A wastepicker rummages for recyclable items along a breakwater in Manila on April 28, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — A watchdog on Friday challenged President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to stop the "unhampered" plastic production and importation in the country if he was serious in solving the Philippines' flooding issues.

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According to BAN Toxics, blaming "trash" and "lack of discipline" for the recent flooding in Metro Manila ignores the larger issue at hand. 

“It has always been easy to blame trash and the lack of discipline for recent and future flooding, yet the climate impacts of unhampered plastic production, along with land use conversion, large-scale mining, and their contribution to environmental degradation are being overlooked," the group said

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Earlier, Marcos and other government officials said waste mismanagement and climate change were the culprits for the recent flooding in Metro Manila, which was triggered by heavy rains due to typhoon and southwest monsoon. 

“The President must realize that 99 percent of all plastics are derived from fossil fuels, the largest contributor to the global climate crisis," said Jam Lorenzo, head of BAN Toxics’ Policy Development and Research.

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“The import of finished plastic products and wastes into the country, combined with the current rate of domestic plastic production and other factors, is overwhelming the capacity of our waste management systems, rendering them ineffective,” Lorenzo added.

During the start of his presidency, Marcos acknowledged the country's ranking as a plastic polluter and vowed to "clean up."

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A 2021 report by the World Bank said the Philippines was the third largest contributor of plastic pollution, with an estimated 0.75 million metric tons of mismanaged plastic entering the ocean every year.

Meanwhile, BAN Toxics said the Philippines in 2021 "imported 1.98 million tonnes of plastic raw materials, plastic products, and plastic packaging with 393 kilo tonnes export, making it a net importer of plastics."

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“We stand with the Filipino people in holding the government accountable for the recent floods and those yet to come, and we call for science-informed and human rights-based climate actions... Addressing plastic pollution requires upstream approaches – focusing on pre-consumption and the reduction of production – to mitigate its impact on livelihoods, human health, and the environment," the group said.

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The Senate is investigating the cause of the recent flooding in Metro Manila as they questioned why the gargantuan budget allocated for flood control projects barely made an impact.

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