REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Resolution No. ___________

Introduced by Kabataan Party-List Rep. Raymond V. Palatino

A RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND
NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY TO JOINTLY UNDERTAKE A STUDY ON THE EXTENT OF THE
PROBLEMS POSED BY THE INCREASING AMOUNTS OF ELECTRONIC
WASTE IN THE COUNTRY WITH A VIEW TO CREATE GUIDELINES ON THE
PROPER HANDLING, DISPOSAL AND RECYCLING AND RESTRICT THE
ILLEGAL ENTRY OF HEAVILY-GROWING ELECTRONIC WASTE

WHEREAS, the 1987 Constitution states that the “State shall protect and
advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the
rhythm and harmony of nature”;

WHEREAS, electronics manufacturing is one of the country’s top export industry

and electronic goods one of the top imports. Thus, there is an increasing and booming
consumption of electrical and electronic goods such as personal computers and mobile
phones in the Philippines corresponding to an explosion in electronic waste containing
toxic, persistent chemical and heavy metals;

WHEREAS, the toxic and hazardous chemicals in electronic waste can endanger
the health of informal recyclers and the people around them as well as contaminate the
environment with toxic pollutants;

WHEREAS, the country is faced with a mounting electronic waste problem at the
present level of production, use and importation of electronic goods;

WHEREAS, Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act
states that household hazardous discards consumer electronics, white goods and
batteries are “special wastes” that should be handled separately from other residential
and commercial wastes;

WHEREAS, because of the absence of a systemic and proper measure for

electronic waste disposal in the Philippines, the discarded technology is incinerated,
dumped in landfills, or end up with backyard recyclers, exposing workers, poor
communities, and the environment to poisonous heavy metals such as lead, cadmium,
mercury, chromium and halogenated substances such as brominated flame retardants
and polyvinyl chloride;

WHEREAS, The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) issued a report

called "Recycling from E-waste to Resource" urging developing economies to prevent
dumping of e-waste from developed countries that threaten human health and the
environment;

WHEREAS, the UNEP report stated that the dilemma of globally increasing e-
waste makes developing economies vulnerable to dumping as the cost of treatment of
these products before disposal to the environment is high;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that the House

of Representatives direct the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the
Department of Science and Technology jointly undertake a study on the extent of the
problems posed by the increasing amounts of electronic waste in the country;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that the

Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Department of Science and
Technology after it has conducted its study on electronic waste, in consultation with
various environmental groups create guidelines on the proper handling, disposal and
recycling of electronic waste and restrict the illegal entry of electronic waste taking into
account the responsibility of manufacturers.

Adopted,

HON. RAYMOND V. PALATINO

Representative, Kabataan Party-List