A FUTURE WITHOUT PLASTIC? Philippines produces 2.15 million tons of plastic waste every year, mostly single-use items like sachets. Over a third of the plastics leaks into the open environment like this trash hill in San Juan city. (INQUIRER file photo)
MANILA, Philippines — A fee of P10 will be imposed every time a person buys a single-use plastic (SUP) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) if the bill of two members of the Bangsamoro Parliament is approved.
Bangsamoro Parliament members Amir Mawallil and Rasol Mitmug filed Parliament Bill No. 248 titled “BARMM Single-Use Plastic Regulation Act of 2023” in a bid to adopt a systematic, comprehensive and ecological regulation of SUPs in BARMM as they underscored its detrimental effects on the environment.
The bill, however, exempts plastics that are used for hygiene purposes, medical devices, disaster relief, humanitarian missions, and for helping persons with disabilities.
Mawallil said the legislative piece will promote clean environment and protect marine life.
“This measure is in accord and solidarity with the worldwide movement to limit or eradicate altogether the use of materials that are harmful to the environment such as single-use plastics,” he said in a statement Thursday.
“Ang mga plastic na naiipon sa ating kapaligiran at karagatan na (ay) sumasakal at pumapatay sa ating mga yamang-dagat,” he explained.
(The plastics that accumulate in our surroundings and oceans choke and kill our marine resources.)
The bill likewise mandates the Bangsamoro government to give incentives to suppliers of sustainable materials.
“The measure requires that in the bidding and awarding of contracts, the use of sustainable materials and alternatives to single-use plastics shall be included in the contract requirements,” Mawallil added.
On the other hand, Mitmug said the bill will help shift the behavior of people, especially in groceries and markets.
The lawmaker hopes SUPs will eventually be permanently phased out.
“This measure also hopes to shape and influence consumer behavior by making it a government policy to eventually eradicate the use of SUPs,” Mitmug noted.