THE House of Representatives yesterday approved on third and final reading a bill imposing a P100 excise tax on single-use plastic bags, which lawmakers said is a major threat to the environment, particularly bodies of water such as rivers, where fishermen depend on for their livelihood.
Voting 255-3 with no abstention, congressmen approved House Bill (HB) No. 4102 which is a consolidation of two related measures authored by Reps. Joey Salceda of Albay, Horacio Suansing of Sultan Kudarat and Mikaela Angela Suansing of Nueva Ecija.
Salceda, chair of the committee on ways and means, noted the Philippines is the third largest contributor to plastic pollution, with 2.7 million to 5.5 million metric tons of plastic waste generated each year, a fifth of which finds its way into the ocean. Plastic bags and other products thrown into waterways likewise contribute to flooding, he added.
The Suansings said that aside from the adverse impact on the environment, plastics are a health hazard to human beings as these products contain cancer-causing chemicals such as Bisphenol A or BPA.
They cited recent studies showing that BPA could “potentially be related to disruptions in gene expression, thereby affecting biological functions related to the body’s metabolism and development, as well as disruptions in fertility and sexual maturation.”
Under House Bill No. 4102, a P100 tax would be imposed on every kilo of single-use plastic bags removed from the place of production or released from the Bureau of Customs.
The tax would be increased by four percent every year starting on Jan. 1, 2026.
The bill defines “single-use plastic bags” as “secondary level plastics made of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic polymer such as ‘ice,’ ‘labo,’ or ‘sando’ bags, with or without handle, used as packaging for goods or products.”
