Victorias City to ban single-use plastics in gov’t offices by June 3

BACOLOD CITY–The City of Victorias in Negros Occidental will prohibit single-use plastics in all city government offices starting June 3.

The move enforces Executive Order (EO) 64 issued by Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez in October 2022.

“We’ll start this in the city hall, then move to other government buildings and economic enterprises, and eventually to the greater city area. We just have to start somewhere,” Benitez said in a statement on Thursday.

Items that will be banned include plastic straws, plastic bags, disposable cutlery, plastic water bottles, styrofoam containers, plastic stirrers, and plastic condiment packets.

The city government asked employees to choose sustainable alternatives and help reduce plastic waste by using the likes of reusable metal or bamboo straws, cloth or reusable shopping bags, eco-friendly bamboo cutlery, stainless steel or glass water bottles, biodegradable food containers, wooden stirrers or spoons, and refillable condiment containers.

On Thursday, 3rd District Rep. Jose Francis Benitez, in a statement, commended the city government for banning unnecessary single-use plastic products in all government offices.

He earlier expressed support for EO 64, saying it is “a welcome development and a testament to Victorias City’s concern for the environment.”

The Negrense lawmaker authored Republic Act 11898, or the Extended Producers' Responsibility Act, mandating local government units and plastic manufacturers to recover, collect, and clean up all plastic waste.

Benitez also headed the technical working group in the 18th Congress responsible for passing on the third and final reading House Bill 9147 or the proposed Single-Use Plastic Products Regulations Act.

“Banning single-use plastics is a critical and concrete step towards a sustainable economy and shall be a big win for the environment and for future generations to come,” he said. (PNA)