Legarda calls on Filipinos to turn environmental laws into action
Senator Loren Legarda FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Senator Loren Legarda urged the public to translate environmental policies into tangible community action as the country observes National Clean-up Month this September.
The clean-up month is under Proclamation No. 244 s. 1993, complemented by Presidential Proclamation No. 470 s. 2003, which designates every third Saturday of September as International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) Day in the Philippines.
“As the principal author and principal sponsor of the Climate Change Act of 2009 (RA 9729), and author and principal sponsor of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (RA 9003), I have seen that laws only bring real change when people embrace them,” Legarda said.
“This September, let us rise to the challenge. Protecting our environment demands more than compliance; it requires unity, urgency, and daily commitment. Let us turn this moment into a movement toward a cleaner and more resilient Philippines,” she added.
Legarda cited data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), showing that the Philippines generates around 61,000 metric tons of solid waste daily, with 12 to 24 percent made up of plastic.
On average, each Filipino consumes 20 kilograms of plastic per year, with 15.4 kilograms ending up as waste. This makes the country the world’s top contributor to ocean plastic pollution, accounting for roughly 36 percent of global marine waste.
She highlighted that last year’s ICC removed 352,479 kilograms of trash from 250 sites nationwide in just one day.
“These numbers are visible scars,” Legarda warned. “Flooding and mass displacement are no longer isolated events; these are symptoms of clogged waterways, deforested uplands, and years of poor waste management. The effects of pollution and climate change are not distant threats; they are happening in the present and are costing Filipino lives.”
To address these challenges, Legarda reaffirmed her call for stronger environmental enforcement and innovative planning. In the 20th Congress, the four-term senator filed Senate Bill No. 1250, which seeks the establishment of an Environmental Protection and Enforcement Bureau (EPEB) under the DENR to improve the government’s capacity to monitor violations, especially those involving hazardous hospital waste and industrial pollution.
She also filed SBN 1251, or the Philippine Environmental Assessment System Act, which seeks to modernize the country’s environmental governance. The bill introduces three key mechanisms: Strategic Environmental Assessment for policies and programs, Environmental Impact Assessment for projects, and Health Impact Assessment aligned with the Universal Health Care Act. Together, these reforms aim to create a more proactive, science-based, and health-conscious approach to environmental decision-making.
“Legislation alone won’t solve our environmental challenges,” Legarda emphasized. “We need public participation, local innovation, and sustained community action. As we mark National Clean-up Month and ICC Day or any environmental awareness initiative, I urge my fellow Filipinos to treat these events not as one-time activities but as catalysts for lasting change.”
“Environmental laws are not just words on paper; they are tools for transformation. Let us deepen our commitment to bridge policy and practice, not just this September, but every day. The real change begins when we take ownership of the laws meant to protect us,” Legarda concluded.
