Because of their harmful effects on the environment, plastic bags would soon be phased out in the markets of Marikina City.

Instead of plastics, marketgoers are encouraged to use bayong or biodegradable bags.

Councilor Ponchie Santos, head of the Committee for Environment Protection and Parks Development, said he has filed an ordinance prohibiting market vendors

and marketgoers to use plastic bags in the city’s markets.

Santos said the ordinance has the support of majority of the City Council. He said once the ordinance is approved, violators would be penalized, adding that “it’s

just a simple way, a little sacrifice for the environment.”

Santos said consultative meetings are now going on with market vendors and marketgoers on how to reduce the use of plastic bags in the city’s markets.

“We are urging marketgoers to bring bayong or their own non-plastic bags,” said Santos.

With the help of city market officer Dr. Ramonito Viliran, the Marikina city government is also preparing new strategies on how vendors could minimize the use

of plastic bags and gradually phase out these bags to wrap their products.

“Right now, we are starting an information education campaign in the marketplace. We will be placing posters to urge the public to use bayong or biodegradable

bags in their shopping of goods,” Santos said.

The no-plastic bag campaign, Santos said, seeks to boost the plastic bag eradication campaign in the city aimed at lessening the city’s garbage problem which is

made worse by non-biodegradable industrial products.

Citing the dangers of continued production of plastic bags, Santos said that non-biodegradable industrial products clog up drainage and sewerage systems.

He also said the bulk of garbage collected in the marketplace is composed of plastics.

“These plastics block drainage systems and kill the marine system in the Marikina River,” he said.