Naga City bans single-use plastics

The ordinance bans single use plastics Wednesdays and Saturdays from January to June 2020. #singleuseplasticban

Naga is the latest city in Cebu to come up with an ordinance banning single-use plastics.

Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong told DAILY TRIBUNE that City Ordinance No. 2017-008 partially bans such plastics by January 2020 with the total ban taking effect by January 2021.

“We will be implementing the ordinance on a transition schedules starting January 2020-June 2020 were it will be twice a week or every Wednesdays and Saturdays. By July 2020 the ban will be Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and by January 2021 it will be total ban daily,” he explained.

In Cebu City,there are four amendment measures in its City Ordinance 2343 banning single-use plastics in the city every Wednesdays and Saturdays of the week.

The four amendments were: regulating the use of plastic shopping bags every Saturdays; prohibiting foam food containers and single-use plastics in all public events in Cebu City; prohibiting single-use plastics within Cebu City; and prohibiting use of single-use disposable materials including utensils or cutlery in all business establishments in Cebu City.

In an interview with DAILY TRIBUNE, Talino at Galing ng Pilipino(TGP) partylist congressman Jose Teves Jr. disclosed that he has filed House Bill (HB) 4435 “An Act Regulating and Further prohibiting the usage of single-use plastics products,providing penalties, levies, and incentives for industries, business entities and consumers thereof and for other purpose.”

Teves said under the measure, single-use plastics in stores, food establishments and markets are banned as it highly encouraged the use of reusable materials such as ecobags in groceries, markets and other establishments

Violators will be fined P120,000 on first offense, P250,000 and suspension of business permit for six months on second offense and P550,000 and one year cancellation of business permit for third offense and P1.2 million and five-year suspension of business permit for the fourth offense.

The Cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu had already passed similar ordinances but the implementing rules and regulations are still being finalized.