Author: pcepsdi_org

This year marks 20 years of work on sustainable procurement at ICLEI  Local governments for Sustainability. Celebrations kicked off with a ceremony in Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum on 27 April 2016. The event formed part of the 8th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns and also provided the opportunity to showcase the new-look SP Platform and the revamped Procura+ European Sustainable Procurement Network. Over the last 20 years, through its activities on sustainable and innovation procurement, ICLEI has been involved in 150 projects; organised 100 conferences, seminars and workshops; trained over 2,000 people; supported 300 cities in more than 50 countries, and saved 1 million tonnes of CO2. For the last two decades, many ICLEI Members have been including sustainability criteria in their procurement policies and procedures to achieve resource efficient, low-carbon and socially responsible societies. ICLEI has also worked with sustainable procurement experts from cities across the world on numerous projects and initiatives related to SPP. These include specific initiatives such as installing 20,000 energy efficient light bulbs in Copenhagen, policies such as Rotterdam’s 100 percent green procurement commitment and initiatives such as the Global Lead City Network on Sustainable Procurement and the GPP 2020 project, which has brought together central purchasing bodies to achieve savings of over 700,000 tonnes CO2e to date. “In 20 years a lot has been achieved in the field of sustainable procurement. We have had the pleasure of working with committed and creative experts from cities large and small to develop and implement sustainable procurement strategies which have helped to create low-carbon, socially responsible societies. The work done so far provides a good basis for continuing to strengthen our relationships and contribute positively to the sustainable and innovation procurement community over the next 20 years,” said Mark Hidson, Global Director of ICLEI’s Sustainable Procurement Centre. Organisations or public authorities involved in sustainable procurement are invited to share their achievements and thoughts on SPP using the hashtag #SPPecialists. For more information, visit the SP Platform.

The increasing concerns in rampant forest destruction and deforestation fuels the need for forestry certification, the Philippines – with threats of adverse climate change impacts of floods and landslides or the impending forest loss from illegal logging- requires the establishment of a country forest certification scheme that will contribute to sustainable forest management. In a pioneering move to promote forestry conservation, a group of industry and government advocates collectively signed a Memorandum of Understanding and organized the National Governing Board for the establishment of the Philippine Sustainable forest certification System. The signing wwas held last March 1, 2016 at the Richmonde Hotel during the Symposium on the Establishment of a National forest Certification System. Among the advocates who signed the MOU, led by DENR Forest Management Bureau (FMB) Director Ricardo Calderon were the National President Tommy Valdez of the Society of Filipino Foresters Inc (SFFI), Matimco CEO Charlie Liu of the Philippine Wood Producers Association (PWPA), Dr. Priscila Dolom, Head of the UP Los Banos College of Forestry and Natural Resources-Forestry Development Center (UPLB CFNR-FDC) Ms Gillian Dunuan of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Managing Director Antonio Antonio of the Integrated Forest Management Association of the Philippines (IFMAP), Vinancio Cueno of the National Community-Based Forest Management PO Federation of the Philippines (NCBFMPOFPI) and Honorable Secretary Neric Acosta and June Alvarez who is the Chairperson and President respectively of the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development Inc (PCEPSDI). Institutional witnesses for the MOU Signing were the Programme for the Endorsement of Forestry Certification (PEFC) International and the Philippine Business for the Environment (PBE). Under the MOU, the National Governing Board will be the highest decision-making body of the national forest certification scheme, to be called the Philippine Sustainable Forest certification System, which will create the different bodies that will work for pilot projects, standards development and actual certification processes. In his Inspiration Message, Presidential Adviser for Environment Protection Sec. Neric Acosta said “We need a bolder and more ambitious transformation of stakeholders to embrace sustainable forestry, and the very structure of the forestry sector, ranging from governance to industry, through a national forestry certification” He also reported and showed videos of the recent COP 21 in Paris, and challenged the forestry sector to contribute to the country’s sustainable development. In the Panel Discussion, FMB Director Calderon said, “Under EO 23 (S.2011), DENR is mandated to implement a national forest certification system to ensure sustainability of legal sources and chain of custody of timber and other wood products and we are now seeking assistance from UPLB and PEFC in its establishment” SSFI President Valdez presented the proposed road map for the Philippine Sustainable Forest Certification System (PSFCS) which will be the official name of the certification scheme. The symposium was attended by government, forestry industry leaders and companies, as well as NGOs working in forest-based communities. The event is sponsored by the Switzerland-based Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), as a post activity of the Asia Pacific Forestry Week (Feb 22-25, 2016).

Manila, Philippines: Driving the markets for greater sustainability requires competitiveness and innovation: so that increased public spending on green products and patronizing green suppliers through Green Public Procurement (GPP) can serve as an effective means to enable local industries shift towards sustainable practices while reducing the government’s environmental impact from its huge purchases. However, while there are already numerous GPP models for national government agencies, the diffusion of these initiatives at the local levels remains slow. It is in this context that the project :Establishment of Green Public Procurement (GPP) in Quezon City for the Promotion of Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) in the Philippines’ was initiated by the Quezon City, to become the first LGU in the country to pilot GPP implementation. Under the technical assistance of the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development Inc (PCEPSDI), the 2-year project will be implemented by the Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department (EPWMD) of the QC LGU. This project is assisted through the UN Environment Programme 10 Year Framework of Programmes (10YFP) Trust Fund for Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP), which was among the three (3) countries selected from 52 country proposals submitted on SPP. To kick off the project, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed last Monday, Feb 29, between project implementers and partners at the Bulwagang Amoranto, Quezon City Hall. Mayor Herbert Bautista led the QC LGU, while Presidential Adviser for Environment Protection and concurrent Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) General Manager Hon. Secretary Juan Romero Nereus Acosta, represented PCEPSDI as its Board Chairman. DENR Assistant Secretary and EMB Director Atty. Juan Miguel Cuna, who also sits as the Co-Chair of the National Ecolabelling Programme-Green Choice Philippines (NELP-GCP), signed as one of the partner agencies/ witnesses. “With the government being the country’s biggest consumer of goods and services, we hope to encourage more companies to shift to environment-friendly business practices and to provide us with more green choices of products and services for both our supply chain and our constituents”, said Mayor Bautista. Sec Acosta for his part, said: “Reducing GHGs for increased climate change mitigation should be one of our key concerns as public officials. PCEPSDI, PAEP Office and LLDA commends QC in greening its operations by buying green technologies and products.” Under the MOU, UNEP, PCEPSDI, EMB, and the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) will provide assistance in capacity-building QC procurement officers and key end-users in GPP. A QC policy on GPP will be proposed and GPP tools will also be developed. EU Switch Asia Programme will provide technical assistance in developing product specifications for green goods. EPWMD will be tasked to form an inter-department GPP Task Force Team to implement the project activities and deliver the project results. It will be also assist PCEPSDI, which acts as the Secretariat of the NELP-GCP, to provide the necessary data and information required in all GPP implementation concerns. PCEPSDI, on its part will be the main project implementer, to provide the technical experts for the different project activities and handle funding concerns.

Atty. Jose Tomas Syquia , Executive Director of Procurement Service during the Opening of the Project’s Inception Workshop The EU Switch Asia Policy Support is set to develop ten (10) priority products and services through the Project Development of Technical Specification of Products for the Implementation of Green Public Procurement (GPP) to be used by the government entities for the practice of Green Public Procurement. This is expected to be finished by September 2016. To jumpstart the implementation of the Project, an Inception Workshop was held on November 27, 2015 at the Procurement Service Building, Paco Manila. Partner Institutions for the Project are Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (DBM-PS), Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Quezon City Government; Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); Department of Science and Technology (DOST); Department of Energy (DOE); Development Academy of the Philippines, and the Government Procurement Policy Board. The Development of Technical Specification for Government’s Priority Product is backed up by scientific and in depth study to ensure the use and applicability of the developed guidelines. These Technical Specifications are to guide the government in choosing environmentally sound products and services in the market. This initiative is in line with the Executive Order 301 : Establishing Procurement Program for All Departments, Bureaus, Offices and Agencies of the Executive Branch of the Government. This project is being implemented in the country through the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. For more information on the EU Switch Philippines Policy Support visit: http://www.switch-asia.eu/policy-support-components/psc-philippines/

Fast pace, fast technologies, fast foods. Five out of ten Filipinos are eating in quick-service restaurants. With so many eateries offering a wide variety of fast foods and drinks in any street corner, the time has come to ask: How safe is the food Filipinos on the go are eating and drinking? Hand in hand with the boom and growing importance of the food and beverage industry, 47% share of the country’s business and a hefty 37% contribution in employment, is a worrisome increase in food-related and environmental issues, according to authorities at the Department of ourism (DOT). Among these food and environmental security concerns are related to the nutrition content of street foods and drinks, food handling and safety practices, waste management, and resource use, including water and energy. Most worrisome to health and tourism officials is the increasing cases of food-borne communicable and non-communicable diseases such as food poisoning. In terms of environment protection, the food industry is contributing significantly to the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) load and waste packaging materials. Public awareness of the need for supporting best food manufacturing and food preparation practices has become, therefore, a matter of urgent concern. In line with its campaign to promote green tourism, the DOT is pushing vigorously for the green labeling of food suppliers in the food and beverage industry. The DOT is actively working with the National Eco-Labelling Program (NELP) which provides the ISO-certified Green Choice-Philippines label to safeguard public health and well being in the operation of the country’s restaurants and convenience stores. The NELP under the Green Choice Philippines banner organized the Kalikasan GP3 Expo and Conference on July 23 – 25, 2015 at the SMX Convention Taguig, SM Aura Bonifacio Global City where food security in the burgeoning food and beverage sector in the country was a major point of discussion by tourism, health, and environment experts.  S.A. Mable

Green Productivity. Green Purchasing. Green Philippines. The mantra of the GP3 Movement goes beyond mere words to action when the Kalikasan GP3 Expo Conference happened last July 23 – 25 at the SMX Convention Center Taguig, SM Aura Bonifacio Global City. Convening environmental and sustainability advocates and practitioners from a wide range of publics — government, professionals, businessmen, the youth, and the general public, it deemed the expo cum conference a success. On its fourth staging this year, the KP3 Expo and Conference 2015 has provided a much appreciated twist to the advocacy of greening, thus effectively bringing an otherwise new global message of caring for the environment on a level that resonates down to the Filipino public’s very roots. By integrating the ancient Filipino values and traditions that define racial relationship with the land and one’s surroundings, the KP3 goal of graduating into a movement has taken shape and momentum. Through a skillfully orchestrated menu of activities organized by the newest GP3 partner, the National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA), the recently held expo cum conference was able to further engage the Filipino’s inherently green propensity through a variety of sensory experiences– the visual arts through the “My Best Shot Contest,” gastronomic delights through the “Katutubong Lutuin Culinary Contest,” and intellectual creativity through the “Pinoy Greencentrics: Green Technology Invention Contest”. The KKK Expo 2015 carried 50 exhibitors from varying categories of business activities, from green building construction and supply, green transport and energy, green technology and manufacturing of eco-products, and eco-tourism and travel. Included among the exhibitors are the Green Choice Philippines Seal of Approval holders namely: Amon Marketing Corporation, Holcim Philippines,Inc., Palmeco Philippines Inc., Plantex Solutions Manufacturing, Inc., Mariwasa Siam Ceramics, Inc., and Cemex Philippines. The Kalikasan GP3 Conference has served as an effective platform for the promotion of Sustainable Consumption and Production with the staging of three (3) track conference- the Green Business and Green Consumerism Conference, Green Tourism Conference, and the Green Building and Sustainable Construction Conference. Environmental champions and experts from Europe and Asia and local environment specialists shared knowledge and experience in building up resiliency to changing climate conditions and strategies for greening production processes, cleaning up technologies, and greening the supply chain. – S.A. MABLE

Ritzi Ronquillo of Holcim Philippines (third from left) together with (Left to Right) Mr. Albert Magalang of Climate Change Office, Atty. Ann Claire Cabochan of DTI-Bureau of Philippine Standards, Sec. J.R. Nereus Acosta,PhD of Office of Presidential Adviser of Environmental Protection and Laguna Lake Development Authority, and Mr. June Alvarez of PCEPSDI Holcim Philippines renews its Green Choice Seal of Approval for the General Purpose Cement Excel and Masonry Cement Wall Right product. Ms Ritzi Ronquillo, Vice President of Corporate Communication received the Green Choice Seal of Approval in behalf of the Holcim Philippines during the ceremonial awarding at the Cultural and Networking Night of the Kalikasan GP3 Expo Conference 2015 on July 23, 2015 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Aura Premier. The Green Choice Seal of Approval is awarded by the National Ecolabelling Programme-Green Choice Philippines to products and services that meets the NELP-GCP standards based on the ISO 14024-Type 1 Environmental Labeling. This Programme is chaired and co-chaired by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Environment and Natural resources (DENR- EMB) respectively.

After more than 20 years of advocating for the passage of the Sustainable Forestry Management Act in Congress to no avail, the Forestry Management Bureau (FMB), a unit of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), is pushing with urgency the signing of an Executive Order that would help achieve, to a significant degree the national vision of sustainable Philippine forests. Establishing a national system for wood certification, according to FMB Director Ricardo Calderon would achieve the twin goals of legality and sustainability in the management of the country’s forests, whether primary, residual, secondary, or plantation. Calderon, speaking before an information and awareness seminar conducted by the Philippine Center for Environment Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. (PCEPSDI) in partnership with the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), a Swiss-based international forestry certification group, would, in the absence of a Congressional act, enable the Philippine wood industry and allied businesses to cope with anticipated competition in the wake of ASEAN integration this 2015. A PEFC-modeled wood certification system which is a requirement for ASEAN integration has been pilot tested by the FMB in identified forests in the islands of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao and proven feasible, according to Fe Oliveros of said office. The FMB’s successful piloting of the chain of custody certification process recommended by the PEFC is the basis for the DENR endorsement of the signing of an executive order creating a multi-stakeholder National Governing Body that would start the process of consultation among government, private business, forestry professionals, and local people’s organisations with the view of crafting a National Forestry Certification system that is participative, socially acceptable, and adapted to Philippine realities. The PEFC is one of two international groups engaged in the promotion and implementation of forestry certification system which advocates for a bottom-up formulation process in the crafting of national forestry certification systems. PEFC Chief Executive Officer Ben Gunneberg and other officers of the group is in the Philippines for an information and awareness campaign among government forestry agencies, forestry professionals, businessmen, and environmental groups. June Alvarez, Executive Director of PCEPSDI, principal seminar organizer, says that the forestry seminar is a pre-event activity of the Kalikasan GP3 Expo and Conference on Climate Smart Businesses and Green Consumerism that opened on June 23-25, 2015 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Aura in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.  S. A. MABLE

Mr. Mark Tan, President of PalmEco Tech. Ltd (3rd from left) receives the Green Choice Seal of Approval together with Atty. Cabochain of DTI-BPS (1st from Left), Mr. Albert Magalang of Climate Change Commission (2nd from left) and Mr. June Alvarez of the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc (1st from right). PalmEco Tech Ltd.’s PalmEco Board has surpassed stringent screening by the National Ecolabelling –Green Choice Philippines, receiving the Green Choice Seal Approval on July 23, 2015 during the Kalikasan GP3 Expo Conference Staging held at the SMX Convention Center SM, Aura Premier. Mr. Mark Tan, PalmEco Tech Ltd.’s president also served as one of the speakers of the event where he introduced the Palmeco Philippines Corporation as a Green Building Material. The NELP-GCP awards the seal to products and services that meets the set criteria and has sustainable practices from extraction of raw materials up to disposal.

  The Mutual Recognition Agreement between then National Ecolabelling Programme-Green Choice Philippines and the Taiwan Green Building Material Label has been sealed on October 17 2014 held at Taipei, Taiwan represented by the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development Inc., and the Environment and Development Foundation & Taiwan Architecture & Building Center respectively, another milestone for promoting and strengthening ecolabelling around the globe. This MRA opens opportunity for increased Trade on construction materials with National Ecolabelling Programme-Green Choice Philippines and Taiwan Green Building Material Label Seal of Approval. With the increasing demand for construction materials coupled with the demand for green construction materials brought by the rising of green and intelligent buildings, the agreement will allow easy recognition of ecolabelled construction products between the two parties making the process of certification faster. Moreover the MRA opens new opportunity for green construction materials with NELP-GCP Seal of approval to easily access the international market. Present in the MRA Ceremonial Signing are Mr. June Alvarez , Executive Director of PCEPSDI; Ms. Lih-Chyi Wen , Deputy Director, Green Trade Project Office-Ministry of Economic Affairs; Dr. Wen-Ching Chen, Ph. D., Gen. Manager, Environment and Development Foundation); Dr. Ning Yu, and Mr. Osamu Uno (Chairman, Eco Mark Japan).

The youth is the key to a sustainable future. On July 25, two hundred twenty-two (222) youth from seven (7) universities gathered for the Rethink: What on Earth Are You Doing Symposium held at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex Auditorium. This event aims to encourage the youth to rethink their impact to the environment and to take environmental actions. These actions need not to be complex; it may start from a very simple act such energy and water efficient practices at home. Present in the Symposium is NELP-GCP Programme Manager, Engr. Maureen Grace Lebria who has imparted to the participants the National Ecolabelling Programme- Green Choice Philippines. With her as speakers are Dr. Eric Punzalan of the Dela Salle University, Ms. Cassandra Deluria of One Million Lights Philippines, and Mr. RodneGalichaof the Climate Reality Project. It has been an engaging symposium where students conveyed intentions to change their behavior towards sustainable consumption and environmental protection. Ideas on how they will do this were captured through their rethink pledges which can be accessed at the https://www.facebook.com/pcepsdi.rethink the Rethink Campaign Official Facebook Page. Rethink Campaign is campaign that the targets the youth engagement on environmental action specifically sustainable consumption. This campaign has been made possible through the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development Inc., University of Sto. Tomas Faculty of Arts and Letters (ABSC) Student Council, and the Quanta Paper Corporation.

The country’s health and food safety experts as well as environmental policy planners assembled at the “Greening the Food Services Forum-Workshop” last March 10, 2011 at the Kabalikat Conference Hall, DENR Building, Quezon City. The forum-workshop was organized by the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development Inc which is the administrator of the National Ecolabeling Programme-Green Choice Philippines. They discussed how greening the food service industry in restaurants, fast foods outlets, canteens and catering services will help the public avoid food and water-borne diseases brought about by eating out in fast foods outlets, canteens and restaurants. National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) Executive Director Emilia Aguinaldo presented the government’s Solid Waste policies for food services while University of the Philippines-National Health Institute (UP-NHI) Executive Director Dr. Lulu Bravo discussed on the issues and concerns of the Food-borne diseases. Also present was Ruby Apilado of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute who discussed on the Standards on Food Nutrition. Last resource speaker for the day was Mr. Chito Macapagal, VP for Corporate Affairs of Unilever Philippines who talked about the company’s initiatives in nutritional labeling and waste management. The forum came up with agreements on 5 major considerations for the development of environmental guidelines for ecolabeling the food services in the country: 1)solid waste management 2) water effluent 3) energy use 4) Nutritional Labeling 5) Food safety. Key representatives from SM Group of companies, Ayala Foundation, Pasig City and Quezon City Government had shown strong interest to implement the ecolabeling of their food service tenants and business establishments. Representatives of the Food and Drug Administration, World Health Organization, Department of Health, Food and Nutrition Council, Drugstores Association of the Philippines, Diabetes Association of the Philippines, Philippine Nurses Association, Ecolab Philippines, Kimberly Clark Philippines each gave their inputs for the proposed technical working group who will work on the guidelines. Promotional activities were also presented to advocate with the public a food and health safety campaign to food service providers and establishments. Eco-labeling is the process of putting a seal to products and services having shown environmental performance leadership. Consumers will be assured of high-quality and environmental compliance of the product or service, having undergone a rigid evaluation process before the seal is awarded. The holder of the seal is subject to periodic environmental audit which assures the public of continuous environmental leadership of the product or service. The Philippines has the “GREEN CHOICE “seal as its national eco-label.

As part of the Earth Day Celebration and the worldwide effort to educate people on the environmental value of Green Business and Ecolabeling, Sta. Rosa- and Binan-based business establishment owners and company officials attended “Green Business and Ecolabeling Seminar”, organized by the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. (PCEPSDI) and the GenTwoFifteen Development Foundation, Inc. (GDFI) in coordination with the City government of Sta. Rosa on April 20 at the Sta. Rosa City New City Hall Multipurpose Room. Participants were oriented on the ecolabelling and green procurement programs as a twin strategy to promote sustainable production and consumption. They were also introduced to the Green Purchasing Alliance Movement (GPAM), an organization of green procurement advocate, and were encouraged to partake in the green purchasing advocacy. The seminar is a response to the increasing demand for environmental programs on products and services when the recent Typhoons Ondoy and Peping and the current El Niёo Phenomenon in the country? all born out of climate change? resulted to destruction and catastrophe. Environmental programs target business and industrial zones where many environmental pollutants come from, just like in Sta. Rosa City, an emerging business and industrial zone next to Mega Manila. The activity oriented and encouraged participants to engage in Green Business by providing them an overview of the ecolabelling and green procurement programs. It also showcased in a mini-exhibit some green technologies that aim to lessen the alarming environmental impacts of climate change. The seminar furthermore presented the National Eco-labelling Programme-Green Choice Philippines (NELP-GCP), a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)/ Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) programme and an ISO 14024 application that is voluntary, third party declaration, and multiple-criteria-based. NELP-GCP aims to encourage clean manufacturing practices and consumption of environmentally preferable products and services. The Green Choice Philippines (GCP) is the government’s response to the need to alter consumer preferences and practices to initiate a demand for environmental responsibility from all sectors of society. It intends to guide consumers to choose environment-friendly products and to encourage manufacturers to produce and supply products that have less harmful impacts on the 41 business owners and company officials participated in this free admission seminar. JM Embate