Publish Date : 01-Jul-2015
The government, through a third-party program, is encouraging private manufacturers to get certification and apply for ecolabels to promote competitiveness in green public procurement (GPP). The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) authorize the National Ecolabelling Programme-Green Choice Philippines (NELP-GCP) to evaluate products based on multiple environmental aspects and ensure truthful information and eco-friendly claims.
Although ecolabelling is non-mandatory, it is used as marketing edge for product leadership and excellence said NELP-GCP Executive Director June Alvarez. “In the Philippines, much has been done to encourage institutional buyers as market incentive for manufacturers to improve production processes and apply for the label. However, it has been determined that government must implement the green procurement program to patronize ecolabelled products like in other countries for the programme to acquire a critical mass of products that will help reduce environmental impact,” said Alvarez.
The government has created the GPP, a policy formalized through Executive Order 301, series of 2014, otherwise known as “Establishment of Green Procurement Program for all Departments, Bureaus, Offices, and Agencies under the Executive Branch.” Alvarez added that the NELP-GCP has its priority project on the development of ecolabeling criteria for green construction materials as more cities and municipalities are crafting ordinances incorporating green or sustainable aspects in the local building ordinances, ecolabeling standards for green building materials will complement their initiatives in identifying environmentally preferable building materials.
“If the market demands GCP labelled products, industry practice will follow suit by producing greener products,” said Alvarez. In Quezon City, the GPP has not yet been fully implemented because the local government is still waiting for products with ecolabels, said Mayor Herbert Bautista. The NELP-GCP cited Quezon City as one of the pioneer cities which had passed the Green Building Ordinance.
Mayor Bautista has called on the private manufacturers and companies to bring more products with ecolabels because he sees lack of competition during procurement process. “Pag ‘yung produkto iisa, ergo tataas ang presyo niyan. Hangga’t maari we encourage competitiveness in the procurement side,” said Mayor Bautista.
“Bababa ang presyo [ng produkto]. Lalong lalakas ngayon ‘yung pagkakaton ng mga supplier na lumaban. Pababaan na rin sila [ng presyo], pero pagalingan ng produkto,” Bautista added.
Further, as for NELP-GCP’s counterparts in other countries, Alvarez shared that in Japan, there are already 75 percent of fluorescent lamps ecolabelled, with the government buying 98 percent of these lamps, boosting Japan’s green market economy. In Korea, the last eight years of green procurement in 19 items resulted in US$30 billion sales of ecolabelled products, generating 12,143 jobs per year.
In the Philippines, with only 31 GCP labelled products to date, the market price is considered higher than regular, non-ecolabelled products, said Alvarez. However, a 2011 survey conducted by NELP-GCP contrarily reflects that 51 percent of 1200 respondents are willing to buy eco-friendly products even if it cost more. Alvarez projects that these 51 percent can be potential market of green products and services.
Full list of GCP labelled products is available at the PCEPSDI (Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc.) website or the Philippine Green Pages website (www.philippinegreenpages.com).
To advance the promotion of sustainable consumption and production, particularly the green procurement, NELP-GCP is holding an exposition and conference dubbed “Kalikasan GP3,” on July 23-25, 2015, at the SM Aura, Global City, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig. More than 600 business leaders and government officials are expected to attend.
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