Launching its second edition from December 7-11 at SMX Mall of Asia, the 29th Defense and Sporting Arms Show, organized by The Association of Firearms and Ammunition Dealers, Inc. (AFAD), is not merely an exposition of firearms but a strategic step towards transforming the annual gathering into a true sporting event.
AFAD President Aric Topacio shared his vision, stating, “It is time to make our annual event into something else. Very soon, beginning this year, we shall be known not just as individual gun enthusiasts but as a unified industry.”
As the country’s longest-running arms show, the event promises to showcase various top-of-the-line local and imported firearms, optics, sporting goods, and accessories. Open to the public, gun enthusiasts, hobbyists, and sportsmen are all invited to partake in this immersive experience.
What sets this edition apart is AFAD’s dual role: not only as a catalyst for showcasing the latest in firearms but also as a significant player in shaping policy and promoting responsible gun ownership. AFAD aims to influence the narrative surrounding firearms, elevating it from a mere trade show to a forum for discussing policies that impact the industry.
“Despite the current gun ban due to the barangay election, our athletes remain active in competition. AFAD stands ready to assist them, securing special permits when needed,” shared Topacio, emphasizing AFAD’s commitment to navigating the regulatory landscape.
One distinctive aspect of AFAD’s role is its active participation in policy advocacy. The organization seeks to be a voice in the development of regulations and policies that govern the firearms industry. By engaging with policymakers, AFAD aims to contribute to creating a regulatory framework that balances public safety concerns with the rights of responsible gun owners.
AFAD’s proactive stance in policy-making is a commitment to the industry and an acknowledgment of its responsibility to society. By fostering an environment where the sportsmanship aspect of firearms ownership is highlighted, AFAD aims to reshape public perception and contribute positively to the discourse on responsible gun ownership.
As the show anticipates robust participation from local and international gun enthusiasts, AFAD’s role takes center stage-bridging the worlds of sport, advocacy, and policy. The event not only showcases cutting-edge firearms but also serves as a platform for informed discussions, ensuring that the industry evolves responsibly, aligning with the highest standards of safety and sportsmanship.
AKLANONS can look forward to an unforgettable night of music as the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) serenades them live in concert on November 29, 2023, at 7pm, at the Aklan Provincial Capitol, in front of the Godofredo P. Ramos Park, in Kalibo, Aklan.
Billed Hala Bira PPO sa Kalibo, audiences can catch the PPO, led by Dr. Herminigildo G. Ranera, perform familiar tunes like Mikhail Glinka’s “Russian and Ludmilla Overture”, Johannes Brahms’ “Hungarian Dance No. 5”, Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite, Camille Sains Saens’ “Danse Bacchanale” from the opera Samson et Dalila, Selections from Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music”, and Ernani Cuenco’s “Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal”. Surprise numbers are included in the repertoire especially programmed for the Aklanon audience.
“Asia’s Golden Girl” and three-time Aliw Award winner soprano Gerphil Flores-Libana and classically-trained tenor and musical theatre actor Arman Ferrer will be the guest performers in the Aklan concert.
Known for their colorful Ati-Atihan Festival, the Mother of all Filipino festivals, Aklanons shout “hala bira” which means “let’s go crazy!” or “Let’s party!”. It is also an expression of joy and excitement during the celebration Aklanons boast of a vibrant and artistically inclined culture, especially in music, with well-developed courtship songs or kundiman, wedding hymns, and funeral rituals. They are also widely known for their creativity and skilled craftsmanship evident in their traditional arts and crafts.
Everyone is invited to attend and experience this free concert presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines in partnership with the Local Government of Aklan through the Office of Mayor Juris Sucro.
Hala Bira PPO sa Kalibo is part of the CCP’s Outreach Program in its mission to promote and preserve the best of Filipino Arts and Culture by embodying the values of Katotohanan (truth), Kagandahan (beauty), and Kabutihan (goodness).
The CCP outreach program, under the CCP Office of the President, focuses on expanding the Center’s reach to the regions by showcasing the CCP brand of productions and shows in the country, while nurturing the next generation of artists and cultural workers, engaging the public to address art education and appreciation, and creating critical conversations and cultural exchanges among stakeholders to usher in national development, especially among the youths.
Established in 1973 as an accompaniment for the performing artists at the CCP, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra has become the country’s leading orchestra and is widely regarded as one of the best in the country. It has performed with world’s renowned conductors including Mendi Rodan, Piero Gamba, Enrique Batis, Sebastian Bereau, and Nicholas Koch, as well as performed with the best foreign and Filipino artists such as Van Cliburn, Renata Tebaldi, Judith Engel, Anthony Camden, David Benoit, Cecile Licad, Raul Sunico, and Lea Salonga.
The PPO toured Europe in 2001 and participated in the Asia Orchestra Week in September 2002 held at the Tokyo Opera City Hall upon the invitation of the Association of Japanese Symphony Orchestras. It performed at Bangkok’s National Theater in September 2004 upon the invitation of Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vandhana of Thailand. In June 2016, PPO made history when it became the first Filipino orchestra to perform at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the PPO will be in Nueva Ecija on December 9, and Bulacan on December 18 for its next outreach concerts.
Visit the CCP website (culturalcenter.gov.ph) or follow the official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates.
Understanding the cultural and social importance of lullabies in Philippine society, the Cultural Center of the Philippines continues its mission to reintroduce Philippine indigenous lullabies to contemporary audiences and develop nurturers that are grounded in songs and hele through its Himig Himbing project.
Spearheaded by the CCP Arts Education Department, through its Audience Development Division, Himig Himbing is now on its second edition, featuring lullabies Bata Alimahi, Lubi-Lubi, Dandansoy, Uyug-Uyug, Gonon Klukab Tumabaga, O Matas a Banua, Tungas kay ta Sampaw, and Ligliway Teng.
Based on the research of ethnomusicologist Sol Trinidad, with musical arrangement by Krina Cayabyab, each indigenous lullaby is given a cinematic interpretation by talented Filipino filmmakers Zig Dulay, Jerrold Tarog, Sheron Dayoc, Doy and Ida Del Mundo, Ma-an Asuncion Dagñalan, Vic Acedillo Jr, Arden Rod Condez, and Christopher Gozum.
For Bata Alimahi, director Arden Rod Condez lets the song take him to where his mind should be when he directed the music video. He associated it with “a bird wanting to get out of a cage. She flies all over her cage to find a way to escape. And when she does, it is when she finally feels alive. But unlike a bird escaping, this one has to go back to her cage and get rid of all the things that make it a prison. This bird doesn’t just want to escape; she wants to build a better home.”
Unlike other lullabies, Bata Alimahi is quite jazzy, upbeat, and danceable, despite its melancholic lyrics of a mother wanting to go back to her childhood.
“I envisioned a dance video to jive with the upbeat melody of the lullaby while still expressing what the lyrics are saying. I have always been a fan of dance as an art form, and I’m happy to direct a dance performance through Himig Himbing,” shared Condez.
Aside from being his first time directing a music video, what made this project more exciting for the filmmaker behind the award-winning Cinemalaya film John Denver Trending is that the music video is for a regional lullaby. Condez has been known to promote what the regions have to offer in his cinematic works.
Director Vic Acedillo Jr., on the other hand, has been hoping for projects, like this, to help promote the lesser-known local arts and culture to the general public. He took charge of creating a music video for Tungas Kay Ta Sampaw, a lullaby from the place where he lives, Camiguin Island.
Being a non-Kinamigin speaker, it took a while for him to fully understand the song which has to be translated correctly first before we can understand its meaning in the local context. With the help of Nestor Tongol, a Kinamigin expert, the director makes the song comprehensible by telling a more complete story in the music video.
“The heart of it is in the phrase lutaw na bunot (floating coconut husk), a local expression that means being useless and with no clear direction. The phrase made the rest of the song make sense. I want to aid the viewers visually in understanding the meaning of the words. We made the lutaw na bunot metaphor more explicit in the character of the music video,” said Acedillo Jr.
The director and his team actually came up with three different storyboards before finalizing the concept “because the words of the song felt philosophical and hard to grasp. The song is a very popular song that was transmitted orally for many generations. Why did it stick for so long, I wondered. Maybe, it is because the song teaches an important lesson in life,” shared the director behind the Cinemalaya film Ang Nerseri.
For the lullaby, Ligliway Ateng, director Christopher Gozum based his interpretation from his experiences and reflections as a parent.
“I showed a young woman who does not value the love of her mother, but in the end arrives at a stark realization that it is in her mother’s unconditional love that she will always fall back into when the world turns against her,” shared Gozum.
Associating the lullaby to boats and bodies of water, specifically riverine communities in Northern Luzon, Gozum tried to craft a short film story with a very clear arc.
“The staging of the film is grounded on the documentary realism of our chosen location which is Dagupan City, Pangasinan. The location provided a lot of ethnographic details and the creative process is highly collaborative with the actors and the crew,” said Gozum.
With CCP and Cinemalaya paving the way for her filmmaking career, director Ida del Mundo more than welcomes any opportunity to collaborate with the arts institution, especially in creating cinematic interpretation on the Blaan indigenous lullaby Gonon Klukab Tumabaga.
“It was very interesting to hear the lullaby for the first time. It doesn’t sound like the usual gentle lullaby. I knew it would be a challenge. Krina’s arrangement greatly influenced our interpretation in the flow of movement in the choreography and even in the dark ambience of the visuals. With the trance-like music, we are lulled into a dream state, where past, present, and future dance together,” shared del Mundo.
Knowing that dance is also an important part of indigenous culture and realizing that it is something that hasn’t been done in the previous edition of Himig Himbing, del Mundo collaborated with choreographer Ronelson Yadao, as well as production designer Eric Cruz, DOP Eric Liongoren, and editor Cindy Custodio to create a dance music video that shows the flow of the dance and also tells a story with music, movement, and visuals.
The music video will use images of water together with the flow of the body in dance. It will merge the indigenous movement with modern dance depicting the character of a father in different realms or generations and a young son who grows up within the dance.
Since she is known for her Cinemalaya film K’na the Dreamweaver about the Tboli indigenous people, del Mundo was conscious about highlighting the uniqueness of Blaan culture in the music video.
“I want to make sure that the Blaan culture is well-represented. At the same time, Ronelson and I discussed a lot about avoiding cultural appropriation in our interpretation of the music. I was able to work with videographers from South Cotabato who had footage of the Blaan prayer ritual in the water that uses the gong, as well as videos of Blaan dancers. We hope to accurately represent the Blaan culture through these video clips, while the contemporary dance is an homage to the indigenous music and culture. The projections are a play on indigenous culture presented using technology,” said del Mundo.
Like all the filmmakers involved in the Himig Himbing Project, filmmaker Ma-an Asuncion-Dagñalan agreed to do the project because she loves working with CCP, one of the institutions that opened a door of opportunities for her since Cinemalaya 2022, and it is a project that is closed to her heart.
“In some societies, a lullaby is used to pass down a cultural knowledge or tradition, and not just a song that is usually sung or played for the children. As the proverb says, ‘You reap what you sow.’ When parents plant good morals and values in their child, their children reap great consequences. A child’s future is shaped by present actions,” said the director of Cinemalaya 2022’s Best Film Blue Room.
In the music video of O Matas a Banua, Asuncion-Dagñalan shows how parents pass their knowledge and inculcate values to their child through growing plants and preparing a dish, a metaphor on how parents prepare their kids to be adults.
Hailing from the agricultural province of Pampanga, also known as the “Culinary Capital of the Philippines,” the director incorporated farming and cooking in the music video, with contemporary dance aiding the stages of human life. The music video was done through a virtual process, a filming treatment where the filmmakers shot the talents over a Chroma green, and the environment is a 3D animation.
“This was very exciting for me because it is my first time doing this process, and I guess, it’s also the first time for CCP’s Himig Himbing. Carlon did a very creative and interesting choreography— which helps the storytelling of the whole music video,” shared Asuncion-Dagñalan.
The music videos were launched during the Himig Himbing: Isang Araw Para sa Batang Sining last November 5, 2023, at the Tanghalang Ignacio B. Gimenez. Hosted by actress Iza Calzado, the launch also featured performances by Bituin Escalante, Baihana, Aleron Male Ensemble, guitarist Ivar Nicholas Fojas, singer Lorelie Macaspac, and Jesper Mercado and Band.
Catch these music videos on CCP’s Youtube and Facebook Page to be launched every weekend starting November 11 to December 3.
To provide ample time for more groups to produce their video entries, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) has extended the application deadline from CCP Kanto Kultura: Baraptasan 2024 to December 10, 2023.
The competition is open to groups, with members who must be Filipinos, and aged 18 and above. Each group must be composed of three (3) individuals; two playing as the opposing sides in the verbal joust (Una at Ikalawang Magbabaraptas) and one mediator (Lakandiwa). Groups can use the following languages: Filipino, Ilokano, Hiligaynon, and Cebuano.
To join, groups must submit a video of their Baraptasan performance, focusing on any of the following topics:
1. Sa pagsusulong ng kaunlaran ng bansa, aling paraan ang dapat gamitin – makabago o makaluma?
2. Nakakatulong ba ang social media sa pag-unlad ng kaisipan ng mamamayan – oo o hindi?
3. Kailangan bang mangibang-bayan upang higit na mapaunlad ang sarili?
Groups can submit their entry through this link: https://forms.gle/fgxQx5j1nn7kiAS87. Zoom recordings of the Baraptasan performance are also accepted.
From the submissions, 10 finalists will be selected and invited to perform in the national competition, slated on April 6, 2024, in Manila, in time for the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the first-ever Balagtasan. Travel and accommodation expenses of the finalists during their stay in Manila will be shouldered by CCP.
Winners will receive the following prizes: a. First prize, Php300,000; Second prize, Php200,000; and Third prize, Php100,000. The finalists will receive Php50,000 each.
To know more about CCP Kanto Kultura: Baraptasan 2024, follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook: Cultural Center of the Philippines and CCP’s Kanto Kultura.
Expanding its reach to the regions, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) takes its two-week mentorship program on the study and practice of dramatic writing for the stage, dubbed the Virgin Labfest (VLF) Writing Fellowship Program, to the Visayas region this November.
For the past years, the CCP has been organizing the VLF Writing Fellowship Program as part of its mandate to nurture the next generation of artists, in this case, playwrights, who appreciate and support artistic and cultural work.
Last year, with the assistance of The Performance Laboratory, Inc. and the Negros Museum, the CCP brought this program to the Visayas region and train young aspiring Filipino playwrights to hone their craft and to provide opportunities for budding young playwrights to explore and better understand their options should they determine to pursue this artistic endeavor as a professional career.
This is in line with the CCP’s focus on providing greater accessibility to artistic opportunities and creative collaborations for every Filipino, as well as encouraging art participation among the Filipino youth.
While the program follows the basic curriculum observed by the VLF Writing Fellowship Program in Manila, the VLF Writing Fellowship Program in Visayas caters to the cultural geography of the regions to better represent the voices and experiences of its fellows.
“We understand the importance of cultural geography in relation to artmaking and artist’s identity. The fellows are encouraged to write in their local language, and narrate the social realities of their regions,” shared Art Education Department manager Eva Mari Salvador.
Now, on its second year, the regional leg of the VLF Writing Fellowship Program, in partnership with The Performance Laboratory, Inc., will take place online and onsite from November 7 to 18, 2023, at the Negros Museum in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.
For this upcoming iteration of the program, eight new fellows from the regions will be joining the writing fellowship, namely: Andy Moleño Abellar, Ursula P. David, Jalene Isabel J. Dumancas, Kym Lance G. Gelvero, Alessandro Kennz Nioda, Crystal Puying, Yehudi Sumalinog Santillan III, and Richard Bermejo Tolosa, Jr.
The fellows accepted to the program will be mentored by award-winning playwright Glenn Sevilla Mas, and will be given the opportunity to immerse themselves in Virgin Labfest Visayas’s Lab-as, the regional counterpart of CCP’s largest theater festival of untried, untested, and unstaged one-act plays as part of their mentorship. For two weeks, the fellows will attend lectures, undergo script critiquing, take part in writing sessions, and interact with known playwrights, directors and selected actors.
The fellowship program will conclude with a staged reading of the fellows’ works on November 18, 2023, 5pm, also at the Negros Museum.
Organized by the CCP Artist Training Division, the VLF Writing Fellowship Program is one of the educational components of the Virgin Labfest. Co-produced by the CCP, Tanghalang Pilipino, and the Writer’s Bloc, the country’s biggest theater festival has gained a reputation of producing provocative and outstanding ‘virgin’ plays, most have been recognized by the Palanca Awards for Literature.
Marikina City – Gilren Bajado, lady security guard of RJC Security Solutions, was recognized as the Outstanding Security Guard of the Year at the 43rd Founding Anniversary of the Civil Security Group at Camp Crame. The recognition ceremony was presided over by PNP Chief PGen Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. SM Supermalls Customer Relations Services Senior Assistant Vice President Mr. Almus J. Alabe and Regional CRS Manager Harold James E. Herrera were also in attendance to witness the awarding ceremony.
LG Bajado’s outstanding accomplishment stems from her remarkable act of honesty and integrity on August 3, 2023, at SM Cinema, SM City Marikina. During her clearing duties, she discovered a lost black pouch containing 64,800 pesos, along with ATM cards and assorted ID cards belonging to Mr. Starsky D. Paunan, a 44-year-old staff member of Palarong Pambansa.
L-R: SM City Marikina Customer Relations Services Manager Mr. Edward S. Masangcay, Regional CRS Manager Mr. Harold E. Herrera, Lady Guard Gilren Bajado of RJC Security, PNP Chief Bejamin Acorda Jr., SM Supermalls Senior Asst VP for CRS Mr. Almus J. Alabe, RJC HR Manager Mr. Wilmark Reyes
Without hesitation, she reported this to the CRS office, ensuring the safe return of the lost valuables to their rightful owner. Her integrity, honesty, and dedication have earned her this prestigious recognition and admiration from her peers and superiors.
SM Supermalls and RJC Security Solutions take immense pride in her achievement, as it reflects the company’s core values of professionalism, honesty, and integrity. Her commitment to her duties, her sense of responsibility, and her exemplary character have brought honor not only to herself but also to RJC Security Solutions as a leading provider of comprehensive security services.
The recognition of LG Gilren Bajado as the Outstanding Security Guard of the Year strengthens SM Supermalls’ commitment to maintaining the highest standards of excellence. The company consistently strives to provide security solutions while ensuring that its employees embody the highest ethical standards.
SM Supermalls extends its warmest congratulations to LG Gilren Bajado for her outstanding achievement and for being a shining example of integrity and professionalism. Her actions serve as an inspiration to all and remind us of the impact that a single individual can have on building a safer and more trustworthy society.
Recognizing today’s youth’s key role as tomorrow’s guardians of the environment, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) and the World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-Philippines) have teamed up to launch YOUth are the Future,a leadership program aimed at equipping young student leaders on environmental conservation, climate change, and sustainability issues. “There is no better time than now to educate the youth. As stewards of the planet, it is important that they have an opportunity to learn about environmental conservation, encourage them to voice out their fresh ideas, and share new perspectives,” said WWF-Philippines Education for Sustainable Development Project Head Dino Calderon.
“When we provide our young student leaders with learning opportunities and expose them to practical solutions, we have a chance to help them design a sustainable future. We are committed to making sure that things change for the better,” says Hans “Chico” Sy, President of SM Engineering Design and Development Corporation (SMEDD) and SM sustainability champion.
Commencing with the grand launch on October 10, 2023, the student ambassadors from various Metro Manila high schools participated in a discovery tour around the SM Mall of Asia Complex, which features SM Prime’s sustainability efforts and disaster resiliency practices. The formal introduction of YOUth are the Future Ambassadors was held at the SMX Convention Center, along with a pinning ceremony. Leaders and representatives from SM Prime, WWF-Philippines, government agencies, and foreign dignitaries are also present at the event.
In a message she delivered during the event, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said, “Our journey is really about the race to resilience; as our climate changes, society is changing. Sustainability is our pathway to survival as a planet, and that is what resilience is really about: the ability to withstand the impacts of the hazards that we know and those that we could face in the future.”
The youth ambassadors will participate in a three-day eco-camp at the Pico De Loro Beach and Country Club in November, where they will learn about waste and energy management, resource optimization, and climate mitigation and adaptation strategies from some of the country’s experts.
Renowned for its role in Olive Ridley Sea Turtle conservation, the 3-day eco camp in Hamilo Coast also serves as an immersive natural classroom for environmental conservation. The expected output from the eco-camp is a Green Manifesto that outlines their plans to effect change and a storybook module co-authored by all the participants. The program will culminate in a series of mall and school tours throughout Metro Manila to boost youth engagement and student ambassador recruitment.
In a message sent by her excellency, Vice President and Department of Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte, she said, “This visionary program embodies the transformative power of education and empowerment in shaping a more sustainable and resilient future.
Taking advantage of this program will give you all a head start on becoming influential figures in creating a more sustainable and ecologically aware culture”.
Together with its partners, WWF-Philippines hopes to empower young Filipinos further to become the next generation of sustainability champions. Programs like YOUth are the Future can help future generations become proactive leaders who can #ChangeTheEnding for the planet.
MANILA, PHILIPPINES –Gilas Pilipinas stalwarts Scottie Thompson and Justin Brownlee had a special shoutout for ArenaPlus, the 24/7 online sports betting app and official sportsbook of GILAS Pilipinas upon their return to the Philippines early Sunday morning.
Thompson, the brand’s official endorser and brand ambassador, thanked ArenaPlus for going all out in their support for the Philippine team in the recently concluded 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.
“Thank you for always being there and for your support for GILAS Pilipinas. Personally, for me, it means a lot to have ArenaPlus with us every time I play,” Thompson said.
Series top-scorer Justin Brownlee chimed in and said ArenaPlus’ support was instrumental in the team’s victory. “To the ArenaPlus family, thank you for the support throughout our GILAS journey in the Asian Games. Yeah! Thanks for being there with us; we brought home the gold, and it was all worth it!”
The momentous victory of GILAS Pilipinas marked not just a bounce back after the Philippines’ FIBA World Cup bid, it moreover ended a 61-year gold drought for the country at the Asian Games.
Throwing its support behind the team and its program development as it strives for world-class and quality basketball, ArenaPlus joined the Filipino community in celebrating the moment of victory and pride and welcoming the conquering heroes wioth a warm reception.
“The brand is fully committed to providing more unwavering support to GILAS Pilipinas, Philippine sports and Filipino talents, ensuring a quality and truly entertaining experience for everyone,” said Jasper Vicencio, ArenaPlus president.
Among the winning lineup besides Thompson and Brownlee who were welcomed by ArenaPlus were FIBA World Cup veterans June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar and RR Pogoy. ArenaPlus was also a solid supporter of the FIBA World Cup and its official sportsbook. It is also the official sportsbook partner of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
For more information about ArenaPlus, visit arenaplus.net and download the app from Google Play and the App Store.
Leading real estate developer in Southeast Asia, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Japan’s GUUN Co. Ltd. to explore a potential partnership to implement waste management solutions by recycling waste paper and plastics as an alternative source of energy called ‘fluff fuel’.
Fluff Fuels are one type of RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel) that are produced from shredded and compressed plastics, papers, and fibers. These are used as fuels in cement manufacturing, paper mill companies, or power companies in Japan.
SM Prime Chairman of the Executive Committee Hans T. Sy is positive that a partnership with GUUN will contribute to the waste reduction goals of the country. “Today, Japan’s waste management and recycling technology is among the most advanced in the world,” he said. “There is no better partner for SM because we do not just talk about being big, we make sure we do it; we do not talk about being environment friendly but we do take bold steps to save the environment. I am looking forward to growing with GUUN as among leaders in solving environmental issues in the Philippines.”
GUUN Co., Ltd., founded in March 2001 and headquartered in Yokohama City, Japan, piloted the production of fluff fuel from plastic waste in Inayawan, Cebu in 2014 and recently inaugurated its P200-million, 2,400-square meter waste recycling plant in Tayud, Consolacion, Cebu.
Since then, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment has adopted GUUN’s waste-to-fuel technology as a model for advanced low-carbon technology innovation for further deployment in developing countries.
“This will be a milestone partnership for us,” GUNN Chief Executive Officer Shinji Fujieda said after the signing ceremony. “I understand very much how important waste management is for SM and for the Philippines and we look forward to more projects we can do with the properties of SM Prime.”
SM Prime’s initiatives for waste management include waste reduction and effective waste collection and segregation. Over the years, it has implemented programs such as Trash to Cash, Plastic Waste Collection, and E-Waste Collection that have contributed to reducing the total solid waste generation across its real estate portfolio.
Through its pioneering Trash-to-cash recycling market, SM Prime has collected and recycled 1.4M kg of plastics, paper, metals, and others in 2022. “We have saved 16,766 trees from the 986,222 kg of paper recycled,” SM Prime disclosed in its 2022 Integrated Report to shareholders.
Meanwhile, SM’s Plastic Waste Collection program, a partnership with the Plastic Credit Exchange that was launched in February 2021, has accumulated 42,541kg of plastic waste from 14 mall sites. Also present in all its 83 SM Supermalls is the E-Waste Collection program for the responsible disposal of WEEE (Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment). This drive has helped process close to 7,000 kilograms of e-waste.
The ripple effect of the water crisis has reached every part of the globe. According to the World Wildlife Fund, some 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to water, and a total of 2.7 billion find water scarce for at least one month of the year. Worst, two-thirds of the global population may face water shortages by 2025 and ecosystems will suffer.
As the gravity of these issues becomes increasingly apparent, several countries have taken significant steps to forge a more sustainable future for the Earth. Noteworthy examples include Singapore’s water management plan and The Netherlands’ intricate conservation practices.
In the Philippines, a multifaceted approach has also been embraced by the public and private sectors in safeguarding and managing water resources. SM Supermalls are at the forefront of the conservation and management of water resources in its mall facilities. Its endeavors form the foundation of a more sustainable and water-secure future that the company has long been advocating.
SM’s Vision: Greening the Future
SM has been recycling water since the 1990s, treating an average of 1 billion gallons of water annually in recent years, equivalent to 1,600 Olympic-sized swimming pools. In line with the SM Green Movement, SM has been continuously working towards responsible consumption and water conservation in its properties.
To illustrate, the SM Supermalls’ comfort rooms have smart fixtures to manage water flow. There are also signages in the mall that advocate wise water use. Wastewater is channeled to the malls’ sewage treatment plants that recycle an estimated total of 4 million cubic meters of water, lessening their dependence on freshwater sources for non-potable uses. SM did this even before the measure was required by way of the Clean Water Act in 2004.
SM Mall of Asia has been involved in various sustainability and environmental initiatives, including water recycling among others.
SM Supermalls utilizes recycled wastewater from the mall for irrigating its gardens.
SM Malls have “Save Water” signages that typically aim to create awareness about water conservation and inspire people to take simple actions to reduce their water consumption
Recently, SM took a step further in resource management by launching the first-ever water filtration system at SM City Baguio. This facility can turn collected rainwater into potable water for mall tenant use such as washing and cooking as well as dishwashing and handwashing, allowing the mall to further lessen its dependence on the freshwater supply of the Baguio community.
SM took a step further in resource management by launching the first-ever water filtration system at SM City Baguio.
The Rainwater Treatment Facility at SM City Baguio Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong (right) samples the potable water from the SM Baguio rainwater treatment facility with SM SVP for Marketing Joaquin San Agustin (left) and SM VP for Corporate Compliance Engr. Liza Silerio (center).
SM’s dedication aligns with the world’s environmental sustainability and climate action goals. Rainwater catchment basins in flood-prone areas and the rainwater filtration in SM Baguio further exemplify this commitment. These significant efforts underscore the ongoing need for sustainable practices and policies.
A Brighter Future Ahead
The journey towards sustainable water management is ongoing. SM Supermalls, through its initiatives, paves the way for a greener, more secure future.
Philippine Updates 