CIRCULAR ECONOMY VIRTUAL FORUM:
Understanding the Extended Producers Responsibility Law

8 November 2022 –MBC and the Embassy of the Netherlands in the Philippines held the first installment of their Circular Economy Forum Series on the “Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022.”

In this session, Bonar Laureto of Deloitte Philippines, Atty. Joseph Fabul of Mondelēz International Philippines, and Atty. Mimi Malvar of Procter & Gamble (P&G), shared about the EPR Law, the importance of the informal waste sector, collective efforts, and LGU partnerships in the implementation of EPR Programs.

Director of Climate and Sustainability of Deloitte Philippines’ Bonar Laureto mentioned his hopes for the incorporation of the social safeguards and social equitability standards for the informal waste sector in the IRR. These very important stakeholders in the circular economy can get excluded in terms of the value we generate from the whole waste value chain.

Atty. Joseph Fabul, International Country Manager for Corporate and Government Affairs of Mondelēz International Philippines, and Atty. Mimi Malvar, Government Relations Director and Assistant General Counsel of Procter & Gamble (P&G) served as panelists during the forum.

Mimi’s hope is that as this law becomes implemented and as more stakeholders get organized and collaborate on multiple efforts including plastic packaging innovation and end-of-life options for obliged enterprises, we will be able to continue giving very good consumer products to our consumers at price points that they can pay, but at the same time with sustainable packaging options.

Moreover, Joseph touched upon Mondelez’s long-term strategy for packaging sustainability. “We have this simple packaging sustainability strategy which is less packaging, better packaging, and to improve systems. From the market level, [we] can improve the system here in the Philippines by investing in waste diversion value chains, partnering with organizations and LGUs, and increasing the level of awareness of our consumers” Joseph shared.

This forum is an activity under the Circular Economy Program, a joint initiative of MBC and the Embassy of the Netherlands to inspire corporate action and private-public partnerships toward the transition to a circular economy. This means a firm commitment of the business sector to achieving plastic neutrality.