The top official of the House of Representatives on Thursday, April 22, called for actions on the Philippines' problem on plastic pollution.
In his Earth Day statement, House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco stressed the "compelling need" for "direct and tangible" solutions to plastic pollution in the country, such as imposing a ban on harmful and unnecessary single-use plastic products.
(Lord Allan Velasco's Office / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“We should be more determined and proactive in eradicating plastic pollution. We are racing against time to save our planet,” Velasco said.
Citing a report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Marinduque representative that over 300 million tons of plastic are produced worldwide every year, with at least eight million tons ending up in oceans and threatening marine animals as well as humans.
Velasco said the COVID-19 pandemic made the problem "worse" due to the production and importation of personal protective equipment (PPE) in large quantities.
"We need to take steps before our land and ocean are overwhelmed with plastic waste and we are deprived of our much-needed food supply and balanced biodiversity," he pointed out.
He committed that the House would look for measures to address pollution.
The Speaker specifically cited House Bill No. 9147, which seeks to regulate the production, importation, sale, distribution, provision, use, recovery, collection, recycling and disposal of single-use plastic products.
“The measure also provides steps for the eventual phasing out of single-use plastic products, a step that is from all accounts, one in the right direction,” Velasco, one of the proponents of the bill, said.
The bill is currently pending second reading approval.