Coordination in the Philippines on addressing specific marine plastic is based on the National Plan of Action for the Prevention, Reduction, and Management of Marine Litter, adopted in May 2021. The country manages solid waste through the National Solid Waste Management Commission under the Office of the President, which is chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The commission has eight (8) members from government agencies and five (5) members from the private sector. The membership structure was first outlined in the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, (Republic Act 9003), and later updated under the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022 (Republic Act 11898). Table 1 shows the current membership structure of the commission.
Table 1. Membership Structure of the National Solid Waste Management Commission
Chairman | Secretary of Department of Environment and Natural Resources |
Vice Chairman | Representative of Private Sector |
Secretariat | Director of Environmental Management Bureau |
Members | Department of the Interior and Local Government |
Department of Trade and Industry | |
Department of Science and Technology | |
Department of Agriculture | |
Department of Health | |
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority | |
Department of Environment and Natural Resources | |
Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines | |
1 representative from the Recycling, Composting, or Resource Recovery and Processing Industry | |
1 representative from the Recycling, Composting, or Resource Recovery and Processing Industry | |
3 representatives from Non-government Organisations with a track record on solid waste management or waste reduction, recycling and resource recovery |
Source: EMB (2019).
The commission seeks to enhance the implementation of Republic Act (RA) No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. At the national level, the commission prepares the National Solid Waste Management Framework with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as chair, in coordination with the Department of Health and other concerned agencies, using the National Solid Waste Management Status Report as basis. At the local government level, coordination covers local solid waste management planning and management, technical and other capability building, incentive schemes, education and campaigns, and other related tasks. The commission is tasked to establish the National Ecology Center, which will serve as the centre of information, research, database, training, and networking services to implement the Act. The centre shall engage a multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary pool of experts from the academe, business, and industry; inventors; practicing professionals; youth; women; and other concerned sectors.
As of 26 June 2025
Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) (2019), Members. http://nswmc.emb.gov.ph/?page_id=14 (accessed 23 October 2019).
Republic of the Philippines (2000), Republic Act No. 9003. https://emb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/RA-9003.pdf (accessed 04 November 2019).
Coordination in the Philippines on addressing specific marine plastic is based on the National Plan of Action for the Prevention, Reduction, and Management of Marine Litter, adopted in May 2021. The country manages solid waste through the National Solid Waste Management Commission under the Office of the President, which is chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The commission has eight (8) members from government agencies and five (5) members from the private sector. The membership structure was first outlined in the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, (Republic Act 9003), and later updated under the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022 (Republic Act 11898). Table 1 shows the current membership structure of the commission.
Table 1. Membership Structure of the National Solid Waste Management Commission
Chairman | Secretary of Department of Environment and Natural Resources |
Vice Chairman | Representative of Private Sector |
Secretariat | Director of Environmental Management Bureau |
Members | Department of the Interior and Local Government |
Department of Trade and Industry | |
Department of Science and Technology | |
Department of Agriculture | |
Department of Health | |
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority | |
Department of Environment and Natural Resources | |
Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines | |
1 representative from the Recycling, Composting, or Resource Recovery and Processing Industry | |
1 representative from the Recycling, Composting, or Resource Recovery and Processing Industry | |
3 representatives from Non-government Organisations with a track record on solid waste management or waste reduction, recycling and resource recovery |
Source: EMB (2019).
The commission seeks to enhance the implementation of Republic Act (RA) No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. At the national level, the commission prepares the National Solid Waste Management Framework with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as chair, in coordination with the Department of Health and other concerned agencies, using the National Solid Waste Management Status Report as basis. At the local government level, coordination covers local solid waste management planning and management, technical and other capability building, incentive schemes, education and campaigns, and other related tasks. The commission is tasked to establish the National Ecology Center, which will serve as the centre of information, research, database, training, and networking services to implement the Act. The centre shall engage a multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary pool of experts from the academe, business, and industry; inventors; practicing professionals; youth; women; and other concerned sectors.
As of 26 June 2025
Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) (2019), Members. http://nswmc.emb.gov.ph/?page_id=14 (accessed 23 October 2019).
Republic of the Philippines (2000), Republic Act No. 9003. https://emb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/RA-9003.pdf (accessed 04 November 2019).
