As the Philippines confronts growing waste management challenges, this Policy Note examines how circular economy (CE) pathways can help reshape current practices and strengthen environmental governance at both the national and local levels. The authors find that although existing laws, such as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and the Extended Producer Responsibility Act, provide a solid CE foundation, implementation remains fragmented and constrained by weak enforcement, unclear mandates, and limited upstream measures. Stakeholders remain cautiously optimistic about CE adoption and recognize positive policy developments, but they also identify persistent gaps in governance, the need to integrate the informal waste sector, and the importance of tailoring CE strategies to local contexts. Thus, the authors recommend embedding environmental justice, enhancing community participation, focusing on waste reduction, and promoting whole-of-government and whole-of-society engagement to achieve a truly inclusive CE transition in the Philippines.