The Iloilo Provincial Government has moved closer to institutionalizing a circular economy framework after convening a multi-sectoral body to refine the provisions of its proposed Circular Economy (CE) ordinance.
The consultation, facilitated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), gathered representatives from national and local government agencies, provincial legislators, executive departments, junkshop owners, the academe, and legal experts to strengthen the proposed measure.
The proposed ordinance, which is scheduled for its first reading during an upcoming session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, aims to serve as a model framework for other local government units (LGUs).
The ordinance is anchored on four pillars—governance, green enterprises, behavior change, and resource recovery—and aligns with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Law while integrating informal waste workers, upgrading resource recovery infrastructure, and promoting green jobs.
Once enacted, the ordinance is said to strengthen province’s efforts in reducing waste, improving resource efficiency, and advancing long-term environmental sustainability through a whole-of-society approach.
The initiative is being implemented through the PH Plastics Circularity Project, funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation, in partnership with UNDP Philippines and the Iloilo Provincial Government.Pia Maleriado, WVSU-COC intern/IMT
