Pampanga First District Representative Congressman “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. recently filed House Bill (HB) No. 7781, which calls for the integration of the ‘Walang Plastikan, Palit-Bigas’ Program in the ten-year Solid Waste Management (SWM) Plan of all provinces, cities, and municipalities in the country, pursuant to Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
HB 7781 seeks to institutionalize Angeles City’s ‘Walang Plastikan: Plastic-Palit-Bigas Program’ that was implemented from 2022 to 2024, during Lazatin’s time as city mayor.
Under the ‘Walang Plastikan: Plastic-Palit-Bigas Program,’ residents were able to receive one kilo of rice for every one kilo of plastic waste that they turned over to the local government.
Lazatin said he hopes to bring this program to the entire country.
In addition to addressing hunger among marginalized sectors, the program is intended to promote segregation at source; increase diversion through reuse, recycling, and recovery; and reduce the volume of residual waste requiring disposal.
Under the proposed bill, all provinces, cities, and municipalities, through their respective Local SWM Boards, shall integrate the Walang Plastikan Program as a component of their ten-year SWM Plan and shall adopt implementing guidelines appropriate to local conditions, including eligibility requirements, exchange rates or point systems, collection schedules, and coordination with barangay Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF) or other authorized facilities.
With its incentive-based mechanism, the Walang Plastikan Program seeks to address two prominent issues – solid waste management and hunger.
The program started in Angeles City in 2022, with P90 million allocated in Angeles City's Annual Investment Program (AIP) for its implementation.
Another P100 million was allocated in 2023, and P90 million for 2024.
“Walang magugutom. Walang kalam ang tiyan. No one goes to bed hungry,” Lazatin said.