PHILIPPINES, August 4 - Press Release
August 4, 2025

Transcript of Sen. Pia Cayetano's Manifestation
Sustainability Practices in the Senate

Thank you, Mr. President. I just have a manifestation.

This is on the promotion of sustainable practices in the Senate. This is going to be the third congress in a row that this representation would like to encourage our colleagues, the Secretariat, and everyone who comes to our Senate to engage in sustainable practices.

Just some data. The United Nations reveals that over 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally, and only 10 percent are recycled. In the Philippines, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources reports that approximately 61,000 metric tons of solid waste are generated daily, and 12 to 24 percent of them consists of plastic waste.

So as early as 2010, Mr. President, I chaired the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. The Committee on Sustainable Development Goals did not yet exist at that time. And we created the Senate Materials Recovery Facility, where all our basura is brought, sorted, and those that can be reused are reused.

So, Mr. President, this has been a very productive project of the Senate. And I hope we can continue it this Congress. The policy adopted as early as 2011, that was almost 15 years ago, is the 'No Waste Segregation, No Collection.' Ginagawa po yan sa mga opisina natin. So I am encouraging all our colleagues to support it. Ipa-segretate niyo ang mga staff niyo para naman maging maayos tayo.

And to be clear, may results po ito. This resulted in a 50% reduction in the solid waste generated by the Senate. Yung hauling services ng basura natin na dati once every week, naging once every two weeks na lang. So may results po yan if we really put our hearts and our minds to it.

So I call on our colleagues to embrace this in your own office, and if it can be adopted as a policy as well, tuloy-tuloy lang yung dating policy.

Also, nung Wednesday, na-bring up nga, if I understand it correctly, we are continuing with our rule that we're as paperless as possible, unless requested. Of course, anyone who needs paper is entitled to use it because that's the way that we grew up studying our work. Pero maybe we can also ask the Secretariat to have a training for our team so that they can also practice sustainable practices. Kasi it takes time talaga to study it, to learn how to go paperless.

Finally, and this is the point why I stood up. I am gifting all of you with a new tumbler. Yung mga ka-batch ko, tatlo na yung niregalo kong ganyan. Kung binigay niyo yan sa loved ones niyo o iniwan niyo sa bahay, okay lang. Ang importante, gamitin. Ayan, Sen. JV, you now have a new one. And the reason for this is so that we will not ask the page to give us a plastic PET bottle. Yun sana yung request ko, syempre nauuhaw tayo so iabot natin yung tumbler natin para lagyan nila ng tubig. Kung naiwan niyo, reregaluhan ko kayo ng isa pa para doon tayo sa sustainable practices. And then may I ask all the chairpersons, I leave it up to you, di ko naman pwedeng pakialaman yung mga hearing niyo, pero sana sa mga hearings natin ma-implement din yung no plastic. Kasi you just have to put it in the notice that goes out na, "please bring your own reusable container" and may water fountain naman tayo. And on that note pwede naman pong maglagay ng baso, hindi naman bawal na may baso tayong ino-offer sa ating mga kasamahan.

So a very quick background on this very nice product that you now own. It's called UHAWNA, it's a Filipino-Australian brand. Taga-UP ang batang nag-umpisa ng product na ito and I stayed in touch with him so natuwa ako. And then it turns out that part of their proceeds are used to provide waters to communities that do not have water. So nakakatuwa naman mag-support. So may mga pangalan niyo yan, huwag niyo gamitin yung baso ng iba at baka magkaroon naman tayo dito ng hawaan ng sakit. Yun lang.

One last point, the latest data tells us that kapag uminom kayo sa PET bottle may microplastics sa loob nun na pag-inom niyo, forever na yan sa katawan niyo kakapit. It contributes to a lot of diseases. So kung hindi kayo katulad ni Loren na die-hard para sa environment, for your own health, hindi nakakabuti yung PET bottle. And I end my manifestation there, Mr. President. Enjoy your UHAWNA water bottles. Thank you.

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