Manila, July 7 -- The Philippines is moving into the final stage of its effort to eliminate ozone-harming cooling chemicals, as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) aims to completely phase out hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) by 2030.

At the launch of the HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) Stage 3 in Quezon City on Tuesday, the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) said that this is the last major step in fulfilling the country's commitment under the Montreal protocol.

"Our mandate under the Montreal Protocol is clear. This is to gradually reduce the country's consumption of HCFCs, or hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and to achieve their complete phase-out," DENR-EMB Director Michael Drake Matias said, adding th...