Panayam kay DENR Usec. Jonas Leones

PTVPhilippines

11/28/2023

Transcript

00:00 We are here at Compliance of Proper Management of Plastics from the Philippine companies.

00:06 We will discuss this with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Jonas Liones.

00:14 Yusek Liones, good afternoon and welcome to the new Philippines.

00:19 Good morning Nina, Yusek Marges and to our listeners in our home.

00:25 Yusek, first of all, how is the compliance of the companies in the Plastic Law of the country under the Extended Producer Responsibility Act?

00:35 How many thousands of obliged enterprises are there in the country and how many of these have already complied with their EPR plans for now?

00:45 For now, Nina, Yusek Marges, our compliance is improving.

00:49 They are already registering for us even though the DTI list has 4,000 industries that need to comply.

00:57 But we still need to filter these 4,000.

01:01 For now, because this year, our target is to reach 1,000 compliance,

01:09 for now, we are at around 800 that are already complying with us.

01:13 I think that our obliged enterprises are already registering to help them with compliance under the Extended Producer Responsibility Act.

01:25 Yusek, to make it clearer to our countrymen, what are the requirements that this law is asking for

01:32 and how is a company considered an obliged enterprise under the Extended Producer Responsibility Act?

01:41 Good question. Thank you, Yusek Marges, for the question.

01:43 Before the Extended Producer Responsibility Act, we have the Solid Waste Management Act.

01:49 The responsibility of the local government to clean up our waste.

01:55 The DILG is helping us.

01:57 Under this law, the role of the private sector and the producers is not clear.

02:01 Under the new law, the EPR law, which is also written here,

02:06 all the producers of plastic, they are also responsible to recover the products they produce.

02:13 According to the law, by 2023, all the obliged enterprises, the producers,

02:19 must collect 20% of their footprints.

02:23 20%.

02:24 20%. If they do not comply, we can sue them, give them sanctions.

02:30 So the good thing here is that the local government and the private sector will help to address the problem of our waste.

02:37 As you said, Sir, less than 1,000 have submitted their EPR plans.

02:44 So what will you do?

02:46 Because the news is not that good considering there were out of 4,000.

02:51 The 4,000 is the listing, but not all 4,000 may be required because they are doing something else.

02:59 But for now, our 1,000 EPR plan is good because they can see that there are many reasons why they will not comply.

03:06 First, if you follow this law, you also need resources, using MARDS.

03:14 You need retrofitting.

03:16 Second, there are technologies that are not yet available because we need to recycle, we need to repurpose, so we need technology.

03:25 Second, others have the attitude of "wait and see".

03:29 So let's see, maybe some will not comply, some will comply.

03:33 But for now, our IEC is massive so they can understand what they should do.

03:40 Their responses to our orientations are positive.

03:47 So Sir, it is a bit difficult to enforce this law, right?

03:51 But what are your ways for companies to better understand the operational modes of implementation of this law?

04:01 Now, it is not just DNR that we need here.

04:05 There are agencies in the law that need to help.

04:08 First, the Department of Finance.

04:11 They are the ones who give incentives for enterprises to comply.

04:17 Second, the DILG. We know that local government units play a vital role in really addressing the garbage problem.

04:26 Third, the DTI. They are the ones who regulate enterprises.

04:31 So it is not just DNR.

04:33 We, the agencies, the whole government approach under the administration of President Marcos and our colleagues,

04:40 the agencies really help to orient the private sector, the producers.

04:47 It is just that this law is really new.

04:50 Even in other countries, the extended producer responsibility is new.

04:54 So we are still adjusting.

04:57 Maybe when we meet this implementation and it is already fixed,

05:02 these are the new ones, our "birth pains" as they are called.

05:06 But I am optimistic and I believe that once we implement this EPR law,

05:12 this will continue and everyone will comply.

05:14 Yes, sir. Before the news, you said "birth pains" but this is a very good initiative and law.

05:22 I just want to ask, what is the punishment for companies that do not comply with this law?

05:28 This is a big one.

05:30 Aside from the first offense, it is already 5 million if they do not comply.

05:36 The second offense is 10 to 15 million.

05:39 The hard part is not the money.

05:41 Our companies have money to pay the penalty.

05:45 The hard part is the sanction that our government will give.

05:48 They can be stopped.

05:50 They can issue a cease and desist order because this is a regulation that they should follow.

05:56 So maybe that is why it is hard for them to comply because once they register,

06:01 they will know that they do not comply.

06:03 But I would like to mention in our program that they can help us.

06:09 We will not be tied to the government.

06:13 We just want to help them so that we can implement this law properly.

06:19 The penalty is heavy.

06:20 Yes.

06:21 So these companies should really cooperate.

06:24 The penalty is heavy here.

06:26 The penalty for financial if they do not comply,

06:29 the cost of their production will be equivalent to the penalty for them.

06:34 So they should really comply with this law.

06:37 Sir, in other talks, we have a question from Sam Medanilla of Business Mirror.

06:44 What is the update on the Manila Bay reclamation?

06:48 And did the activities resume there?

06:51 As of now, the development here in Manila Bay,

06:56 our President has ordered to suspend all activities of reclamation in Manila Bay

07:05 pending the two requirements.

07:08 Number one, what the DNR is doing now is what we call compliance review.

07:13 So we will see if the companies that are reclaimed follow the environmental laws.

07:18 So if they have violations, they can not be recommended for resumption.

07:23 Number two, we need to conduct, as our police said,

07:27 we need to conduct what we call cumulative impact assessment.

07:31 So we can see the developments here in Manila Bay,

07:35 what is really needed, what is already there, what can we do

07:39 to restore the beauty, to restore the old situation here in Manila Bay.

07:45 And this is in compliance with the Supreme Court order, our mandamus.

07:49 We will always include the DILG in this.

07:51 They should have a complaint with me.

07:53 They are our support here because our government is local.

07:58 So our secret is always helping Secretary Benhar to implement these regulations.

08:06 Alright, so sir, as much as we want to interview you more,

08:11 we can talk more, right? We just want to ask for a message

08:16 and a reminder for our fellow countrymen who are watching us now.

08:21 For me, my message is, especially to the private sector,

08:25 to our producers of plastic, don't be afraid of the DNR, don't be afraid of the government.

08:30 We are here to help you implement the EPR properly.

08:35 Don't think that our penalties are important,

08:38 we can submit EPR programs and we can register with the DNR

08:43 and we are here to help you.

08:45 Okay, sir, we have another question from the media.

08:51 We have another question here.

08:54 Okay, we were connected. It's good that my cell phone is here.

09:00 This is the question from the media.

09:03 The Pasay City Eco-City Coastal Development Project

09:08 has been granted an Environmental Compliance Certificate

09:11 and clearance to resume the reclamation activities.

09:16 Sir, may we know the basis of this decision by the DNR?

09:20 This is a question from Ivan Mayrina of GMA News.

09:24 As of now, I have heard of this update.

09:30 But in our last hearing, we had a hearing in Congress last week.

09:35 It was stated that there is no resumption. I'll check that.

09:40 But after our compliance review,

09:43 we will submit our recommendation to the Office of the President

09:47 and they will decide if it will continue or not.

09:51 Secondly, we want to see if they comply with the requirements.

09:56 Because it's ECC, but in our ECC, there are conditions that they should follow.

10:02 So even if we have already issued the ECC,

10:05 we can still see the compliance of the conditions.

10:07 If they fail to comply with those conditions,

10:10 then I believe we cannot recommend or endorse the resumption of any activities in Manila Bay.

10:17 So we'll check, Nina.

10:19 I think these are the two requirements, compliance review and the Community Impact Assessment.

10:25 So not just the compliance certificate, it's not enough?

10:28 It's not enough.

10:29 Companies and projects should still follow the conditions in the ECC.

10:35 Okay, sir. I told you that there are a lot of people who want to ask you.

10:39 Next time, please do come back.

10:40 Anytime, anytime, Usec Martz, Nina.

10:42 Thank you, sir.

10:43 Okay, thank you very much for your time, DENR Undersecretary Jonas Leones.

10:49 your next.

Panayam kay DENR Usec. Jonas Leones

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