By Charissa Luci-Atienza  The husband-and-wife principal authors of the measure seeking to impose excise tax on single-use plastic bags are "willing" to adjust their proposal following the call of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to impose heavy tax against single-use plastic bags to discourage its use and help address the alarming plastic pollution in the country. Nueva Ecija Rep. Estrellita Suansing and her husband, Sultan Kudarat Rep. Horacio Suansing (Facebook) Nueva Ecija Rep. Estrellita Suansing said she and her husband, Sultan Kudarat Rep. Horacio Suansing Jr. were amenable to the proposal made by DENR Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny Antiporda. "Yes, we are willing to adjust our proposal, but for the earmarking, it is up to the DOF (Department of Finance), " she said in an interview. The Suansings, under House Bill No. 178, are proposing to impose P10-excise tax for every kilo of single-use plastic bag removed from the place of production or released from the customs house. In an interview with the Manila Bulletin, Antiporda earlier said the P10-excise tax for every kilo of single-use plastic bag as proposed under HB 178 was "not enough" to deter the use of plastics. "It should be higher, because if we impose higher tax, the cost will be shouldered by Juan dela Cruz and they will be discouraged to buy that. They will definitely go for cheaper products," the DENR official said. Antiporda also proposed that all the excise tax collection should be allocated to the Solid Waste Management Fund. Under HB 178, the Suansings proposed that 50 percent of the revenues shall be allocated to the Solid Waste Management Fund. "It should be 100 percent.I will propose that all goes directly to the solid waste management. Because we need large amount of money when it comes to solving this problem. If we don't come up with technologies, nothing will happen. The technology comes with a price," Antiporda pointed out. The lady Suansing said she would exhaust all means to ensure that their bill will hurdle the 18th Congress. "I will make sure that this will be passed to address environmental concern," she said. The vice chairperson of the House Committee on Ways and Means said she is not certain if HB 178 would be passed by the panel, chaired by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda before Congress goes on monthlong Christmas break on December 21. Amid the concerns of the Philippine Plastics Industry Association (PPIA) that the imposition of excise tax on single-use plastic bags would make them a "dying" industry, Suansing insisted that excise tax should be imposed on single-use plastic bags to address the alarming plastic pollution in the country. She noted that, every day, almost 48 million shopping bags are being used throughout the Philippines. "The mass consumption of plastic in the Philippines further magnifies the flooding problem that Filipinos experience, especially during the typhoon season. To reduce its costly environmental impact, several countries have already imposed taxes on plastic bag,” she said. She said their bill seeks to encourage the exploration and utilization of environment-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic bags. "Furthermore, this proposed measure aims to generate additional revenues for the government which could be used to finance programs and projects to counter the harmful effects of plastic pollution in the Philippines," she added. The Salceda panel has yet to invite the DENR to ask its position on HB 178. But, Antiporda already expressed readiness to attend the committee hearing on the bill.