Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act

Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 is considered by the environment sector as one of the landmark legislations of solid waste management in the Philippines. The Act includes and encompasses a number of past laws and gives emphasis on the recovery of waste materials through reduction, reuse, and recycling, which it considers as one of the key tenets of sustainable development and management of the solid waste problem. In addition, the Act also gives weight on a critical aspect of its legislation by clearly identifying the roles of the key actors responsible for its implementation (NSWMF, 2004).

Summary of the Act’s Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR):

(Taken from the summary done by NSWMF, 2004, pp. 2 &3)

1. The declaration of policies summarily set the goals of ESWM in the country which is (NSWMF, 2004, p.2):
1. To protect public health and the environment
2. Encourage resource conservation and recovery
3. Promote greater public participation in the formulation and implementation of the SWM programs
4. Encourage the private sector in SWM to be complemented by greater use of the market based instruments and strict enforcement of the provisions of the law
5. Supporting research on effective technologies and techniques for efficient SWM
6. The promotion of environmental awareness
2. The Act highlighted that local governments (from provincial, municipal/cities and barangay levels) have the responsibility of enforcing and implementing the law in their respective jurisdictional areas with the provision of all the necessary support from government agencies involved in this Act (DENR, DOST, DOH, DA, TESDA, DILG, DPWH, DTI, MMDA and PIA) (NSWMF, 2004, p.2).
3. The Act placed special importance to planning as a basis for the rational implementation of the SWM strategy (NSWMF, 2004, p.2).
4. RA 9003 placed legislated mandatory targets for solid waste diversion. This is a significant provision for ensuring that reduction, recycling, reuse and recovery is carried out at least at the barangay level. The law mandates the mandatory diversion of at least 25% that would progressively increase after five years (NSWMF, 2004, p.2).
5. Popular participation is underscored to be an important element in the implementation of the Act. The law also allows the citizen to file suits to any person, government entities or official who violates or fails to comply with its provisions (NSWMF, 2004, p.3).