Experience a New Joy in Soy with This Newest Drink Craze from Singapore

Filipinos always get excited when there’s a new drink in town.  “Milk tea is life” has been the new mantra but wWhat if we tell you that there’s a new alternative to this drink that is equally delicious and addictive, but much healthier?

This September 25, discover a new kind of joy by well-loved Singaporean soy milk brand , Jollibean opens its first pop-up store in Greenbelt, Makati City. Renamed for the international market as Joybean, this new concept offers premium yet affordable, guilt-free, soy-based products with milk tea options to cater to our fellow Filipinos’ love for the popular Asian drink. It’s the freshest Singaporean concept in the Philippines to join BreadTalk, TWG, and Toast Box (now Nanyang).

Brought to the Philippine shores by Joybean Food Masters Corp., the launch of this newest milk craze was spearheaded by its President, Norman Raquel, the Chairman of the Board, Frederick T. Siy, and the Senior Vice President of Jollibean Foods Pte Ltd., Luis Daniel.

Healthier, vegan-friendly option for milk tea lovers

Joybean reveals its own take on this popular drink by introducing a milk tea line exclusive to the Philippine market.

“We’re aware that Filipinos are huge fans of milk tea, so we’re delighted to bring  a soy-based milk tea line to cater to this craving but with a healthier, lactose-free version that has less sugar and calories,” said Shannen Francisco, Assistant Brand Marketing Manager of Joybean Philippines.

Some of their recommended flavors are the Brown Sugar Soy Milk, Chocolate Joy Freeze, and Wintermelon Milk Tea. They taste just like your usual favorite drink, but with more health benefits. The drinks are made of soybean milk which is plant-based, and is a good source of protein so you won’t have to worry about compromising your diet. They are made of Grade A, non-GMO, and single variety IP Canadian soy beans. This makes it all vegan-friendly and do not contain any animal or animal by-products.

Apart from promoting hearty options, each drink comes with a sustainable straw made of bamboo, sugar cane, and coffee to help the environment. The food packaging is also eco-friendly and biodegradable. Joybean encourages its customers to help Mother Earth one sip at a time. 

A full menu of freshly-made, on-the-go snacks to match your drink

Aside from the array of delighful drinks, Joybean comes with flavorful snacks to match your chosen drink. 

You can order delicious pancakes in three variants; crispy, the Mee Chiang Kueh (traditional turnover pancake), and mini pancake rolls. They also have pudding and bean curd on the menu which one can enjoy individually or as a group with friends and family.  

“Everything is prepared fresh at the start of each day, and Joybean ensures these snacks contain no preservatives and no food colorings. They complement well with our soy milk drinks, plus they’re easy to consume and especially for the millennials who are in full swing.”

To take part of this new soy experience, drop by at Joybean’s booth located at Greenbelt 3 (across Seattle’s Best Coffee) and discover the new joy in soy! The  second pop-up store will soon open in SM Fairview later this year.

About Joybean

Joybean (Jollibean in Singapore) has been spreading joy with fresh and healthy soy products since 1995. Known in Singapore for bringing traditional drinks and snacks to convenient locations like shopping malls and MRT centers, Joybean aims to provide fresh, healthy, and premium quality soy-based drinks and snacks in a fuss-free and affordable advantage.

Cleanance: The Ultimate Natural Answer to Oily, Sensitive Skin

Avène’s Cleanance product line -- with cleansers, moisturizers and more that are specifically developed for the needs of oily and acne-prone skin -- launched Shine-Free Week September 26 – October 2 at SM Makati. 

Well-known dermatologist Dr. Karen Gavino-Dionisio of the Aesthetic Institute of the Philippines shared information about good skin cleansing habits and specific products that can help prevent breakouts, arrest excessive oil production and sooth sensitive skin. 

All week long, consumers got educated on skin types, the importance of caring for oily skin, the do’s and don’ts of oily skin and what products to use for various skin needs as they went through various stations at the Cleanance booth to enjoy interactive experiences and win prizes. 

Dr. Gavino-Dionisio said everyone dreams about having blemish-free skin, so people try different skin care regimens in the hope that they can minimize breakouts. Having sensitive skin compounds skin problems so finding a good skin care routine can be challenging because no one regimen works for everybody. Not just women but also men share the bane of oily, acne-prone skin.

Oily, acne-prone skin, said Dr. Gavino-Dionisio is a concern for 80% of adolescents and 40% of adults. Some of the risk factors of acne are genetic predisposition, hormonal changes, sun exposure, smoking, stress, diet and oily skin. 

Sebum, a naturally-occurring substance produced by the body’s sebaceous glands is vital to keep hair and skin lubricated and protected. However, the over-production of sebum can cause various skin problems. Excess oil secretion leads to clogged pores that result in acne. 

Dr. Gavino-Dionisio said acne comes in different forms and the appearance and severity of the skin condition differs from one person to another. If untreated, the condition can last for years. But meticulous caring, using the right products and treatment can control this complex skin dilemma. Treatments take an average of two months to work. Patience and perseverance are key. 

Cleanance, a French brand that is part of the famous Eau Thermale Avéne line, is the ultimate solution to oily skin for both men and women. It is made especially for acne-prone skin with spots and blackheads because it has gentle and exclusive active ingredients that regulate sebum production without drying the skin and also reduces the appearance of blemishes, said Karihome Philippines Head of Marketing, Anna Karennina Talatala. 

During Shine-Free Week, customers had access to Cleanance EXPERT—the full Cleanance line that was introduced at the interactive booths. When used as a team, the products help to carry out the Cleanance Skin Care Routine of Cleanse, Prepare, Reduce Blemishes and Protect.

Cleanance Cleansing Gel jumpstarts the cleansing process. It is soap-free but deeply cleanses the skin while maintaining the surface hydrolipidic film. It has the ability to control sebum production and keep breakouts at bay.

Cleanance Micellar Water can be used next to gently remove impurities from the face and eyes without the need to rinse. 

Cleanance Mattifying Lotion, a two toner combination of gentle astringent and mattifying powders can next be used to purify skin and tighten pores without irritation for a clear, shine-free complexion. 

Cleanance Skin Refining Serum, a super light, watery texture serum that gives skin a sensation of comfort and freshness without the unwanted stickiness, is also recommended. 

To reduce blemishes and dark sports, Cleanance Expert Emulsion helps eliminate mild to moderate blemishes, spots and blackheads while 

Cleanance Spot Corrector, a pen that helps reduce the appearance of localized blemishes with daily use, can be used to touch up unwanted spots.

Lastly, there is Cleanance Solaire, which is specifically made for oily, acne-prone skin and gives a matte and shine-free finish that’s perfect for oily skin types. It provides high-sun protection of delicate facial skin with acne.

The Cleanance EXPERT-Complete Care line is formulated for sensitive skin because it has gentle and exclusive active ingredients to regulate sebum production without drying the skin, even as it reduces the appearance of blemishes. It contains  Diolenyl that targets blemishes, X- Pressin that smoothens skin texture, Monolaurin that regulates sebum hyperproduction and Avéne Thermal Spring Water that soothes, softens and prevents skin irritation.

The Cleanance skincare line keeps skin purified, hydrated and mattified day after day.

For more information on Cleanance and the rituals of good skin care, visit our website www.eau-thermale-avene.ph, like our Facebook page @EauThermaleAvenePH and follow us on Instagram @avenephilippines.

SM by the BAY steers environmental consciousness through the International Coastal Cleanup

It's high time that we should be more careful and join movement that would take  our care of our environment. The mother Earth is almost dying and we are responsible for it by doing such things like throwing our waste in the ocean , We need to help clean our polluted waters, for the businesses to be more careful of the chemicals you are contributing in the drainage systems and so on and so forth , so that our children's children would have experience and enjoy marine life and it's beauty.

SM by the BAY and SM Mall of Asia, in partnership with DENR-NCR, International Coastal Cleanup Philippines, Pasay City CENRO, Philippine Coast Guard, the local government of Pasay City, and SM Cares, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of SM Prime Holdings, Inc., are holding the global celebration of the 34th International Coastal Cleanup Day today, September 21 to spread awareness in keeping the coastline clean for generations to come.

Happening at the Central Park of the bay area, inside the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City, the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) is one of the biggest events of SM by the BAY, to support its advocacy in caring for the environment.

This year’s coastal cleanup encourages thousands of volunteers and show their concern for the environment in cleaning the coastal stretch of the SM by the BAY. Through the years, participants have come from different sectors of the society including students, firemen, policemen, teachers, athletes, SM employees and many more.

Paired volunteers are assigned to different stations wherein one serves as the collector and other, the tabulator. Data collected is forwarded to Ocean Conservancy for final tabulation.

The coastal cleanup supports UN Sustainable Development Goal #14: Life Below Water, which aims to sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems from pollution, and safeguard them from all kinds of harmful land-based activities.

In fact, the 2019 ICC Philippines poster includes a turtle entangled in fishing net, which was inspired from an event last August 10, 2019, where a Green Sea Turtle was rescued near the coast of Manila Bay. That image serves as a reminder on the damaging effects if our activities are left unchecked and coasts remained unkempt.

“Each year, tons of garbage wind up in the oceans, with 60% being composed of plastic material. These are very hazardous to marine life. Now more than ever, the effects of climate change are seen and felt everywhere. We only have one earth; let’s get involved in putting an end to marine pollution for future generations,” said Perkin So, Senior Assistant Vice President of SM Mall of Asia, who leads the hundreds of SM volunteers for the cleanup.

Since 2015, SM By the BAY’s regular coastal cleanup initiative has already collected 682,000 kilograms of garbage, in more than 5,000 trash bags, and supported by close to 9,000 volunteers.

SM Cares is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. Other environment and sustainability programs of SM include SM by the BAY’s quarterly cleanup drive; Solar panel rooftop installations which promote the use of clean energy; Water recycling treatment for all malls wherein all recycled water is used back for non-potable and industrial needs; the Automated Weather Stations; the monthly Trash-to-Cash Recycling Market; and the Green Film Festival, to name a few.

As a responsible member of the community, SM ensures that its CSR programs serve as a catalyst for positive change in the communities that it supports. To know more about SM Cares, you may visit www.smcares.com.ph, www.facebook.com/OfficialSMCares, or send an e-mail to smcares@smsupermalls.com.

SM by the BAY steers environmental consciousness through the International Coastal Cleanup

SM by the BAY and SM Mall of Asia, in partnership with DENR-NCR, International Coastal Cleanup Philippines, Pasay City CENRO, Philippine Coast Guard, the local government of Pasay City, and SM Cares, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of SM Prime Holdings, Inc., are holding the global celebration of the 34th International Coastal Cleanup Day today, September 21 to spread awareness in keeping the coastline clean for generations to come.

Happening at the Central Park of the bay area, inside the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City, the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) is one of the biggest events of SM by the BAY, to support its advocacy in caring for the environment.

This year’s coastal cleanup encourages thousands of volunteers and show their concern for the environment in cleaning the coastal stretch of the SM by the BAY. Through the years, participants have come from different sectors of the society including students, firemen, policemen, teachers, athletes, SM employees and many more.

Paired volunteers are assigned to different stations wherein one serves as the collector and other, the tabulator. Data collected is forwarded to Ocean Conservancy for final tabulation.

The coastal cleanup supports UN Sustainable Development Goal #14: Life Below Water, which aims to sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems from pollution, and safeguard them from all kinds of harmful land-based activities.

In fact, the 2019 ICC Philippines poster includes a turtle entangled in fishing net, which was inspired from an event last August 10, 2019, where a Green Sea Tur

Plastic ACTion: Businesses tackle plastic pollution with WWF-Philippines

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines is tapping businesses to tackle plastic pollution and stop the flow of plastic waste into nature. 

As part of the first anniversary of WWF-Philippines’ #AyokoNgPlastik movement and the recent launch of its ‘No Plastics In Nature’ initiative, the conservation organization now introduces Plastic ACTion (PACT) for businesses.

At least 20 businesses came on board the movement on its first year and have since worked to significantly reduce their usage of single-use plastics. In the hopes of maximizing the efforts of these companies, WWF aims to encourage them to join PACT, a voluntary business initiative to eliminate plastic pollution in nature.

In a launch event held at the Discovery Suites Manila on September 18, 2019, businesses that have taken part in the sustainable journey movement were recognized as they transitioned into PACT. Each company reported their measurable impact in terms of the amount of plastic units that they were able to prevent from becoming trash.

“We all have a role to play in finding a solution to this plastics issue – and this includes businesses. We’re very grateful that these companies chose to take on the challenge of putting an end to plastic pollution and supporting our goal, which is to prevent plastic waste from leaking into nature,” shared WWF-Philippines President and CEO Joel Palma.

A total of nine businesses were awarded for taking first monumental steps towards plastic reduction. These businesses include Bellevue Hotel and Resorts, LIND Boracay, CIBO, The Moment Group, Toby’s Estate, Shakey’s Philippines, foodpanda, Corkcicle, and Fairways and Bluewater. 

Bellevue Hotel and Resorts served their complimentary water in glass bottles and stopped serving plastic straws, resulting in the annual elimination of 668,120 plastic bottles and 246,084 plastic straws. LIND Boracay also made the switch to water served in glass bottles, thus preventing 65,480 plastic bottles from becoming trash. 

CIBO opted to go with reusable straws, which removed 310,361 plastic straws for the first year. The Moment Group also refused to serve single-use leading to the elimination of 114,691 plastic straws and 53,700 plastic cutlery in one year. Removal of straws was also the focus of Toby’s Estate, eliminating 144,000 plastic straws in a year’s time. 

One of the top consumer companies, Shakey’s Philippines has also pledged to reduce and eventually eliminate plastic straws and containers, which could lead to the yearly reduction of 1,791,600 plastic straws and 1,837,700 plastic containers. Online food delivery marketplace foodpanda gave their customers the option to opt out of plastic cutlery, removing in one year 34,633 pairs of cutlery. 

Tumbler brand Corkcicle also promoted the use of reusable drinking bottles, thus eliminating 1,267,450 plastic bottles per annum. Lastly, Fairways and Bluewater also committed to reduce 1.2 million units of plastic annually by ditching plastic bottles and toiletry containers.

“We really hope that more businesses adopt circular solutions in their operations. Companies contribute to the production, consumption, and disposal of plastics globally which is why it is essential that they also take accountability for this. So far, our partners have been receptive of this and we are thankful to have their support,” said Czarina Constantino, WWF-Philippines’ No Plastics In Nature Initiative Project Manager.

Through PACT, WWF hopes to bring up industry standards of material use by providing advice and assistance to different companies and enable them to make decisions on how they can best adjust their operations while contributing to protecting the environment from unnecessary plastic waste.

To know more about the various WWF initiatives on plastic pollution, visit www.ayokongplastik.org or follow /WWF.Philippines on Facebook. To engage in conversations on plastics, join facebook.com/groups/ayokongplastik. 

Celebrating The Coffee Industry’s Success: the 13th Philippine Grand Barista Cup 2019

The 13th Philippine Grand Barista Cup 2019, headed by Allegro Beverage Corporation, became a huge success as baristas and coffee connoisseurs from different parts of the country gather last September 13 to witness a one of a kind coffee making competition.

The event was kicked off with a Milk Lab Challenge, joined by the 6 barista finalists. In this activity, they created 3 different drinks for the judges using Milk Lab. The winner showcased his exceptional creativity and skills, bagging the 3,000 peso grand prize.

Apart from industry experts, the event was also graced by local and international coffee champions who also served as judges — Mr. Marco Poidamani, Mr. Fabian Fredriksson, Mr. Tristan Destura and Mr. Fernando Menendez, Mr. Sherwin Balasan and Mr. Ernie Mesina.

During the competition, the finalists were asked to prepared 3 beverages — espresso, cappuccino and their own concocted drink.
After the exceptional showcase of skills, the judges chose the following coffee makers:

2nd Runner up- Karl Zouriel Lat, an independent competitor from Makati

1st Runner up- John Richard Co of Chapter Coffee Roastery and Café

Grand Winner JC Landicho of Magnum Opus

The 13th PGBC was also made possible by the following sponsors: Exposer Espresso Machine, Mahlkonig Grinder, Franke Coffee System, Moan Italian Coffee, Allegro Gourmet Syrup, Milk Lab, UCC Philippines, UCC Coffee Academy, BDO, Lotus Bischoff and Far Eastern University.

The country’s most anticipated and longest barista competition by the “most preferred coffee solutions” in the country – Allegro Beverage Corporation ended with an awarding ceremony and a fun photo opportunity.

Light up the Holiday season at SM Supermalls

Last Monday September 16, 2019 , SM starts it's count down of 100 days of Christmas promos and much more activities from the children through the Moms and Dad's and especially the Grandparents  of every Filipino family.

The echoing sound of Jose Mari Chan’s “Christmas in Our Hearts” only means one thing, ‘ber’ months have finally arrived!.  Yesterday evening , September 16, 2019, SM Supermalls begins  to light up the holiday season as it kicks off the county’s much awaited Christmas countdown!

“This Christmas season, friends and families can look forward to bigger and brighter events, installations, and activities at SM,  the “Home of Family Reunions”, as we continue to light up everyone’s lives in SM malls nationwide”, said SM Supermalls Coo Steven Tan.
Here’s what to expect at SM starting this September to get you into the Holiday spirit
Christmas Gift Ideas. Now is the perfect time for an early Christmas gift shopping! Starting September 15, shoppers may get their holiday Christmas baskets starting at Php 350 from SM Markets or an awesome selection of gifts with Watsons Gift Sets for as low as Php 99 starting October 1, 2019.

Holiday Deals. Get up to 50% off on children’s wear, shoes, accessories, and toys with the Babies & Kid’s Sale at the SM store from October 1-31 . Have’nt  shop for your Christmas party outfits yet? Mallgoers can also score great deals with up to 70% off at SM’s Pre-Holiday Sale from October 5 to November 3, 2019!

#Dear SM Santa. Send your Christmas wishes from Santa and get a chance to be one of the 60 lucky winners who will have their wishes granted with the #Dear SMSanta promo. To see the full mechanics, visit www.smsupermalls.com/dearsmsanta/.

Spotify Holiday Tunes. It is time to put your holiday tunes on queue? Set the mood by listening to SM Supermall’s  Christmas-curated Spotify playlist featuring your favoriteholiday jams including SM’s Christmas Jingle, “SM Mallidays”!

Spirit of Giving. Chiristmas is also about sharing love and happiness with the less fortunate. For only Php 200, you can buy two SM Bears of Joy-one bear to keep, while the other be donated to the mall’s chosen charity.

Light up the Christmas spirit and may your SM Mallidays sparkle at SM Supermalls! For more information, visit www.supermalls.com.

For exclusive news about SM Supermalls, visit www.smsupermalls.com or follow SM’s official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; and get an insider access to all the fun happenings at SM Supermalls nationwide through SM’s Viber Public Chat. Tweet your thoughts, upload and share your photos about your memorable moments at SM, then use its official hastag #EverythingsHereAtSM.

Kapihan Sa SM Masinag

Last Friday September 13, 2019 , Friday the 13th of the month SM Masinag through Me Vanisa  Pacheco, SM Masinag's Public Relation Manager started the 1st Kapihan sa SM here at SM Masinag, to make the public known the newest and latest activities , installations, major and minor news and important schedules that will be implemented and  will be happening on their own branch and even in every SM malls nationwide through their  own media and Online bloggers .

The afternoon starts with one of their sponsors of Kapihan, which is the Coffee Grounds represented by one of their manager named, Me. Andrea Zapanta,  which gives some backgrounds on their business branch in Masinag and their much bigger and more products served at SM Taytay Rizal.

The second speaker is Ms. Rose Penaranda of Cinema  which specifically tells about SM Cinema's promo's, block screening  offers and discounts.

The third speaker iis SM's Marketing Czar Agbulos  which gives the annual  events in a monthly basis . And announces the coming events  this mid month of September till December..2019

And Last but not the least Dr. Corazon Laserna , of Antipolo's tourism , calling all the Rizalenyos to uplift the city of Rizal and pave the way to participate on every types of businesses, heritage, cultural products and historical venues to unite and pave the way to grow as a City with pride and dignity standing on its own feet for the greater good of the nation. 

She further says  that as  of today Rizal is 9th place on the richest place in food , heritage and culture , the reason why the city of Rizal is having an early Christmas launch at the Kapitolyo or City Hall of Antipolo , on September 26, 2019, mutiple crafts and colorful displays  made of recyclable  materials including Christmas decor made from every  municipality , Native foods of every kind will  be on food kiosks representing every province in Rizal. Dr. Pasadena  thanks SM for their support whenever needed.

For more information Like SMMasinag on FB and Instagram.

Solane picked up it's 1st Kitchen Hero Champion 2019 on Chefs’ Edition

Who has what it takes to be the newest culinary master of the Philippines?

Last August 24, 2019 Solane''s final match on Solane''s kitchen Hero was finally held at Tendiesitas Pasig. The country will soon find out as Solane, the leading LPG solutions brand, names the first-ever winner of the Solane Kitchen Hero Chef’s Edition, a nationwide cooking competition that aims to discover a new generation of local talented chefs. After a series of regional competitions, Solane has finally gathered a total of 15 talented chefs from all over the Philippines who will rustle up their best dishes at the competition’s grand finals which will be held at Eton Centris in Quezon City, Metro Manila.

"As the competition is nearing its conclusion, we are utterly excited to finally find the first-ever Solane Kitchen Hero. Throughout the competition, we were awed by the exemplary dishes we have encountered, as well as the outstanding level of culinary expertise we have seen from our chefs," says Isla LPG Corp. CEO Ruben Domingo. "We said in the beginning that we aim to recognize these chefs who can bring Filipino cuisine to the world stage, and I think we have successfully achieved that."

    

 

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Solane Kitchen Hero travelled across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao and found the 15 finalists who will all represent their respective regions in the finals. The regional winners will compete in the semi-finals where the top 5 qualifiers will move on to the grand finals for the final cook-off to find out who among them will be hailed the champion of Solane Kitchen Hero Chefs’ Edition.

The culinary creations will be judged by renowned chef and Solane Kitchen Hero ambassador Chef Sau del Rosario, bestselling author and Solane Kitchen Hero competition director Nancy Reyes-Lumen, along with other accomplished food experts and chefs. It will be based on the following criteria: 50% featured ingredients and 50% originality and creativity.

ROSELLER FIEL II - REGION IX

Finally after the 15 contestants cooked and picked up top 5 qualifiers . They cooked their last piece of meals based on their picked proteins and ingredients finally have the last call for the  winner of Solane Kitchen Hero Chefs’ Edition  goes to Chef ROSELLER FIEL II ,takes home Php 100,000 and will embark on a culinary trip to Japan with customized stops at different food and drink destinations. This exciting cooking contest is made possible with the support of dynamic organizations and brands championing the same passion for cookery in the country. STI serves as their official school partner while Midea is a co-presenter. Major sponsors are Masflex, Jolly, Jolly Heartmate Canola Oil, Dona Elena, and Dona Elena Al Dente. Minor sponsors are King Sue, Ajinomoto, Philtranco, Fastcat, Chef’s Garb, and National Bookstore.

To know more about Solane Kitchen Hero Chef’s Edition, visit Solane’s website www.solane.com.ph and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/solane.ph/.

WWF-Philippines reinforces battle against unnecessary plastic with “No Plastics in Nature” initiative

In line with the 1st anniversary of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines’ #AyokoNgPlastik movement, the leading environmental organization launches the ‘No Plastics in Nature’ Initiative, a larger approach that seeks to stop the flow of plastic waste in nature by 2030.

The problem with plastics has been escalating for decades, where the Philippines has been identified as the world’s third largest contributor of plastics in the ocean. Plastic pollution has always been a huge issue in the Philippines with the continuous generation of plastic wastes and poor waste management.

In 2016, global plastic production has reached 396 million metric tons, which translates to 53 kilograms of plastic per person on the planet. A third of this number has already become land or marine pollution and with a projected increase of 40% by 2030, an additional 104 million metric tons will leak into nature in a business as usual scenario. This poses harmful effects not only to our environment, but to human health as well. It is estimated that on average, people could be ingesting approximately 5 grams of plastic every week.

Recognizing the threat brought about by plastic pollution, WWF-Philippines rolled out the #AyokoNgPlastik movement last year in hopes of addressing the issue by creating awareness among Filipinos to reduce dependence on single-use plastics such as straws, bags, bottles, and cups, among others.

This year, WWF-Philippines reinforces their campaign against unnecessary plastics by adopting the ‘No Plastics in Nature’ Initiative, a global WWF approach that intends to stop the flow of plastics entering nature by 2030 through elimination of unnecessary plastics, doubling reuse, recycling, and recovery, and ensuring remaining plastic is sourced responsibly.

“With the ‘No Plastics in Nature’ Initiative, we are hoping to make the Philippines free of unnecessary plastic wastes, but we cannot do this alone, we need the help of everyone. Every individual, company, and institution should be mindful of the amount of plastics they produce and use daily, and take action accordingly, to make this goal a reality,'' said Joel Palma, WWF-Philippines President and CEO.

The initiative is a holistic approach consisting of four main strategies such as lobbying for a global legally binding agreement on plastic pollution, Plastic Smart Cities movement for cities and tourism destinations, Plastic Action (PACT) for businesses, and #AyokoNgPlastik for the general public.

The WWF network is continually pushing for a new international legally binding agreement to comprehensively address marine plastic pollution throughout the full life cycle from both production to disposal and recovery back into a circular loop. This is the network’s response to the agreement made at the recent 14th Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention (COP 14) in Geneva, which stresses that the developing world could no longer be a plastic dumping ground and that any trade would require the prior consent from the receiving country.

Plastic Smart Cities, on the other hand, is a global movement of cities and tourism destinations that are fighting plastic pollution through improved collection, recycling, reduction of key waste plastics, and landfill management. Currently, the Philippines is working in six cities including Davao City, Digos City, Tagum City, Manila City, Parañaque City, Island Garden City of Samal, and four municipalities including Lupon, San Isidro, Sta. Cruz, and Donsol.

Meanwhile, WWF-Philippines was able to partner with at least 20 businesses for the sustainable journey movement where programs to reduce or eliminate single-use plastics in their supply chain system, workplace, and business operations were implemented. This program resulted in the prevention of over 1.5 million pieces of plastic waste from leaking into nature. Currently, WWF-Philippines is adopting the Plastic Action (PACT), which is a regional initiative on engaging businesses to take on a circular economy.

Finally, WWF-Philippines’ successful #AyokoNgPlastik movement will continue to educate the general public about plastic pollution, its impacts, and how people can help in addressing it through the Facebook community and the recently launched AyokoNgPlastik microsite. Members of the movement have also demonstrated their commitment to this cause by signing the petition to support the call for a new legally binding international agreement on plastic pollution.

“The problem on plastic pollution will only continue to worsen if we don’t do anything about it. We are determined to address this issue to ensure that there will be no more plastic pollution in nature by 2030, and we hope to achieve that through the ‘No Plastics in Nature’ Initiative,” Palma reiterated.

WWF-Philippine’s ‘No Plastics in Nature’ Initiative was launched on the 5th of September at Shakey’s Quezon Avenue. Shakey’s Philippines is one of the newest partners and supporters of the #AyokoNgPlastik movement.

To know more about WWF-Philippines and the ‘No Plastics in Nature’ Initiative, visit www.ayokongplastik.org or follow /WWF.Philippines on Facebook. To engage in conversations on plastics, join facebook.com/groups/ayokongplastik.