An environmentalist is asking the Cebu City Council to impose a “sin tax” or charge a fee on establishments that will use and sell non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags in the city. During a public hearing on the proposal to ban plastics in Cebu City, lawyer Gloria Ramos of the Philippine Earth Justice Center Inc. said penalizing the use of plastics is long overdue.

“A tax or fee should be imposed for the use of plastic bags because its one way of changing the behavior of the people and it is within the authority of the Sangguniang Panlungsod in line with its police powers and taxation powers, she said.”

Ramos said that banning the use of plastics will reduce the volume of wastes the city produces. Under the RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, all local government units are mandated to divert 25 percent of the wastes thrown at disposal facilities. With the passage of this ordinance, we can comply with such mandate while at the same time mitigating the effects of climate change.

Councilor Edgardo Labella, who authored the proposed ordinance, said he will study ramos’ proposal and to perhaps clarify a possible double taxation. If approved by the City Council, the proposed measure will prohibit business establishments from using non-biodegradable materials.

Re-usable Bags will hopefully be the norm for business establishments to use in carrying or transporting their purchased products. Under the penalty clause of the proposed ordinance, business establishments found using and selling non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags will be fined Php2,000.00 in the 1st year of the implementation of the law. Violations committed in the succeeding years will have a corresponding penalty of Php5,000.00 and/or imprisonment of not more than 6 years. The business permits of the establishments will be revoked also for a year.