Commercial Establishments. — Sixty (60) days after the 
9 
effectivity of this Act, commercial establishments shall undertake the following activities: 
10 
 
11 
(a) Promote the use of highly reusable, recyclable, and retrievable products in their 
12 
establishments, or make available for sale locally made products such as bayong, buli, 
13 
and other reusable containers and bags that are made of abaca, water lily, and other 
14 
organic or compostable materials or reusable or recyclable containers that promote 
15 
circular economy; 
16 
 
17 
(b) Charge their customers a minimum fee of Five pesos (P5.00) for every single-use 
18 
plastic bag: Provided, That the imposition of the minimum fee shall not preclude the 
19 
LGUs from imposing other fees and charges on the use of plastic bags; 
20 
 
21 
(c) Charge take-out food or delivery services a minimum fee of Five pesos (P5.00) for 
22 
every single-use plastic product provided, regardless of whether it is a disposable or 
23 
compostable alternative; and 
24 
 
25 
(d) Establish an effective in-store recovery program that will facilitate  and 
encourage 
26 
customer return of their used plastic products to the commercial establishment, and 
27 
implement the recovery scheme established pursuant to Section 7 of this Act. 
28 
 
29 
The fees collected pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (c) shall be reflected in the receipts. 
30 
The DOF shall prescribe the rules and regulations to be issued to implement this section with 
31 
respect to the collection, recording, and remittance of fees: Provided, That fifty percent (50%) 
32 
of the said fees shall be remitted to the National Government and deposited to the National 
33 
Solid Waste Management Fund pursuant to Section 46 of Republic Act No. 9003, while the 
34 
other fifty percent (50%) shall be remitted to the barangay where the fee was collected, to 
35 
finance exclusively their solid waste management programs. 
36 


 
1 
 
SEC. 9. Lead Agency. — The DENR, in coordination with the NSWMC, unless 
2 
otherwise provided herein, shall be the primary government agency responsible for the 
3 
implementation and enforcement of this Act. 
4 
 
5 
 
SEC. 10. Monitoring and Market Inspections. — The DENR and the DTI shall, in 
6 
coordination with the LGUs and local law enforcement agencies, instigate the regular and 
7 
routine inspection and monitoring of the point-of-sale stores and the facilities of commercial 
8 
establishments, producers, and importers, to determine compliance with this Act. Inspection 
9 
and monitoring shall include the following: 
10 
 
11 
(a) Entry or access to the premises of operation and business, including storage rooms and 
12 
stockrooms; 
13 
 
14 
(b) Inspection of off-site storage facilities, distribution centers, and trans-shipment points; 
15 
and 
16 
 
17 
(c) Inspection of the recovery, recycling, treatment, and disposal facilities, to determine if 
18 
residual plastic products are being properly diverted and disposed of. 
19 
 
20 
 
SEC. 11. Public Access to Information. — The public shall have access to records, 
21 
reports, or information concerning the implementation and mandates of this Act. 
22 
 
23 
The said documents shall be made available for inspection or reproduction during 
24 
normal business hours: Provided, That the DENR, the DTI or concerned LGU may consider 
25 
confidential a record, report, or information, or particular portions thereof, and shall therefore 
26 
not be made public when such would divulge trade secrets, production or sales figures, or 
27 
methods, production, or processes unique to the manufacturer, seller, or distributor, or would 
28 
otherwise tend to adversely affect the competitive position of such manufacturer. 
29 
 
30 
 
SEC. 12. Information and Education Campaign. — The DENR, in coordination with 
31 
the LGUs, the DILG, the DTI, the DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the 
32 
Philippine Information Agency (PIA), and other private or nongovernment organizations and 
33 
concerned agencies, shall conduct a continuing IEC on the proper implementation of this Act, 
34 
including the necessity to regulate plastic products in the country, in relation to our 
35 
environment. 
36 


The said IEC shall be incorporated in the public IEC under Section 55 of Republic Act 
1 
No. 9003, otherwise known as the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000”. 
2 
 
3 
SEC. 13. Linkage Mechanism. — The DENR and the NSWMC, in coordination with 
4 
the DTI, may consult, and enter into an agreement with other government agencies, LGUs, or 
5 
with concerned nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) or people’s organizations (POs), or 
6 
private enterprises in the furtherance of the objectives of this Act. 
7 
 
8 
SEC. 14. Shift to Alternatives. — The DOST, in cooperation with the Department of 
9 
Agriculture (DA), the DTI, the DENR, and the NSWMC, shall develop and implement a 
10 
program that will assist local manufacturers in developing or acquiring sustainable sources of 
11 
raw materials, appropriate technology for the production of highly reusable, recoverable, 
12 
recyclable, or compostable materials, as an alternative to plastic products and provide 
13 
applicable incentives therefor. Consistent with the program, the DTI, through the Bureau of 
14 
Philippine Standards (BPS), shall take the lead in developing the appropriate standards for 
15 
alternatives. 
16 
 
17 
SEC. 15. Production and Importation Control. — The DTI shall, in cooperation with 
18 
the DA, DOST, DENR, and NSWMC, develop a framework plan that will ensure that the 
19 
single-use plastic products being produced or imported in the country will maximize its 
20 
purpose, minimize its waste footprint, and increase its recoverability and recyclability. For 
21 
this purpose, standards shall be established for the dimensions, thickness, labeling, structures, 
22 
capacity, color-coding, materials and other relevant parameters of a particular single-use 
23 
plastic product. 
24 
 
25 
SEC. 16. Role of the National Solid Waste Management Commission. — The 
26 
NSWMC, created pursuant to Section 4 of Republic Act No. 9003 shall, in addition to its 
27 
functions under the said law, aid and assist in the implementation and enforcement of this Act. 
28 
 
29 
The NSWMC shall, in partnership with research institutions and academic 
30 
communities, conduct relevant studies to realize the harmonious implementation of this Act 
31 
with Republic Act No. 9003. It shall also ensure that the provisions of this Act are made part 
32 
of the programs being implemented under Republic Act No. 9512, otherwise known as the 
33 
“National Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008”. 
34 
 
35 
 
36 


The DENR shall provide the necessary financial and manpower resources to enable the 
1 
NSWMC to perform its additional functions under this Act. 
2 
 
3 
SEC. 17. Role of LGUs. — The LGUs shall be primarily responsible for the 
4 
implementation and/or monitoring of compliance with wastes segregation, collection, 
5 
recovery, transport, recycling, and disposal of plastic products. The LGUs may enjoin the 
6 
participation of other concerned government agencies, private entities, and industries for this 
7 
purpose. 
8 
 
9 
The DENR shall, in coordination with the NSWMC and the DOST, provide the LGUs 
10 
with technical assistance, trainings, and continuing capability-building programs to attain the 
11 
objectives of this Act. 
12 
 
13 
SEC. 18. Fines and Penalties. — Deliberate violations of Sections 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 14 and 
14 
15 of this Act, and the falsification of documents required pursuant to this Act, or 
15 
misrepresentation of persons producing, importing, or distributing single-use plastic products, 
16 
and commercial establishments shall be penalized in the following manner: 
17 
 
18 
(a) Large, Medium and Small Enterprises: 
19 
 
20 
(1) A fine of not less than Two hundred fifty thousand pesos (P250,000.00) but not 
21 
exceeding Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) for the first offense; 
22 
 
23 
(2) A fine of not less than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) but not 
24 
exceeding Seven hundred fifty thousand pesos (P750,000.00) for the second 
25 
offense; and 
26 
 
27 
(3) A fine of not less than Seven hundred fifty thousand pesos (P750, 000.00) but 
28 
not exceeding One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) and automatic revocation of 
29 
its business permit for the third offense. 
30 
 
31 
(b) Micro Enterprises, and Other Smaller Businesses: 
32 
 
33 
(1) A fine of not less than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) but not exceeding 
34 
One hundred thousand pesos (Pl00,000.00) for the first offense; 
35 
 
36 


(2) A fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) but not 
1 
exceeding Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00) for the second 
2 
offense; and 
3 
 
4 
(3) A fine of not less than Three hundred thousand pesos (P300, 000.40) but not 
5 
exceeding Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) and automatic 
6 
revocation of its business permit for the third offense. 
7 
 
8 
The Pollution Adjudication Board of the DENR shall hear and adjudicate cases of 
9 
violations or offenses in this section, and impose appropriate fines therefor. For purposes of 
10 
the imposition of appropriate fines hereof, the DTI shall establish the classification of 
11 
commercial establishments based on their capitalization. 
12 
 
13 
Forty percent (40%) of the fines collected under this Act shall be allocated to or 
14 
retained by the barangay where the fined prohibited acts are committed in order to finance the 
15 
solid waste management of said unit. 
16 
 
17 
SEC. 19. Administrative Action. — Without prejudice to the right of any person to  file 
18 
an  administrative action,  the DENR  shall, on its own instance or upon  a verified complaint 
19 
by any person, institute administrative proceedings in the proper forum against any natural or 
20 
juridical person who violates any of the provisions of this Act with respect to standards and 
21 
limitations provided by this Act, or such order, rule, or regulation issued by the DENR 
22 
pursuant thereto. 
23 
 
24 
SEC. 20. Independence of Action. — The filing of an administrative suit against any 
25 
person or entity does not preclude the right of any other person to file any criminal or civil 
26 
action. 
27 
 
28 
SEC. 21. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. — The Joint Congressional 
29 
Oversight Committee, created under Section 60 of Republic Act No. 9003, shall likewise 
30 
monitor the implementation of this Act and review the rules and regulations promulgated by 
31 
the DENR to implement this Act. The Joint Committee shall be co-chaired by the 
32 
Chairpersons of the House Committee on Ecology and the Senate Committee on 
33 
Environment. 
34 
 
35 
SEC. 22. Citizen's Suit. - Any citizen can file an appropriate civil, criminal, or 
36 
administrative action in the proper courts or bodies against: any person who violates or fails to 
37 
comply with the provisions of this Act and its IRR; the department or other implementing 
38 


agencies with respect to orders, regulations, and issuances inconsistent with this Act; and any 
1 
public officer who willfully or grossly neglects the performance of an act specifically 
2 
enjoined as a duty by this Act or its IRR, or abuses the authority vested upon him in the 
3 
performance of duty, or in any manner improperly performs the duties assigned under this Act 
4 
or its IRR: Provided, however, That no suit can be filed until after a third (30)-day notice has 
5 
been given to the public officer and the alleged violator concerned  and no appropriate action 
6 
has been taken thereon. With this, free and accessible legal help should be given to individual 
7 
persons who shall file a lawsuit under this Act. 
8 
 
9 
SEC. 23. Implementing Rules and Regulation. — The DENR, in coordination with 
10 
the NSWMC, DTI, DOST, and other relevant government agencies and organizations, shall 
11 
promulgate the IRR governing this Act within six (6) months from its effectivity. 
12 
 
13 
SEC. 24. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any provision of this Act or part 
14 
thereof is declared unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the other 
15 
provisions or parts hereof not affected shall remain in full force and effect. 
16 
 
17 
SEC. 25. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, issuances, ordinances, rules 
18 
and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
19 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
20 
 
21 
SEC. 26. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
22 
in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
23 
 
24 
Approved,  
25