LOCAL government officials of Oras, Eastern Samar, distributed over four thousand bayong (woven bags) to promote solid waste management by minimizing the use of plastic. On Monday, April 17, families from the 42 towns of Oras in Eastern Samar were given a bayong in preparation for the ordinance prohibiting the use of any form of plastic for packaging including styrofoam. Oras town Mayor Roy Ador believed that the ordinance and distribution of the bayong will reduce the demand for plastics in local markets. 'This is in support of the implementation of the ordinance, which prohibits the use of plastic in groceries and markets from Thursday to Sunday of each week,' he said. The establishments were also advised not to use or sell plastic packaging. For Greenpeace, an environmental advocacy organization, the intent to increase awareness of zero-waste approaches by conducting programs such as this must be supported. 'To ensure sustainable development, governments and corporations must not only focus on responsible production but urgently set targets to reduce plastic production,' Greenpeace Philippines zero-waste campaigner Marian Ledesma said in March. In February, Pulse Asia Research Inc. announced that the Philippines is the third largest contributor to plastic waste in the world, generating an estimated 2.7 million tons of plastic waste per year.
