Dominguez pushes for nationwide ban on single-use plastic
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 12) — The Climate Change Commission, now headed by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, will be pushing for a nationwide ban on single-use plastic.
"Why don't we have something solid to achieve in this last 18 months. Why don't we pass legislation on single-use plastic?" Dominguez, the CCC chairman-designate, said during a virtual meeting of the Management Association of the Philippines.
"We don't have a lot of time left, so let's limit our efforts to getting something important passed and this is doable," he said, adding that it would be the body's priority project.
Several bills pending in Congress seek to ban single-use plastic products like utensils, cups, and plastic bags for daily use. The products had been banned for use in all government offices since February 2020.
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A number of cities and local government units have also implemented their own single-use plastic ban. The flimsy plastic items are said to clog waterways, kill marine life, and add to the country's piling solid waste.
A House committee in November approved a resolution seeking to declare a disaster and climate emergency in the Philippines, which would require a whole-of-nation policy to avert or reverse the impact of natural disasters and environmental degradation.
Meanwhile, the Finance chief rejected calls for state incentives for companies pursuing "green" projects.
"Why is everybody looking for incentives? If it's a good thing, you do it yourself," Dominguez said.
