The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is looking forward to the approval of all remaining 10-year solid waste management plans (SWMPs) of cities and municipalities nationwide this year, as envisioned under Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

So far, the DENR-led National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) reported that out of the 1,592 LGUs, a total of 1,147 of them already have approved SWMPs.

To achieve the 100 percent target, the EMB has called on the remaining 445 LGUs with no approved and submitted SWMPs to take proactive actions to develop their plans and have them approved by the NSWMC.

The EMB urged governors and mayors whose provinces, cities and municipalities have no approved SWMPs in place to expedite the submission of their plans, as it expressed its commitment to help LGUs needing assistance and technical support.

During the celebration of the National Zero Waste Month in January, the EMB, the Department of the Interior and Local Government and EMB regional offices conducted a two-day virtual meeting that served as a platform for LGUs to raise their issues and concerns on the preparation of their plans.

The virtual meeting was attended by over 300 participants from LGUs across three regions, who availed of consultations and made status follow-ups and requests in relation to their respective SWMPs.

After the meeting, the EMB expressed hope that all LGUs nationwide will have their approved SWMPs by the end of the year.

Under RA 9003, every LGU is mandated to have a 10-year SWMP. The law states that “the province, city or municipality, through its local solid waste management boards, shall prepare its respective 10-year solid waste management plans consistent with the national solid waste management framework.”

The said plan should put “primary emphasis on implementation of all feasible reuse, recycling, and composting programs while identifying the amount of landfill and transformation capacity that will be needed for solid waste which cannot be reused, recycled, or composted.”

In the SWMP process, the concerned EMB Regional Office will review and evaluate the plans submitted by the LGUs and endorse them to the EMB Central Office for further review.

If the plan lacks specific requirements, the SWMP will be returned to the LGU for further action. If the plan is suitable for consideration, it will be recommended to the Executive Committee of the NSWMC, which will decide whether or not to support the plan for final approval by the NSWMC En Banc.###