All local government units from the province down to the barangays have been directed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to integrate marine litter initiatives in their Solid Waste Management (SWM) programs, especially in their respective 10-year SWM Plans.
In Memorandum Circular No. 2025-099 dated Sept. 19, 2025, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla identified marine pollution as one of the most pressing challenges to the sustainable use of the ocean.
“Due to the convenience of using single-use plastic products, and the lack of proper waste disposal practices, more and more plastic wastes are found in the ocean,” he said.
The new policy aims to reiterate the mandate of LGUs in enforcing the provisions of RS 9003 or the ESWM Act of 2000, provide them with minimum considerations and guidelines on the development and rollout of projects, programs, and activities aimed at waste reduction, and management of marine litter, and call on relevant government agencies to provide necessary support and assistance to LGUs.
Pursuant to the circular, all LGUs are encouraged to undertake a Riverine and Maritime Environment Clean-Up regularly in creeks, tributaries, rivers, bays, seas, oceans, and other marine litter hotspots to effective reduce marine litter, preferably weekly every Saturday.
They ate also urged to prevent marine litter leakage through the use of autonomous floating devices such as trash traps, sea bins, magnetic coils, and other innovative tools, with the segregated waste to be brought to sanitary landfills for final disposal.
A waste characterization survey and plastic waste audit shall be conducted in clean-up drives to monitor and store data for research purposes and evidence-based baselining.
In maintaining and improving waste disposal facilities, LGUs are likewise urged to ensure the proper segregation and collection of wastes to prevent them from entering the water.
Coastal LGUs are strongly advised to establish partnerships with relevant government agencies to provide training and assistance in cleaning up waste from municipal and commercial fishing vessels.
The DILG recommended that benchmarking activities be conducted with LGUs already conducting effective plastic waste management practices and that collaboration be made with national agencies, private institutions and academic institutions for the provision of technical assistance on the reduction of marine litter.