By HENRY EMPEÑO | June 28, 2026

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Government agencies and concerned environment groups are set to discuss issues on electronic waste in the Subic Bay Freeport next Monday, July 6, following claims by some environment advocates that e-wastes are illegally imported from the United States through Subic.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said on Saturday, June 27, that it has called for a coordination meeting with the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippine Economic Zone Authority, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice, and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to discuss agency roles, ensure compliance with laws, and identify solutions.

Environmental groups like the Basel Action Network, Sustainable Electronics Recycling International, and Ecowaste Coalition were also invited to the meeting, the BOC added.

The coordination meeting, the BOC clarified, is in connection with BOC efforts to pursue legal remedies regarding the alleged e-waste shipments, even as these remain the subject of ongoing judicial proceedings and are currently under appeal before the appropriate court through the OSG.

The alleged illegal importation of e-waste into Subic was condemned by the Environmental Task Force Against E-Waste Imports to the Philippines (End E-Waste Imports) in a press briefing in Quezon City last Thursday, June 25, when it presented photos of e-waste outside some factories in Subic.

The Basel Action Network (BAN), which is among the 11 advocacy groups that formed the End E-Waste Imports task force, said it has traced e-waste from the United States to some factories in Subic.

The End E-Waste Imports maintained that importation of e-waste from the United States was illegal under the Basel Convention, which restricts movement of hazardous wastes between nations, and prevents the transfer of dangerous toxic and electronic waste from developed to developing countries.

BAN said it has flagged a total of 234 containers of suspected e-waste and one containing plastic waste since March 2025 and has sent alerts on said shipments to the BoC and the DENR, only to be told by the BoC that it is restricted by a court ruling from taking any action against the said shipments.

The BOC reiterated in its June 27 statement that it is constrained from discussing specific details, but added that it remains “fully engaged in the legal process in accordance with the law.”

“While the case is still under judicial review, it is important that all concerned agencies and stakeholders speak together so that we can more clearly understand the issue, their respective roles, and the laws and regulations that must be followed,” Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said.

“The coordination meeting will help make sure that all actions are coordinated and carried out in compliance with the law,” he added.

Meanwhile, the SBMA cancelled a press briefing on the e-waste issue that was scheduled on Monday, June 29, to make way for the joint meeting with BOC and other agencies on July 6.

A senior official of the Subic agency, however, had disputed claims by the End E-Waste Imports task force that hazardous e-wastes from the U.S. are being dumped in Subic.

“There is no dumping of toxic materials in Subic Bay. This can be easily proven,” stated SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator for Regulatory Group Amethya dela Llana on Saturday.

She pointed out that recycling companies in Subic are strictly required by the SBMA Ecology Center and other national agencies to undergo permitting and compliance reviews in accordance with international environmental standards. The recyclers play a vital role in promoting a circular economy that helps to protect the environment, she added.

“The environmental groups should visit the Subic and see for themselves the processes that recyclers go through—from admission of raw materials to liquidation,” Dela Llana said. ▲

COVER PHOTO: A drone photo from the End E-Waste Imports task force shows e-wastes outside a Subic factory