AS economies advance, waste is typically seen as an inevitable byproduct of economic development. 

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) challenges this traditional notion, asserting that progress need not be synonymous with waste generation. NEDA has taken proactive steps to demonstrate this, including by raising awareness on the issues.  

Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, participated in RunRio Inc.’s Earth Day Run 2024 at the SM MOA Complex. The theme “Planet vs. Plastics” underscores the urgency of reducing plastic pollution. 

The Philippines grapples with a pressing issue: plastic pollution. A common practice among Filipinos, particularly patrons of local sari-sari (variety) stores, is purchasing goods in quantities smaller than standard retail packaging (known as "tingi"). 

According to the World Bank, this reliance results in a staggering 2.7 million tons of plastic waste annually in the country.  

Moreover, as the country steadily advances toward upper-middle-income status, the specter of increased waste looms. Based on the average waste generated by higher-income and developed countries, and using the latest population projections by the Philippine Statistics Authority, the country’s total waste could reach a staggering total of 194,138 metric tons per day by 2055. Adding to the complexity, the Philippines faces an inefficient waste management system. In 2021, Lourens Meijer et al. observed that approximately 10 percent of mismanaged plastic waste found its way into the world’s oceans in 2019, exacerbating the global plastic pollution crisis.