EcoWaste Coalition Joins the Nation in Marking 25 Years of RA 9003, Calls for Strengthened Commitment and Action for Zero Waste

28 January 2026, Quezon City – As the country marks the 25th anniversary of Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, the EcoWaste Coalition joins government agencies, local governments, and communities nationwide in celebrating the landmark law and its continuing role in promoting environmental sustainability, while calling for strengthened and more consistent implementation in the years ahead.

The milestone coincides with the observance of Zero Waste Month, offering an opportunity to reflect on RA 9003’s vision of waste avoidance and reduction, segregation at source, recycling, composting, and other sustainable practices. Enacted to protect public health and the environment, the law provides a comprehensive and forward-looking framework for ecological solid waste management—one that remains highly relevant 25 years after its passage.

While RA 9003 has enabled important gains and good practices across the country, the EcoWaste Coalition noted that the growing waste volume and toxicity challenges highlight the need to reinforce its implementation. Recent incidents, including the landfill tragedy in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City, underscore the risks associated with unsafe waste disposal practices and the importance of sustained compliance with ecological solid waste management principles and practices.

“These incidents remind us that the full promise of RA 9003 can only be realized through consistent and effective implementation,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition. “Upholding RA 9003, without compromise, requires prioritizing prevention-based and community-centered approaches to waste management.”

In this context, the EcoWaste Coalition also underscored the need for careful evaluation of emerging waste management schemes such as thermal waste-to-energy (WtE) projects. The group stressed that solutions should remain aligned with the waste hierarchy and the core principles of RA 9003, which prioritize waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, and other ecological approaches, excluding waste incineration.

“To remain true to the spirit of RA 9003 is to stay focused on waste reduction and prevention, particularly by addressing plastic pollution and moving away from a disposal- and end-of-life mentality,” said Carmela Santos, EcoWaste Coalition’s alternate representative to the National Solid Waste Management Commission. “Thermal waste-to-energy incineration is not a silver bullet to the waste crisis. It undermines the ecological principles of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, the incineration ban under the Clean Air Act, the Renewable Energy Act, and the goals of genuine climate action.”

Emphasizing the importance of on-the-ground implementation, the Coalition pointed to concrete actions that local governments can take to strengthen compliance with the law.

“RA 9003 already provides a clear roadmap,” said Jove Benosa, Program Manager of the EcoWaste Coalition. “By strengthening zero waste systems at the barangay and local government levels, we can reduce waste at source, minimize environmental risks, and build more resilient and sustainable communities.”

The Coalition further highlighted the growing number of local governments and communities that have demonstrated the effectiveness of zero waste strategies. These initiatives have helped reduce landfill dependence, improve environmental outcomes, and support safer and more dignified livelihoods for waste workers—showing that the law delivers results when properly implemented and supported.

As the nation marks 25 years of RA 9003 and observes Zero Waste Month, the EcoWaste Coalition calls on national agencies, local governments, and stakeholders to renew their commitment to the law’s objectives, strengthen coordination and enforcement, and continue investing in ecological and socially just waste management solutions.

“Marking this milestone is both a celebration and a call to action,” the group said. “By working together to fully implement RA 9003, we can turn its vision into everyday practice and move closer to a cleaner, healthier, and truly zero waste Philippines.”