EcoWaste Coalition kicks off Plastic Free July 2026 with clean up drives in Manila and Cebu

The EcoWaste Coalition launched its Plastic Free July 2026 campaign with back to back events in Manila and Cebu. In Intramuros, volunteers from Manila High School joined a community clean up drive and waste assessment. In Cebu City, coalition members walked through Carbon Public Market to promote reusable bags and containers and to strengthen the local No Plastic Days ordinance. The campaign theme this year is Walang Plastikan, Walang Iwanan, which translates to no plastic and no one left behind. It emphasizes a just transition away from single use plastics while including informal waste workers and communities in the process. The coalition has a full month of activities planned including film screenings, a fun run, and a culminating festival. The push comes after a series of landfill related tragedies in the Philippines this year. The campaign focuses on practical steps like reusable bags and refill systems rather than just awareness. It also highlights the role of local ordinances like Cebu City's No Plastic Days in reducing waste at the market level. For anyone tracking waste policy in Southeast Asia, this is a concrete example of how grassroots groups are trying to move from awareness to enforcement.