Walang Plastikan, Walang Iwanan!: EcoWaste Coalition amplifies commitment not to leave anyone behind in its plastic-free mission amid #PlasticFreeJuly celebration

EcoWaste Coalition members kickstart Plastic-Free July with a public awareness walk around Carbon Public Market in Cebu City.

5 July 2026, Quezon City. Spearheaded by the Plastic Free Pilipinas (PFP) project, the EcoWaste Coalition (EWC) officially kicked off its annual Plastic-Free July campaign with back-to-back activities in Manila and Cebu, raising the call for total plastic waste reduction, and ultimately, a just transition towards a plastic-free future.

As an opening salvo, the Coalition started Plastic-Free July 2026 strong by enjoining students and teachers from Manila High School, representatives from the barangay, as well as members from the informal waste sector in a community clean-up drive and waste assessment on July 4 in Intramuros, Manila. Partnering with the Intramuros Administration, the clean-up drive was conducted as part of the weekly “Cleantramuros” program and with the overall aim of sustaining the ongoing environmental sustainability initiatives within the Walled City.

“Intramuros is a growing community at ang daming basura araw-araw ang padagdag nang padagdag, kaya ang hirap i-manage ng solid waste,” said Architect Pau Balane of IA during her welcoming remarks. She expressed how grateful she was for their partnership with the Coalition as it will guide them towards making the community completely plastic-free. “Mahirap itong tatahakin naming mga steps, pero dahil sa tulong ninyong mga nag-vo-volunteer at nakikisali sa mga environmental campaigns, napapadali ang aming trabaho,” she added.

Waste workers and EWC staff sort trash collected by volunteers from Manila High School for waste assessment.

Down south, the inauguration of the month-long campaign could also be felt through a public awareness walk inside the Carbon Public Market, the busiest public market in Cebu City, on July 5. Led by Coalition members carrying inspiring messages plastered on bayongs, the engagement sought to highlight reusable bags, bottles, and containers, as well as the strengthening of Cebu City Ordinance No. 2343 (No Plastic Days), as better alternatives to the city’s garbage problem.

“Through this Opening Salvo, the public is encouraged to recognize that reducing plastic waste begins with simple, everyday choices,” said Christine Collamar, EWC Visayas Coordinator. “By promoting reusable bags, refill systems, and responsible consumption, the campaign aims to inspire individuals, businesses, and communities to become active partners in creating a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Cebu, not only during Plastic-Free July but throughout the year.”

Representatives from the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), Sanlakas, and Cebu Inayawan Resource Collectors Association (CIRCA) carry slogans for a Plastic-Free Cebu.

These events are only two among the many other activities lined up for Plastic-Free July 2026. On top of other EWC-led initiatives such as film screenings, a fun run, and a culminating festival scheduled throughout the month, coalition members across the archipelago have also prepared their respective activities in support of the campaign.

To see the full calendar of activities, head over to EcoWaste Coalition’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EWCoalition/posts/pfbid0NEbLWBJVacjf3ixWscoMmsCDuw8qKHtUUVBbroYNN6f3icx6F13WkHdFmrJGR58Wl

Picking up where its previous iterations left off, the theme for this year’s campaign, “Walang Plastikan, Walang Iwanan!” escalates the plastic-free mission from a mere possibility to a dire necessity. Against the backdrop of the worsening plastic crisis, made even more apparent by the series of tragedies involving landfills in various regions this year, the campaign serves as a wake-up call to intensify the movement towards a future free from plastics and—echoing the just transition principle—not leave anyone behind in the process.

“This Plastic-Free July, we are not only celebrating our collective efforts to reduce plastic pollution and hold polluters accountable, but also paying tribute to the unsung environmental heroes who have stood alongside us in our lifelong commitment to protecting one another and our shared home,” said Kweyn Tagaduar, campaigner for reuse, regarding this year’s theme.