Law proposed to tax plastic bags refiled in House of Representatives

A bill calling for an environmental levy on the use of plastic bags in shops, supermarkets, service stations, stores and sales outlets has been refiled in the Philippine House of Representatives.

The bill authored by Albay Second District Representative Al Francis Bichara filed as HB 127 seeks to levy a tax in the amount of Two Pesos and Fifty Centavos (Php 2.50 or US Dollar .06) for every plastic bag used at the point of sale of goods or products. The levy will be collected by stores and sales outlets with annual incomes of P100,000 and /or a minimum capitalization of P100,000.

Only plastic bags used as original packaging of products will be (sic) excepted from the proposed tax.”

All sums received shall accrue to the “environmental protection support fund” which will be automatically allocated to the DENR through the Annual General Appropriations bill.

Said fund will be used to:

- contribute to the protection of the environment and to limit the effects of regional and global pollution in the country

- provide technical and financial tools for industries and investments to enhance their environmental protections systems

- improve on-thhe-ground environmental improvement activities for poor communities with emphasis on biodiversity conservation, community environment management, livelihood enhancement and promotion of eco-tourism

- to fund projects that clean up pollution in lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams thereby improving the health of the country’s waterways

- to provide funding to local government units to enhance tehir solid waste recycling efforts

- to develop and enhance the solid waste management plan of our country

- to promote alternative means of solid waste disposal system

- to sponsor efficient waste collection system