Nationwide donation and recycling program for used electronic gadgets proposed

(Eagle News)–Senator Lito Lapid is pushing for the establishment of a nationwide donation and recycling program for used electronic gadgets.

In filing  Senate Bill No. 1846, Lapid noted  that the old and used gadgets can still be used, especially with the shift to remote learning modalities for school year 2020-2021 due to the pandemic.

“Hindi natin masisisi ang ating mga kababayan kung gugustuhin nilang palitan ng bago ang kanilang mga gadget kahit hindi pa ito sira, lalo kung may pambili naman sila. Pero kung tutuusin ang mga lumang gadget gaya ng mobile phones at laptop, hindi naman kailangan itapon. Pwede pa itong ipamigay dahil marami pa ang pwedeng makinabang dito lalo sa panahong ito,” Lapid said.

According to Lapid, a 2020 study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies or PIDS showed that only 69% of poor households have mobile phones, while only 1% and 6% of poor and low-income families have computers, respectively.

In the National Capital Region alone, he said around 648,405 public school students lack gadgets, with  13% of  teachers without laptops or computers at home based on a recent survey of the Department of Education.

He said recycling the gadgets will also help the environment.

If passed into law, the Electronics Donation and Recycling Program, donation and recycling booths   will be set up in sales outlets, stores and service centers of electronic gadgets nationwide.

For collected gadgets which are intended for donation, the recipient shall be the Department of Education for distribution to poor students, Lapid said.

Meanwhile, the collected gadgets  intended for recycling will be turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)- accredited facilities capable of recycling electronic gadgets and its components.

“Dalawang mahalagang layunin ang magagampanan ng panukalang ito– protektahan ang ating kalikasan sa pamamagitan ng pagbawas sa pagtapon ng mga lumang electronic devices habang malaking tulong ang inaasahang matatanggap ng mga kapos-palad nating mga estudyante mula sa donasyong gadgets ng ating mga kababayang hangad ding makatulong sa panahong ito ng matinding pagsubok,” he said.