Senator Loren Legarda renewed her call for a stronger national resolve to address the country’s growing waste crisis as the Philippines observes National Zero Waste Month this January, warning that delays in action could lead to irreversible harm to the environment and public health.

Legarda said that while public awareness and community-led initiatives have increased, the magnitude of the waste problem requires deeper reforms and coordinated action from both government and the public.

“Zero Waste initiative is a national imperative,” Legarda said.

“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,” she added.

Her appeal comes amid findings from the World Bank’s 2025 What a Waste global database, which ranked the Philippines 27th among 50 countries generating the highest volumes of municipal solid waste, estimated at 14.6 million tons annually. Plastic waste accounts for a significant share, with experts warning that rising waste volumes pose risks to public health, urban resilience, and climate adaptation efforts.

Legarda also pointed to the link between mismanaged waste and flooding. During heavy monsoon rains in July 2025, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority collected more than 600 tons of garbage across Metro Manila, including debris from pumping stations and flooded areas. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources–National Capital Region, meanwhile, cleared more than 872,000 sacks of waste from rivers and esteros to mitigate flooding.

“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.

Legarda underscored that the legal framework for Zero Waste has long been in place through Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which she authored and principally sponsored. The law mandates waste segregation at source, the establishment of materials recovery facilities in every barangay, and waste reduction through recycling, composting, and reuse.

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

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

She also cited Republic Act No. 11898, or the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022, which she co-authored to strengthen waste management by requiring companies to recover and recycle plastic packaging waste through defined EPR programs.

To further support waste management efforts, Legarda said she has refiled the Magna Carta of Waste Workers in the 20th Congress. The proposed measure seeks to standardize working conditions, provide social protection, and formally recognize both formal and informal waste workers as key partners in environmental governance.

“Waste workers are vital partners in safeguarding public health and the environment. By ensuring their rights and protections, we uphold their dignity and reinforce our commitment to people-centered environmental governance,” she said.

As Zero Waste Month 2026 begins, Legarda said she remains committed to pushing reforms that strengthen producer responsibility, empower communities, and institutionalize support for waste workers.

“This is the beginning of another year of responsibility,” Legarda said. “But this time, it must be marked by decisive action and measurable results. Zero Waste is not a dream, it is a duty we owe to our country and to the future generations.”