“Can the Philippines Break Free from Plastic?”: July 2026 Kamayan Discusses Systemic Solutions to Plastic Pollution

Green Convergence (GC), in partnership with EcoWaste Coalition, held its 433rd Kamayan Para Sa Kalikasan session themed “Plastic-Free July: Can the Philippines Break Free from Plastic?” on Friday, July 17, via Zoom and Facebook livestream.
 
Discussions in the forum challenged the narrative that plastic pollution is primarily the responsibility of consumers, arguing instead that governments and corporations must address the problem at its source through stronger policies, producer accountability, and reuse systems.

Opening the forum, GC President Victoria Segovia emphasized that “in our present time, plastic pollution has become one of the biggest environmental problems in the world,” noting that millions of tons of plastic waste enter oceans every year and threaten marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
 
Shey Levita, Campaigner Against False Solutions of EcoWaste Coalition, debunked the long-held claims that the Philippines is the ‘top plastic polluter in the world,’ explaining that widely circulated figures often fail to account for waste colonialism, in which wealthier countries dump plastic waste in developing countries.
 
“I am here to release our guilt on the plastic crisis because, based on studies and based on our everyday lives, it is not our fault that the blame is being put into us Filipino people because we are being branded as the number one polluter of plastic in the world,” Levita said.
 
Levita said the country generates about 2.7 million tons of plastic waste annually, which accounts for only 15%–20% of the country’s total waste.
 
They added that biodegradable materials make up the majority, and emphasized that weak implementation of Republic Act No. 9003 (RA 9003), or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, remains a major contributor to plastic leakage into waterways.
 
Discussing the country’s “tingi” culture, Levita said corporations transformed a traditionally refill-based practice into today’s “sachet economy” by packaging everyday goods in single-use plastics.
 
“Our culture of ‘tingi’ is now being held hostage by these corporations and giving us a false narrative of convenience,” Levita said.
 
Levita pushed for upstream interventions to reduce plastic pollution, including stronger implementation of RA 9003 and enforcement of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act, material redesign, refill and reuse systems, and standardized local government policies to prevent plastic waste at its source.
 
Michelle Bautista-Tañada, Chief Operating Officer of Alpha Distinct Development Solutions, Inc. (Alpha DDSI), showed how circular economy-inspired collaborative projects can convert plastic waste into furniture, infrastructure materials, and other high-value products while generating livelihoods for communities.
 
“Kami po, at Alpha, we strongly believe that waste is not really a problem. We can actually do something,” Bautista-Tañada said, which agrees with Alpha DDSI’s belief that waste is “not… as an endpoint” but “the beginning of possibility.”
 
Bautista-Tañada then showcased Alpha DDSI’s circular economy initiatives through its various programs, which have empowered more than 30,000 women, diverted nearly 93 million pieces of plastic waste from oceans and landfills, and supported livelihood and recycling projects in communities across Isabela, Davao Oriental, Mandaluyong City, and other parts of the country.
 
Laarnie Rivera-Cancio, co-founder of Back to Basics EcoStore, echoed the call to shift attention from downstream waste management to preventing plastic at its source through reuse and refill systems.
 
“For decades, the narrative has been one of convenience versus guilt. We have been conditioned to view plastic pollution as a littering problem, as a failure of individual discipline. We are told that if we just segregate better and recycle more, the problem will go away,” Cancio said. “But as anyone who has walked through underserved, marginalized, vulnerable communities knows, we cannot recycle our way out of this plastic pollution crisis.” 
 
Cancio said consumers often lack affordable alternatives to single-use plastics, urging policymakers to strengthen the EPR framework by requiring companies to redesign packaging and invest in reuse systems.
 
“The true cost of a sachet is not just 6.50… It’s the degraded soil, the microplastics in our seafood, the flooded streets, and even our health bill, our children, and the future generation,” Cancio said, adding that a plastic-free Philippines is possible if the focus shifts to stopping single-use plastic at the source.
 
Serving as reactor in the forum, Maria Delia Cristina Valdez, Executive Director of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) Secretariat and concurrent Chief of the Solid Waste Management Division of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), agreed that plastic pollution extends beyond waste management and requires coordinated action across the plastics value chain.
 
“Malinaw na ang plastic pollution ay hindi lamang usapin pang waste management. Isa itong environmental, economic, at development challenge na nangangailangan ng coordinated action sa buong plastics value chain,” Valdez said.
 
Valdez also supported developing stronger local data on plastic pollution to debunk said claims on the Philippines’ standing as the world’s top polluter.
 
She emphasized that upstream interventions, strengthened circular economy policies, and collaboration among government, industry, and communities are essential to effectively implement the RA 9003 and the EPR Act.
 
During the open forum, participants discussed the affordability of products sold in small plastic packaging, raising questions about the shift from a proposed single-use plastic ban to the EPR law and the need for more reliable data on domestic and imported plastic waste.
 
Discussions likewise explored refill stations, biodegradable plastics, corporate accountability, and more practical ways to strengthen circular economy initiatives through local governments and community participation.
 
In her closing remarks, GC Trustee Dr. Carmen R. Alviar reminded participants that caring for the environment is a shared responsibility grounded in stewardship.
 
“When God created the world, he gave us the task to be stewards of his creation,” Alviar said.
 
The next Kamayan forum was announced to be on August 21, 2026.
 
Kamayan Para Sa Kalikasan is a monthly initiative organized by Green Convergence that enables non-government organizations, government representatives, the media, students, teachers, church groups, and concerned citizens to discuss, analyze, and create solutions to pressing environmental issues in the country.
 
For those interested to be a member of Green Convergence, visit this link to register: bit.ly/GCMembershipRegForm.
 
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