Oceana, 31 LGUs call for nationwide ban of single-use plastic

CEBU CITY – Oceana, an international advocacy non-government organization (NGO) and 31 local government units (LGUs) in the Visayas and Mindanao area consistently called for a nationwide ban of single-use plastic as COVID19-related wastes, household and medical wastes are increasing.

According to Oceana Vice President Gloria Estenzo Ramos that when the country began the community quarantine due to COVID 19 in March only Cebu province, two cities and two municipalities initiated the adoption of resolution addressed to the National Solid Waste Management Commission to ban single-use plastics nationwide and this was included it in the priority list of Non-Environmentally Acceptable Products and Packaging (NEAPP), as mandated to perform by Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

Ramos said that as of this writing 31 coastal LGUs, six provinces and 25 cities and municipalities issued similar resolutions clamoring from the coastal local governments for the National Solid Waste Management Commission to ban the nationwide production, distribution and trade of single-use plastics should be given serious attention – before there will be more plastics than fish in the ocean.

The six provinces that passed the Sangguniang Panlalawigan resolution were Cebu, Southern Leyte, Masbate, Davao Oriental, Bohol, and Aklan.

The 25 cities and municipalities that passed the Sangguniang Pambayan resolutions were: Libagon, Southern Leyte; Liloan, Southern Leyte; Limasawa, Southern Leyte; Maasin, Southern Leyte; Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte; PIntuyan, Southern Leyte; San Juan, Southern Leyte; Silago, Southern Leyte; Cebu City; Lapulapu City; Badian, Cebu; Bantayan, Cebu; Bogo City, Cebu; Ginatilan, Cebu; San Remigio, Cebu; Sibonga, Cebu; Guihulngan, Negros Oriental; Antequera, Bohol; Panglao, Bohol; Bien Unido, Bohol; President Carlos P. Garcia, Bohol; Trinidad, Bohol; Libmanan, Camarines Sur; Baguio City; and Angeles City, Pampanga.

Single use plastic tangled on a soft coral off the Panaon Island in Southern Leyte. PHOTO CREDIT: Oceana/Danny Ocampo

“The Philippines is an archipelagic country and wastes are sure to flow and swell into marine litter that endangers our fisheries and ocean ecosystem.  May the political will of the Commission be harnessed to reduce the plastic menace from the source,” Ramos added.

According to Oceana that the LGUs passed the resolution calling on the National Solid Waste Commission to release the NEAPP list, considering the impact of the disposal of plastic bags and packaging materials into the marine environment.

Ramos said that Oceana recognizes that government can stop the continuous production of single-use plastics for other purposes and packaging to save our waterways, rivers and seas, and marine organisms that have become the dumping ground of humans’ unbridled consumption and utilization of plastics.

Oceana is an international advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans. Since 2014, Oceana has been working closely with national and local government agencies, civil society, fisherfolk and other stakeholders to restore abundance of Philippine fisheries and marine resources.