The Philippine electorates are becoming more aware of the plastic pollution problem as a Social Weather Stations survey revealed 7 out of 10 Filipinos said they will support candidates who will ban establishments from using single-use plastic across the country.
The nationwide survey, undertaken on the third quarter of 2018, also showed that eight of 10 Filipinos will vote for a candidate who will advocate for the strict implementation of solid waste management laws.
In addition, it also revealed that eight of 10 survey responsdents support prohibiting groceries, public markets, fast food chains, and other similar establishments from using or providing non-biodegradable plastic bags, with a net approval rating of “extremely strong.”
“The voters have spoken, and they want candidates who will address the issue of plastic pollution with true and lasting solutions,” said Abigail Aguilar, campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia-Philippines.
She added, “We are hearing a lot now on how politicians want to solve this crisis, but sadly, these are band aid solutions that are mostly done for show. Our voters are looking at the midterm elections to choose candidates who will present a vision and see that vision translated into action.”
The survey revealed a strong clamor for regulating or banning single-use plastics and the proper and full implementation of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law, which provides for solid waste reduction through proper waste segregation, recycling, composting, and other ecological methods before disposal in the appropriate facilities.
The survey also revealed that people are starting to look at the role of corporations perpetuating the plastic pollution crisis. While seven out of 10 still point to individuals as being responsible for reducing plastic pollution in the country, three of 10 Filipinos now believe that companies producing plastics should have greater responsibility.
“These findings show that plastic pollution has become an important issue for Filipinos. They expect their elected officials and those aspiring for public office to come up with genuine solutions to address the problem. They are also waking up to the fact that while individual responsibility is important, the companies who are pushing the continued production of single-use and unrecyclable packaging for their products bear a greater responsibility for this crisis,” said Von Hernandez, coordinator of the global #breakfreefromplastic movement.