Reduction of POPs and UPOPs through integrated sound management of chemicals Reduction of the use and releases of POPs, U-POPs and GHG through the implementation of a Green Chemistry approach in key manufacturing sectors in the Philippines. Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency. The key objective of the project is the full implementation of the Stockholm convention on POPs, resulting in the effective prohibition of import and export of POPs, POPs containing chemicals and articles, and the phasing out or elimination of POPs and the reduction U-POPs, currently used in the manufacturing sectors or released as a result of industrial processes. The achievement of the project objective will impact positively the environment and the human health, with a substantial social benefit for the population of the Philippines and for the environment at local and global level. This will also translate in a reduced impact associated to the health expenditures. The project is articulated in 3 components to achieve this objective:· Component 1: 1. Comprehensive roadmap for greening the manufacturing sector in the Philippines through a better management of chemicals, including NIP update,· Component 2: 2. Demonstration of Green Chemistry implementation including POPs and U-POPs reduction.· Component 3: Enhancing the chemical management and reporting of POPs countrywide through the implementation of PRTR system.It is evident that the implementation of green chemistry technologies and the elimination of industrial POPs from manufacturing processes, the establishment of systems and procedures to reduce the release of U-POPs, and the establishment (although in a limited number of enterprises) of a functional PRTR system are processes requiring significant resources, capacity and investment. It is also clear that the GEF financing can only contribute to the initial, catalytic step of this process. On another side, it is also clear that in any case, being the Philippines a party of the Stockholm Convention, the technical and financial support to enterprises committed to eliminated POPs from their manufacturing process, or to reduce U-POPs release, is a substantial financial benefit given that SC has to be enforced anyway, and in the absence of supporting project like the one proposed, the impact on the manufacturing sector will be harder and not mitigated. For this reason, one of the pillar of this project is to consolidate and widen the already existing Green Financing Framework in the Philippines, to ensure that the investment needed for Green Chemistry implementation and POPs elimination are eligible under such financing scheme and that can be sustained beyond project life. With this perspective, the project has already mobilized a substantial co-financing support from key financial institutions in the Philippine which are already involved in large green financing initiatives in the country. The project will therefore facilitate the access to these funds of enterprises willing to establish green chemistry process and committing to eliminate POPs from their processes. The main social and economic benefit for the project is therefore the enhancement of the financial sustainability of project activities related to green chemistry implementation and POPs elimination through the establishment of a proper financing scheme which will be in the first phase (during project life) sustained with GEF grant and in a longer phase sustained with the financing support ensured through the FREEME and its synergies with current financing initiatives. There are however a number of additional social and economical benefit brought by the project: · The technical and financial support, under the same green financing scheme, of investment aimed at supporting enterprises in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring protection of workers from the risk of infection; · The implementation of a Gender Mainstreaming Plan, which is integrated in the project structure, and which will ensure that women and men will enjoy the same conditions concerning access to information, job opportunities, safety the workplace, and training in the course of project implementation; · The development of a knowledge base for the technologies demonstrated in the course of the project, which will be a key source of information for the development of POPs free manufacturing technologies (Component 4, Outcome 4.1, Knowledge Management); · The demonstration of a PRTR system, which will enhance the transparency of the environmental impact of industrial activities through a standardised reporting system, in compliance with the Aarhus Convention related to the access to environmental information;                            · Increased capacity of the Custom to identify chemicals and goods containing POPs, with evident advantage for the community which would bot be exposed to such chemicals. It should be mentioned that a number of articles containing POPs (like chlorinated rubber paint, and EPS/XPS insulating boards) are still quite common worldwide, and there is no sign that Philippine that the import of these goods is restricted.