Ilocos norte: Environmental workers and waste management advocates in Ilocos Norte welcomed the administration's intensified campaign on solid waste management, saying the initiative strengthens environmental protection efforts while promoting cleaner and healthier communities. Provincial environment program officer Joegie Jimenez expressed support for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s call to update the 25-year-old Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

According to Philippines News Agency, Jimenez emphasized the significance of addressing the plastic pollution issue, not only in the Philippines but globally. He stressed the importance of focusing on proper waste management to reduce pollution and encourage responsible waste disposal among households, businesses, and institutions.

The Ilocos Norte Environment and Natural Resources Office, in collaboration with city and municipal governments, has intensified efforts to implement waste segregation at the source, recycling, and composting initiatives. These measures aim to reduce plastic waste and improve the operation of sanitary landfills and materials recovery facilities.

Environmental workers have noted that consistent implementation of these initiatives not only helps protect ecosystems but also improves public health by reducing pollution and preventing the clogging of waterways, which can contribute to flooding. Environment advocate Deborah Melchor highlighted the ongoing segregation issues, emphasizing the need for fast and proper action.

During the recent Typhoon Kiyapo, officials in Laoag City attributed massive flooding in several areas to clogged drainage canals. An inspection team from the City Engineering Office identified accumulated garbage, silt, and other debris as obstructions to water flow, a situation exacerbated by heavy rainfall and inadequate drainage capacity in some areas.