The Department of Environment and Natural Resources reported Friday that the Philippines has surpassed its mandated plastic waste recovery targets, with the national diversion rate reaching nearly 56 percent in 2025.
During the 2026 Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Recognition Program held Jan. 30, the DENR highlighted that the 55.98 percent recovery performance significantly exceeded the 40 percent target mandated by Republic Act 11898. The event, held alongside the 25th anniversary of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, focused on the current state of producer compliance and the operationalization of the circular economy.
DENR Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said the program reflects how policy is translating into measurable change, noting that the EPR Law is now reshaping how the country manages waste. The framework links local government-led waste segregation with producer accountability for the post-consumer phase of packaging.
Data from 2025 showed balanced recovery across material types, as recovery rates reached 56.33 percent for flexible plastics and 55.60 percent for rigid plastics through recycling, upcycling, and co-processing. By late 2025, the National Ecology Center had registered 1,017 entities, including obliged enterprises and Producer Responsibility Organizations, across 201 EPR programs.
Lotilla noted that the increased private sector participation reflects a growing sense of ownership and helps the Philippines transition toward a circular economy. Looking ahead through 2026, the DENR identified priority areas for strengthening the law’s implementation, such as improving digital monitoring systems, institutional capacity-building, and public information efforts. Planned measures also include the standardization of audit frameworks to enhance transparency and the development of systems to incentivize sustainable packaging design.
The recognition program was co-organized by the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau and the Philippine Alliance for Recycling and Material Sustainability. The event drew participants from the diplomatic corps, the business sector, academia, and civil society.
