As the Philippines observes National Zero Waste Month this January, Senator Loren Legarda reiterated her call for a stronger national resolve to confront the country’s mounting waste crisis.

Legarda warned that the window to prevent irreversible harm to the environment and public health is rapidly closing.

“We must move beyond awareness into stronger, decisive action. Every Filipino has a responsibility, and every institution must rise to the challenge of safeguarding our environment and future generations,” Legarda said.

The senator said that while awareness has grown and community initiatives have flourished, the scale of the challenge demands deeper reforms and collective action.

“Zero Waste initiative is a national imperative,” she declared.

Legarda’s call comes amid alarming data from the World Bank’s 2025 “What a Waste” global database report, which ranked the Philippines as 27th among 50 countries generating the most municipal solid waste at 14.6 million tons annually. 

A significant portion showed plastic waste as the primary problem, with experts warning that increasing waste volumes threaten public health, urban resilience and the country’s climate adaptation efforts.

Moreover, the lawmaker underscored the fact that mismanaged waste directly worsens flooding and disaster vulnerability. 

“Flooding is never just about rainfall; it is worsened by garbage choking our rivers and esteros,” Legarda warned.

“Every piece of trash becomes a barrier that endangers lives. Stronger waste discipline is the safeguard we can build together,” she stressed.

She further pointed out that the framework for achieving Zero Waste is specified under Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which she authored and principally sponsored. 

The law mandates segregation at source, the establishment of materials recovery facilities (MRFs) in every barangay, and the reduction of waste through recycling, composting, and reuse.

“RA 9003 gives us the roadmap: segregate at source, recycle, compost, and reuse,” Legarda explained.

“If every barangay enforces materials recovery facilities and every household practices proper segregation, we can drastically reduce our waste and protect our communities,” she stressed.