RECYCLING IN THE PHILIPPINES IS FAILING—LET US BE HONEST ABOUT IT

RECYCLING IN THE PHILIPPINES IS FAILING—LET US BE HONEST ABOUT IT

Let’s stop pretending that recycling in the Philippines is failing—and has been for a while now.

Despite years of government campaigns urging residents and businesses to segregate their waste, we’re still burying recyclables in landfills or leaving them to rot in dumpsites. Why? Because even when we segregate, the system doesn’t work. Garbage trucks still mix everything together. Segregated bags from households and commercial buildings often end up thrown into the same compactor, as if the effort was all for show.

What’s going on here?

We keep encouraging people to segregate their trash, but there’s no real infrastructure to support it. It’s like asking someone to save water in a house with broken pipes. We’ve heard the phrase many times— “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”—but how can people recycle when the government doesn’t even honor their efforts?

I see it in my own neighborhood. I separate paper, plastics, bottles—but when the garbage truck arrives, the collectors lump it all together. What message does that send to the public? That their effort is useless. So, they stop trying.

And that’s the real tragedy: we’ve taught people to recycle, but we haven’t built a system to make it succeed.

It’s time, Mr. President, for a new approach—or more accurately, a return to a time-tested, community-led solution that worked: buying recyclables by the kilo.

Remember the days when itinerant junk buyers roamed neighborhoods buying old newspapers and glass bottles? That grassroots system wasn’t just nostalgic—it was functional. And more importantly, it created incentives. People recycled not out of guilt, but because there was value in it.

Let’s bring that system back—but with modern tweaks. Scrap paper, plastics, and bottles now come in all shapes and sizes, so let’s stop pricing them by the piece or by the inch. Buy everything by the kilo. Make it straightforward, fair, and efficient.

Yes, Mr. President, recyclables are not garbage—they are untapped economic assets. The only difference between “trash” and “resource” is collection and recovery. If recyclables are not picked up, they rot. If they are collected, they become raw materials again.

This is where Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) should come in. But let’s be real—most barangays are not operating MRFs, despite the law requiring them to do so. Some blame funding, others cite land availability, but ultimately, it’s about enforcement. And let’s face it, DENR can’t do this alone.

This is where the DILG must step in. After all, barangays are under their purview. The DENR can provide technical guidance, but only DILG can compel local compliance. In Metro Manila, perhaps MMDA should take the lead.

So, Mr. President, here’s my modest proposal:

1.   Issue an Executive Order mandating all barangays to operationalize their MRFs within a set timeframe.

2.   Direct DILG to monitor implementation and assist with enforcement.

3.   Incentivize the junk shop economy by helping these micro-enterprises get access to micro-financing and legal protections.

Let me emphasize that last point: junk shops are key players in the recycling ecosystem, yet they are often the most neglected. Under-capitalized and under-protected, they are sitting ducks for corrupt local officials who see them not as partners but as prey.

Why not treat them as allies instead?

If we strengthen the business of junk shops—give them credit access, organize them into cooperatives, shield them from extortion—we could build a true circular economy from the ground up.

What’s missing isn’t awareness. It’s execution. People are willing to recycle. Businesses are willing to cooperate. But government must lead with action, not slogans. Otherwise, we’re just throwing more good intentions into the same landfill.

As the saying goes: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” It's time to stop the insanity. Let’s go back to what works—and build something smarter from there.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

08-29-2025

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