Government agencies and environmental groups convened an inter-agency meeting to discuss matters concerning the e-waste shipments within the Subic Bay Freeport.
The meeting focused on identifying appropriate courses of action and coordinating the next steps to address the issue. Participating agencies and organizations agreed to submit their respective position papers to facilitate a comprehensive evaluation of available legal, regulatory, and policy options. Discussions also covered measures to strengthen existing mechanisms and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, other BOC key officials, and representatives from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), EcoWaste Coalition, BAN Toxics, among other concerned agencies, attended the meeting.
All agencies were encouraged to continue carrying out their respective regulatory functions despite the pending legal proceedings. The dialogue among government agencies and advocacy groups would continue until a clear and lawful resolution is reached.
The participating agencies and environmental groups reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining close coordination and ensuring that all actions are consistent with existing laws, regulations, and national policies on environmental protection and responsible waste management.
Earlier, a joint inspection led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), together with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), was conducted on nine (9) recycling locators within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in connection with reports involving suspected electronic waste (e-waste).
The inspection forms part of government efforts to ensure compliance with environmental and customs regulations and to protect public health and the environment.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has called for a meeting with government agencies and other concerned groups to work together on issues related to the alleged e waste shipments in Subic, following public calls from an environmental protection group for immediate government action.
The meeting is intended to bring all involved parties together to better understand the situation, clarify the roles and responsibilities of each agency, ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and identify practical and lawful solutions moving forward.
Those invited to the meeting include the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), as well as environmental organizations such as Basel Action Network, Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI), and the Ecowaste Coalition.
The coordination meeting comes as the BOC continues to pursue legal remedies in connection with the alleged e-waste shipments, which remain the subject of ongoing judicial proceedings and are currently under appeal before the appropriate court through the Office of the Solicitor General. In view of the pending case, the BOC is constrained from discussing its specific details but remains fully engaged in the legal process in accordance with the law.
Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno said the coordination meeting is intended to promote clarity and cooperation while the legal process continues.
“Habang nasa ilalim pa ng judicial review ang kaso, mahalaga na magkausap ang lahat ng concerned agencies at stakeholders para mas malinaw nating maunawaan ang isyu, ang kani kaniyang roles, at ang mga batas at regulasyong dapat sundin. The coordination meeting will help make sure that all actions are coordinated and carried out in compliance with the law.,” Commissioner Nepomuceno said.
Meanwhile, Customs operations at the Port of Subic continue. Existing procedures remain in place, and coordination with other agencies is ongoing to support environmental and regulatory safeguards.
The Bureau of Customs remains focused on carrying out its mandate in accordance with the law while working closely with concerned agencies to address the issue through coordinated and appropriate measures.

Subic Bay Freeport – In its thrust to boost connectivity between 47 government agencies for faster communication, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) launched the Government Network (GovNet) Project in this premier Freeport.
  Held at the Best Western Hotel on June 24, the GovNet interconnects national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), public schools, and state hospitals through a secure, high-speed fiber-optic network to streamline public services and data sharing.
  “GovNet is more than infrastructure; it is the backbone of a unified digital ecosystem for government. As a high-speed interagency facility, it will connect 44 government agencies, ensuring faster communication, better coordination, quicker document processing, and easier access to online services,” SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño said.
  Aliño said that GovNet will help modernize government operations and bring public services closer to the people as the National Broadband Program (NBP) was created to bridge the digital divide, provide intervention policies, and infrastructure.
  The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the Philippine government’s strategic blueprint to build a nationwide digital infrastructure, accelerating the deployment of fiber optic cables and wireless technologies to provide universal, fast, reliable, and affordable internet services.
  “Subic has long been recognized as a center for trade, logistics, investment, tourism, and innovation. But in today’s digital economy, roads, ports, and airports are no longer enough,” DICT Central Luzon Assistant Regional Director Atty. James Francis Villanueva said.
  He added that digital infrastructure has become just as important as physical infrastructure, and through the GovNet, the department is helping to ensure that Subic Bay remains globally competitive and fully prepared for the opportunities of the digital economy.
  The GovNet project provides a dedicated fiber-optic internet with bandwidth capacities reaching up to 10Gbps, which connects isolated agency databases to improve inter-agency communication and ease government transactions.
  The said project eliminates the need for multiple, expensive individual ISP subscriptions by centralizing government network infrastructure.

Subic Bay, Zambales—On June 22, the U.S. government transferred four Ocean Aero Triton autonomous underwater and surface vehicles (AUSVs) to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). The delivery of these systems, valued at approximately Php754 million ($13 million), demonstrates the United States’ commitment to the U.S.-Philippines Alliance and to a free and open Indo-Pacific by enhancing the Philippines’ ability to detect and respond to maritime challenges and illegal maritime activities.
U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Bridgette Walker, U.S. Embassy Senior Defense Official and Chief of the Joint US. Military Assistance Group-Philippines Colonel Daniel Oh, Philippine Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Joe Anthony Cabahug-Orbe, and Philippine Navy Unmanned Surface Vessel Unit Acting Commander Lt. Cmdr. Aldwin Pasicolan led the turnover ceremony at the Philippine Navy’s Naval Operating Base Subic.
The Triton AUSVs are capable of collecting data above and below the ocean’s surface through a resilient mesh network. The Tritons are solar-powered, allowing each unit to operate for up to 30 days for improved decision-making at the tactical and operational levels.
“The four Ocean Aero Triton AUSVs we are transferring today represent something important: the future of maritime security is not just about platforms¬—it is about capability, speed, and reach,” Chargé d’Affaires Walker said in her remarks. “The Indo-Pacific’s maritime domain is vast, contested, and critical, and the Philippines sits at the heart of it. The ability to monitor and respond to maritime challenges—illegal fishing, gray zone activities, and threats to freedom of navigation—requires persistent, long-endurance awareness that no single ship or aircraft can provide alone. The Triton fills that gap by expanding the capabilities of the Philippine Navy into critical waterways,” she added.
The delivery demonstrates how aligned investments, training, and shared standards translate into credible, ready capabilities that deter aggression and support regional stability. “Today’s delivery highlights our enduring commitment to stand with the Philippines and invest in Alliance modernization in a manner that supports the bilateral Philippines-U.S. Security Sector Assistance Roadmap objectives,” said Colonel Oh. “These unmanned capabilities support the AFP’s transition to territorial defense and improve awareness in critical waterways. The next step is to assist the Philippines integrate these new capabilities in their employment and sustainment concepts.”
The United States and the Philippines stand shoulder to shoulder as ironclad Allies, bound by shared history, common values, and an unwavering commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Reinforcing strong security and economic ties in Subic.

Chargé d’Affaires a.i. (CDA) Bridgette Walker met with U.S. equity firm Cerberus at Agila Shipyard in the Luzon Economic Corridor, where U.S. public-private investments are improving infrastructure, creating jobs, and strengthening bilateral ties.

CDA Walker then went to U.S.-owned Subic Drydock Corporation, where critical ship maintenance and repair work supports the U.S. and Philippine navies.

As part of her trip, CDA Walker met with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chair Eduardo Aliño and discussed Subic Bay’s key role in supporting the #LuzonEconomicCorridor and bolstering economic ties as #PartnersInProsperity. #FriendsPartnersAllies