DOF will pursue taxation of single-use plastic —top exec

A top official of the Department of Finance (DOF) on Wednesday said the government will pursue taxes on single-use plastics, citing sustainable development goals.

Finance Undersecretary Zeno Ronald Abenoja said the administration will prioritize achieving the said goals, including commitments related to the Paris Agreement.

“The discussions, the engagement with our partners, with congressmen and senators, are ongoing right now,” he said during the EJAP-SMC Economic Forum.

“This is something that the government will pursue and collaborate with our legislators, crafting something that balances the need to raise revenues but also at the same time influence the behavior in terms of some of the activities that affect the environment,” he added.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno last month said the DOF is looking into some possible tax on single-use plastics, as part of the commitment to address climate change.

This comes as President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in his inaugural address committed to ''cleaning up'' issues regarding climate change.

The Philippines earlier joined nearly 200 countries in a landmark deal in Paris in December 2015 which committed to cut greenhouse gas emissions to limit the rise in global temperatures to below 2 degrees Celsius.

The country, however, was one of the top plastic polluters in the world based on the United Nations Environment Program’s (UNEP) 2018 report. —LBG, GMA News