Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI) recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Province of Iloilo and the Municipality of Pavia to begin a long-term partnership toward a World Without Waste.
Iloilo Governor Arthur R. Defensor Jr., Pavia Vice Mayor Edsel Gerochi representing Mayor Laurence Anthony G. Gorriceta, and Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) head Atty. Cesar Emmanuel Buyco led the signing with Coca-Cola representatives Atty. Marc Cox, Director for Stakeholder Relation; Eddie Dolutan, Commercial Unit Director for West Visayas; Rowena Bulandus, Coca-Cola Iloilo Plant Manager; and Jojo Castillo, Regional Sales Manager for Metro Iloilo.
The partnership launches CCBPI’s nationwide collection program Tapon to Ipon: Basta Klaro, Panalo! in the Province of Iloilo.
The initiative will collect clear PET plastic bottles from local communities and bring them to PETValue Philippines for recycling into new food-grade packaging.
PETValue Philippines is CCBPI’s state-of-the-art recycling facility, established with global sustainable chemical company Indorama Ventures—and is the first of its kind facility in the country, having been granted pioneering status by the DTI Board of Investments.
The project aims to collect used PET bottles of any brand and sizes which could be brought to collection hubs in exchange of Coca-Cola products or could be sold to accredited junk shops.
Also read: Coca-Cola packaging circularity is progressing in PH
Twenty small-scale collection hubs will be installed in strategic sari-sari stores in Pavia and one at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol.
It is one way of reducing and diverting wastes instead of directly dumping at the disposal site which if not properly disposed will end up into the ocean.
Atty. Cox thanked Gov. Defensor and the Iloilo provincial government for partnering with CCBPI in this project which aims to help save the environment.
Gov. Defensor for his part cited the importance of the project in strengthening the solid waste management program of the province.
“We are very thankful for this project and we look forward to other areas of partnership and collaboration. This project (Tapon to Ipon) will be a significant part of our solid waste management strategy,” Defensor stressed.
Also underway is the transformation of partner sari-sari stores as collection hubs for post-consumer PET plastic bottles, as well as the launch of an information-dissemination campaign about segregation and recycling.
CCBPI with the help of the PGENRO also plan to expand the said project to the rest of the municipalities wherein the municipality of Dingle was identified as one of the large-scale collection hubs.
The MOA has a term of three years which may be extended under such terms and conditions to be agreed upon by the parties.
Also present to witness the MOA signing were Board Members Jo Anne Germinanda and Ramon Sullano. (ECG/ Capitol News)