EcoWaste Coalition Opposes H.B. 7575, Calls on Congress to Uphold R.A. 9003
5 June 2026, Quezon City – In observance of World Environment Day, the EcoWaste Coalition strongly expressed its opposition to House Bill No. 7575, a proposed measure that seeks to amend Republic Act No. 9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. Introduced by Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the bill aims to replace sanitary landfills with waste-to-energy incineration facilities nationwide. The Coalition highlighted the irony of this proposal in the comments it submitted to the House of Representatives, noting Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself signed R.A. 9003 into law during her presidency. R.A. 9003 stands as a landmark environmental policy that explicitly promotes best practices in ecological waste management while excluding incineration.
The submission comes amid ongoing discussions on the future of waste management in the Philippines and the role of existing policies in addressing the country's growing waste challenges. For over two decades, R.A. 9003 has served as the primary guide for managing waste in the Philippines. The law focuses on preventing waste at the source through segregation, reuse, recycling, composting, and active community participation. The Coalition expressed deep concerns that House Bill No. 7575 would dismantle this progressive system by institutionalizing waste incineration as the primary method for managing municipal garbage. This shift moves the country away from sustainable resource conservation and locks local governments into a system that relies on a continuous supply of waste to keep thermal facilities running.
The Coalition also pointed out that municipal waste is a highly inefficient and dangerous fuel source. Because our local waste stream contains large amounts of single-use plastics and products treated with chemical additives, burning them releases highly toxic pollutants like dioxins and furans into the environment. These emissions pose severe risks to public health and surrounding ecosystems. Furthermore, incineration does not eliminate the need for land disposal. The process leaves behind highly toxic fly ash and bottom ash that contain concentrated heavy metals, requiring specialized and expensive hazardous waste landfills that most local governments cannot afford to build or maintain.
“House Bill No. 7575 shifts the country's waste management approach away from the ecological framework established under R.A. 9003,” said Engr. Glory Rose Manatad, Policy Officer of the EcoWaste Coalition. “Instead of replacing ecological solid waste management with waste-to-energy incineration, the government should focus on fully implementing existing measures on waste segregation, recycling, composting, and waste reduction. The challenge is not the absence of a law, but the need for stronger implementation, enforcement, and accountability.”
The submission forms part of the Coalition's broader efforts to promote informed, science-based, and evidence-driven discussions on waste management policies and programs. It also coincides with an ongoing online petition calling on the House Committee on Ecology and members of the House of Representatives to reject House Bill No. 7575 and uphold the ecological principles embodied in R.A. 9003
“World Environment Day is a reminder that environmental protection begins with policies that put people, health, and sustainability first,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition. “We urge Congress to uphold R.A. 9003 and reject measures that shift the country's waste management system away from waste avoidance, reduction, and resource recovery. Instead, we should invest in genuine zero waste solutions that protect public health, conserve resources, provide livelihoods, and benefit communities.”
The Coalition likewise encouraged citizens to support the ongoing online petition and join efforts to uphold R.A. 9003, protect public health and the environment, and advance waste management systems that are environmentally sound, socially just, and aligned with the country's sustainability goals.
Concerned citizens may sign the petition here: bit.ly/HB7575
References:
https://www.bataris.org.ph/petitions/reject-house-bill-no-7575-defend-r-a-9003-and-advance-real-zero-waste-solutions?source=web_share_api&utm_source=web_share_api&share=5dc6e744-6b5d-4f14-95da-e331c443092a
https://docs.congress.hrep.online/legisdocs/basic_20/HB07575.pdf
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