Primarily centered on the question: “What is the circular economy like at the entry level?,” Liveable Cities Philippines led a roundtable discussion yesterday, June 24, 2026, with panelists from the public and private sectors who champion the circular approach in their line of work. The session titled “In the Loop: Localized Circular Economy in Practice” underscored how legislative frameworks must be accompanied by strong collaboration across sectors, functional recovery and recycling infrastructures, and a refined understanding of how a culture of awareness and involvement is effectively cultivated. 

The roundtable concluded with three important notes shared by all panelists: informal waste workers need to be recognized and formalized; incentivization programs should also be considered by LGUs aside from ordinances penalizing waste mismanagement; and stronger advocacy for proper electronic waste disposal and recovery needs to be done across communities. 

Our deepest gratitude to our distinguished panel—Ivanna Aguiling-Dela Torre and Engr. Ceidge Razon from the private sector; Mayor Cynthia Falcotelo-Cores of Barcelona, Sorsogon, Mayor Isaias Ubana II of Lopez, Quezon, and Ms. Marilen Malabanan from the public sector, and Marc CJ Donesa of The E-Waste Project representing the NGO/Civil Society side. Our extended thanks as well as to our partners—the League of Cities of the Philippines, League of Municipalities of the Philippines, Ayala Corporation, and Globe Telecom for their invaluable support.