Factors Shaping Policy Adoption on Single-Use Plastic Bag Regulation in Philippine Cities and Municipalities

John Philip D. Garcia

doi:10.5281/zenodo.8429641

John Philip D. Garcia National College of Public Administration and Governance, University of the Philippines Diliman

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8429641

Abstract

In the absence of national legislation regulating plastic bag use in the Philippines, cities and municipalities are implementing local ordinances to regulate single-use plastics. This study tested factors shaping
policy adoption on single-use plastic bags in cities and municipalities, and those that would explain the variation in the type of policy adopted. Five variables were tested to generate a logistic regression model for policy adoption and a multinomial logistic regression model for policy-type variation study. These variables are waste generation, consistency in implementing solid waste management, flooding hazard, income class,
and number of plastic industries. Among these factors, flooding hazard and waste generation significantly explain why LGUs are likely to adopt plastic regulation policy. While none of the factors tested could explain
the choice of policy between total and partial ban, and between total ban and tax, flooding hazard significantly explained the choice of partial ban over tax.

Author Biography

John Philip D. Garcia, National College of Public Administration and Governance, University of the Philippines Diliman

John Philip D. Garcia holds a master’s degree in public administration, major in public policy, from the National College of Public Administration and Governance, University of the Philippines (UP-NCPAG). He is a licensed chemical engineer, earning his bachelor’s degree from Mapua University. He is currently working as a process control specialist at Petron Corporation, Bataan Petroleum Refinery. His research interests include regression modeling, policy-making studies, and plastic regulation. You may reach the author for comments and inquiries on this article at johnphilipgarcia08@gmail.com.