Unnecessary single-use plastic products are now banned in public parks, esplanades and plazas in Iloilo City.
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas ordered the ban on Wednesday, March 4, through an executive order.
The move is part of the city government’s effort “to educate and lead the curb of plastic items that pollute our waterways, kill marine life, and contribute to our country’s increasing solit waste,” Treñas said
The mayor cited Article IV, Section 30 of Republic Act 9003, which states that “No person owning, operating or conducting a commercial establishment in the country shall sell or convey at retail or possess with the intent to sell or convey at retail any products that are placed, wrapped or packaged in on packaging which is not environmentally acceptable packaging.”
Treñas also issued a momoramdum directing all employees of the city government to follow the implementation of plastic ban.
“The plastic products covered by the ban are cups less than 0.2 millimeter in thickness, drinking straws, coffee stirrers, spoons and forks, knives, ‘labo’ or thin and translucent plastic bags, and thin-filmed sando bags lower than 15 microns,” the memorandum stated.
Recently, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, chairperson of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC), signed a resolution directing the DENR to “prepare and implement the ban on the use of unneccesary single-use plastic products by national government agencies, local government units, amd all other government-controled offices.”IMT
