MANILA – A day before a ban on the use of plastic shopping bags takes effect, the Quezon City government has yet to provide retailers a copy of the implementing rules and regulations of the new ordinance.
Corazon Guidote, SM Investments Corp. head of investor relations, told InterAksyon.com that the conglomerate’s retail establishments in Quezon City will collect starting September 1 the P2 charge for every plastic bag customers use in line with the city ordinance.
The money raised would be remitted to the LGU once the IRR is in place, she said.
"It's easy to monitor all the transactions because they are all recorded in the cashier. We can monitor how many used the plastic bags," Guidote said.
Quezon City is one of the largest markets of the SM retail group, she said, with its largest mall in the Philippines located in North Edsa, housing three supermarkets and a department store.
"We have always been supportive of environmental initiatives. We've been doing it in Pasig through our hypermarket there," Guidote said.
The Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance will enforce a Plastic Recovery System Fee that charges a fixed amount of P2 per plastic bag used regardless of its size.
The collected fee will be part of a "green fund" that will finance various initiatives for the benefit of the environment.
Reusable bag users will be given incentives, giving them points that can be used later for purchase, and a “green lane,” which is a special counter for customers with reusable bags.
source: interaksyon.com
