MANILA — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Wednesday said that 10 local governments are expected to benefit from a chunk of the European Union’s (EU) P3.6-billion grant recently given to the Philippines.

While details of the environmental cash grant from the EU “still have to be worked out and defended,” a chunk of it is expected to be spent on the improvement of the Philippines’ solid waste management program, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said in a press conference in Malacañang.

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“It would be fair to say that each stage of the way is still a challenge for us,” she said, when asked which part of the country’s solid waste management system is problematic.

“Collection is a challenge. This involves logistics. This involves personnel who are able to collect and process properly,” she said.

“We need to make some changes in the way we collect, recover and repurpose itong mga plastic waste na ito,” she said.

So far, the DENR has identified the following highly-urbanized local governments as the target beneficiaries of the government’s plan to improve its solid waste management system:

• Baguio
• Pasig
• Quezon City
• Caloocan
• Davao
• Ormoc
• Samal Island
• Metro Iloilo
• Palawan
• Siargao

“We are in the process of putting the documentation together,” she said, when asked about the details of how the government plans to spend the fund.

“Hindi kumpleto pa ang detalye at mga projects,” she added.

The DENR hopes to have all its submissions to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) “ready for assessment” by November, Loyzaga said.

The move to fix the country’s garbage collection and repurposing comes after data showed that the Philippines generates 61,000 metric tons of solid waste daily.

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Of this number, 24 percent is plastic waste as the Philippines “consumes and utilizes over 160 million sachet packets… and 40 million shopping bags and thin film bags” daily, the DENR chief said.

Aside from solid waste management, the government also plans to use the fund for the country’s transition to renewable energy, she said.

“We need to create a policy environment for a transition to green economy,” she said.

Earlier this week, the Philippines and the European Union forged an environmental cooperation deal during the visit of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Malacañang.

In a press statement, Von der Leyen announced that the European Union wants “to partner with the Philippines” in the establishment of sustainable infrastructure.

“We will provide financing expertise and access to technologies to support you in the transition to a circular economy and the generation of green energy team Europe,” she said.

“That is the European Union and the member states will contribute almost half a billion euros into this green initiative,” she added.

In his second State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that his administration’s “economic agenda cannot and will not ever be incompatible with our climate change agenda.”

He has also asked Congress to pass a law that would impose excise taxes on single-use plastics, among other measures.