Photo Release

Marine litter program: Sen. Imee Marcos, during a virtual hearing on the proposed P25.3 billion budget of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and its attached agencies Thursday, October 21, 2021, asks officials if they had appropriated funds for their marine litter program which would be launched in November this year. “DENR is spearheading a national plan of action that would help prevent, reduce and manage marine litter. Is it contained in your budget for 2022? We want to see the plan for this because it is so important, yet it seems to be absent in the 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA),” Marcos said. She said the Philippines is tagged as the 3rd country with most wastes in the ocean. Environment officials said DENR had just adopted a master plan for the reduction of marine litter as part of the goal to achieve zero waste in 2040; however, it could not answer yet Marcos’ question on the budget for marine waste program. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)