Category: News & Announcements

The Green Public Procurement (GPP) for Quezon City (QC) held its 3rd Advance Course Training for QC’s inter-department GPP Task Force on June 21-22, 2018 at Days Hotel, Tagaytay. PCEPSDI Executive Director Mr. June M. Alvarez and Programmes & Project Director Engr. Maureen Grace V. Lebria with the GPP Taskforce and GPP4QC Project Team The 3rd Advance Course Training for the Green Public Procurement (GPP) Taskforce was finally held on June 21-22, 2018 at Days Hotel Tagaytay. The Advance Course Training was programmed for the GPP Task Force to know more about the technical aspect of the GPP for QC project. This include the presentation of product prioritization result, strategic planning, development of technical specification for environmentally friendly criteria, drafting a policy framework and guideline, and the upcoming activities as the project is at its closing phase. The GPP Task Force had a look back on their responsibilities as stated on Office Order No. 57 Series of 2012, a resolution creating the Green Public Procurement Team to monitor and supervise the GPP Project of Quezon City. This is in preparation for their monitoring strategy when the project has finally closed and if they have decided to fully implement the Green Public Procurement in Quezon City. Photo © Pauline Abello / PCEPSDI Ms. Sandee Recabar of Climate Change Commission on the opportunities of GHG Mitigation on Green Procurement One of the training’s highlight is when Ms. Sandee Recabar of the Climate Change Commission has presented the opportunities of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) mitigation on Green Procurement. Another is the workshop on drafting a technical specification for a product using life cycle considerations. The GPP Taskforce was able to identify criteria with specific means of verification and relevance to the product itself and in the environment. The workshop was meant to have them experience the basic process of drafting a technical specification which is deemed important being a scientific process of addressing and considering the environment on their procurement processes. The Advance Course Trainings was spearheaded by the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. (PCEPSDI) in partnership with Quezon City Local Government through the Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department (EPWMD), co-implementers of the UN Environment 10 Year Framework of Programmes (10YFP) on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) for Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) Project entitled “Establishment of Green Public Procurement (GPP) for Quezon City for the Promotion of Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) in the Philippines” dubbed as the GPP4QC Project. To know more about the Green Public Procurement (GPP) Updates please like our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/PCEPSDI/ and search for the #GPP4QC or message us at gpp4qc@gmail.com.

With Boracay finally shutting down for a six months moratorium period due to continuous environmental degradation, thus affecting one of the country’s key sources of tourism revenues, the Department of Tourism (DOT) steps up to develop a roadmap for advancing sustainable tourism in the country, by assisting the tourism sector shift to resource use efficiency and increase their cost savings, while decoupling tourism growth from carbon emissions. Through DOT’s four-year project ‘Transforming Tourism Value Chains (TVC) to Accelerate More Resource Efficient, Low Carbon Development, in partnership with the Paris-based UN Environment Programme (UNEP), a sound agenda for sustainable tourism and low-carbon growth will be developed through a series of workshops for the tourism value chain.                                                                                                                                           Usec. Marco Bautista of the Department of Tourism “Sustainable Tourism should pave the way for a more environmentally-responsible Accommodation and MICE sector in the country, in response to climate change adversities and the challenge for a more competitive and resilient tourism industry, under the new National Tourism Development Plan 2016-2022,” said the newly-appointed DOT Under Secretary Marco Bautista during the opening of the 3rd Workshop of the project. Group Picture of Day 1 Participants to Workshop 3 of the Tourism Value Chain Project Group Picture of Day 2 Participants to Workshop 3 of the Tourism Value Chain Project Held last May 30-31, the 3rd project workshop was participated by hotel and resort owners and managers, its supply chain, tourism operators and researchers, NGO, sustainable tourism advocates, LGU tourism and environment officers, as well as MICE organizers. Highlighting this workshop is the presentation of the Greenhouse Gas Abatement Cost Model (GACMO), an essential tool for the Accommodation and MICE sector to shift to more sustainable, resilient and competitive business. Earlier, the first and second project workshops came up with Philippine tourism value chain mapping, tourism hotspots analyses and short listing of solutions, with Iloilo and Metro Manila as project areas. These workshop results will be used as inputs for the National Sustainable Tourism Roadmap. Organized by DOT’s project partner Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development Inc (PCEPSDI), the workshop highlighted the discussion on how the government, business, and civil society can collaborate and create a favourable context for collective action in improving the sustainability of the Tourism value chain in the Philippines. Participants also actively contributed inputs to the Low Carbon and Resource Efficiency Roadmap in the Philippines, which will be implemented in the following years of the project. The workshop likewise collated how businesses could evaluate, compare, and select options to improve their environmental performance and reduce Climate Change related emissions. Technical Consultant Jorgen Villy Fehann of the UN Environment-University of Denmark Partnership reiterated the need for tourism entities in the Philippines to join the Global action on climate change, through its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). From left right, Mr. Kiko Velhagen of PCEPSDI, Dr. Alvin Culaba of De La Salle University, Jorgen Villy Fehann of the UN Environment Programme-Denmark Technical University Partnership (UNEP-DTU), Mr. June Alvarez PCEPSDI Executive Director, Pablo Montes of UNEP, Mark Barthel and Claire Kneller from Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). UN Environment representative Pablo Montes said, “Tourism industry in the Philippines is one that has been a lot of progress in the topics that we covered during the workshop mainly, and with this Sustainable Tourism, how to address climate change, how to mitigate climate change emissions, and how to be more resource efficient. There is a strong political back up or leadership and a lot of institutional frameworks to facilitate and actions on Sustainable Tourism. There is also a lot of activity from the businesses that can be tap on to look further and increase the ambition in terms of how the Tourism Value Chain can lead and be more low carbon and resource efficient.” Mr. Neil Rumbaoa, Vice President for Marketing for SM Hotels and Conventions Corporations commented “One of the learnings I’ve got from the workshop is that obviously, we don’t have time, the world is changing. Climate has changed already and unfortunately for us, we cannot recover more what has been lost so to speak. What we can do now is to make it better and incorporate best practices in our operations so that we can mitigate to the events of climate change. And it is very scary not just for our industry but for humanity, just like one of the speaker said, ‘It would be nice if we leave Earth, better for our children’”. To know more about this technical assistance project, and how you may gain benefits from sustainable tourism, you may reach the TVC Project Officer, Mr. Kiko Velhagen at tvc4relcd@gmail.com, or call at 727-5787 for project details.

WWF, PCEPSDI, and DOT conduct Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Inception Workshop for the Local Food Service Industry Photo © Pamela Luber / WWF-Philippines The participants of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Inception Workshop come from the government, both national and local, the food service industry, and civil society organisations. Last February 13, 2018, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines’ The Sustainable Diner: A Key Ingredient for Sustainable Tourism project hosted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Inception Workshop at the New DOT Building in Makati City, in partnership with The Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. (PCEPSDI) and the Department of Tourism – Philippines (DOT). The particular workshop focused on the application and implementation of LCA in the context of the local food service industry, which is one of the major project outputs requiring the full cooperation of stakeholders from the government and the private sector. Photo © Pamela Luber / WWF-Philippines  Dr. Alvin Culaba (DLSU) and Mr. June Alvarez (PCEPSDI) equipping the participants with LCA basics and methodologies in relation to its application for the local food service industry. The LCA Inception Workshop is a one-day workshop on the fundamentals and the importance of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based on ISO 14040 International Standards and ISO 14024 Standards – Ecolabelling Guiding Principles and Procedures. It also introduces the National Ecolabelling Programme – Green Choice Philippines (NELP-GCP) and its process among participants. Photo © Pamela Luber / WWF-Philippines Ms. Melody Melo-Rijk (WWF-Philippines) introduces The Sustainable Diner project and its objectives to key stakeholders. Undersecretary Rolando Cañizal of the DOT’s Administration and Special Concerns Sector (DOT-ASC) opened the workshop by officially welcoming the participants, followed by an introduction on The Sustainable Diner project, discussed by Ms. Melody Melo-Rijk, WWF’s Project Manager for Sustainable Consumption and Production in the Philippines. Mr. June Alvarez, President and Executive Director of PCEPSDI, shared with the participants his knowledge on sustainable consumption and production in order to level everyone’s understanding of the concept as well as their expectations from the workshop. Dr. Alvin Culaba of the De La Salle University conducted the bulk of the workshop on LCA, starting with an introduction to the process, its application to the local food service industry in relation to the tourism industry, and a discussion on the various simplified methodologies associated with LCA. The afternoon session covered the main workshop activity, which involved having the participants split into four groups, each coming up with an LCA on their assigned food service category. The workshop ended with an in-depth discussion on Ecolabelling and Green Choice Philippines conducted by Ms. Maureen Grace Lebria, PCEPSDI’s Programme Director. Photo © Pamela Luber / WWF-Philippines  Mr. Dino Calderon (WWF-Philippines) and Mr. Muneer Hinay (WWF-Philippines) sharing their workshop activity results and LCA application to the rest of the participants. All in all, it was a very fruitful whole-day session where participants got to immediately apply all the principles they learned in the morning, seeing its relevance to their respective departments and units, and inspiring everyone in the room to collaborate for the implementation of sustainable consumption and production in the country’s tourism industry. The Sustainable Diner project, under WWF-Philippines’ Sustainable Consumption and Production, is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag.​

PCEPSDI and WWF promote Sustainable Consumption and Production in the Philippine Food Service Industry Photo © Pamela Luber / WWF-Philippines  Joel Palma, President and CEO of WWF-Philippines, signs the Memorandum of Agreement with June Alvarez, President and Executive Director of PCEPSDI. The promotion and implementation of sustainable consumption and production practices in the local food service industry will be reinforced further as the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines, through its The Sustainable Diner: A Key Ingredient for Sustainable Tourism project, recently inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with The Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. (PCEPSDI). Following the MOA signing were in-depth discussions on the formulation of a criteria focused on the food service industry, highlighting how food service establishments contribute greatly to the country’s growth, as well as the industry’s eventual effects to significant food and environmental issues in the country and recommendations on how to integrate sustainability in the industry to mitigate negative impacts. WWF-Philippines’ The Sustainable Diner project team discussed several important issues and partnership next steps with PCEPSDI. L-R: Kiko Velhagen (Project Coordinator, PCEPSDI), Diana Rose Sadili (Project Officer, PCEPSDI), Joel Palma (President and CEO, WWF-Philippines), June Alvarez (President and Executive Director, PCEPSDI), Melody Melo-Rijk (Project Manager for Sustainable Consumption and Production in the Philippines, WWF-Philippines), Liezl Stuart Del Rosario (Policy Specialist, WWF-Philippines), and Alexa Jeanne Lasch (Food Service Specialist, WWF-Philippines) “PCEPSDI as one of the pioneer organizations in ecolabelling is a key ingredient in mainstreaming sustainability in the business sector”,’ says Palma. “WWF-Philippines, through The Sustainable Diner project, welcomes this partnership as we continue to explore ways on how we can help different sectors make their operations more environment-friendly.” PCEPSDI is a non-stock, non-profit, and non-government organization duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. PCEPSDI is the administrator of the National Ecolabelling Programme-Green Choice Philippines (NELP-GCP). NELP-GCP is an ISO 14024 application of environmental albel lead by DENR-EMB and DTI-BPS. The Sustainable Diner project, under WWF-Philippines’ Sustainable Consumption and Production, is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag.​

  Key Private Sector Actors panel members together with representatives from WWF, DOT, and UNEP. L-R: Mr. June Alvarez (Executive Director and President, PCEPSDI), Mr. Rolando Canizal (Undersecretary for Administration and Special Concerns, Department of Tourism), Dr. Benigno Glenn Ricaforte (Associate Professor, School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management, De La Salle College of Saint Benilde), Ms. Melody Melo-Rijk (Project Manager for Sustainable Consumption and Production in the Philippines, WWF-Philippines), Ms. Jamie Ann Dichaves (Sustainability and Pollution Control Officer, Lio Tourism Estate, El Nido Resorts), Engr. Charlton Materum (Technical Expert, GrAT-Center for Appropriate Technology, Zero Carbon Resorts for Sustainable Tourism), and Ms. Helena Rey (Programme Officer, UNEP) Transforming Local Tourism Value Chains through Sustainable Consumption and Production Members of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines’ The Sustainable Diner: A Key Ingredient for Sustainable Tourism project team were invited to attend the 2nd Conference and Workshop on Transforming Tourism Value Chains in Developing Countries and Small Islands and Developing States (SIDS) to Accelerate More Resource Efficient, Low Carbon Development Projects last November 22, 2017 at Hotel H2O in Manila City. Hosted by the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. (PCEPSDI), in partnership with the UN Environment Programme, Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the UNEP-DTU Partnership, and the Department of Tourism (DOT), the second leg of the workshop aims to consolidate best practices from the government, the private sector, and civil society, and to come up with industry and community-based solutions in order to promote low carbon and sustainable development in the tourism industry. During the first leg of the workshop, Department of Tourism (DOT) Undersecretary Rolando Cañizal validated the need for a long-term tourism strategy which will adopt sustainable consumption and production principles in order for the Philippines to achieve green economic growth. A key development pillar that generates high economic gains for the country, tourism contributed 8.2% to the GDP last 2016. Usec. Cañizal has made it a priority initiative for the department to move towards greening the local tourism industry and incorporating the necessary environmental standards. The four-year project funded also by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) and the International Climate Initiative (IKI) Programme has targeted two key tourism zones in the country: Metro Manila and Iloilo City. Ms. Melody Melo-Rijk, Project Manager of Sustainable Consumption and Production in the Philippines, was invited as panel speaker for the Key Private Sector Actors Driving GHG/RE Action panel discussion, where she shared details and initial achievements of The Sustainable Diner project and how sustainable dining is a key ingredient towards achieving a sustainable tourism industry here in the Philippines – an industry heavily-dependent not just on our country’s natural beauty, but also our unique local cuisine and rapidly-growing dining scene. “Filipinos love food, and this love for food is seen not just in our daily lives but also whenever we travel. Food is a big part of what makes traveling very memorable for us, which is why The Sustainable Diner project was created in the first place – to address the need to implement sustainable consumption and production practices in the local dining scene,” says Ms. Melo-Rijk. “Our long-term plan for making the local tourism industry more environment-friendly should take into account the contribution of the food service industry, so that together we can come up with holistic solutions towards greening and improving our present system, especially on the issue on food waste. Furthermore, we want to revolutionize the food service industry in gearing them towards sustainability and to also serve as catalyst to spread awareness to diners.” The Sustainable Diner project, under WWF-Philippines’ Sustainable Consumption and Production, is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag.​

The continuing green fervour that aims to advance climate-smart businesses and concur the country’s commitments on global actions for Climate Change, a group formed to advance Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) in the country is hugging the lime lights at the next staging of the “Kaliksan Green Productivity, Green Purchasing Towards Green Philippines 2017”, launched earlier by the country’s leading sustainability advocates. With the Senate approving on second hearing the revisions for the Paris Treaty, this year’s event theme hopes to complement this feat with its theme: “Advancing Sustainable Consumption and Production in Addressing Climate Challenges”. A Memorandum of Cooperation was forged between 14 public and private organizations, among them DENR, DTI, DOST, DOT, Quezon City LGU, SM Supermalls, Ayala Land, Philippine Green Building Council, Philippine Business for the Environment, Foreign Chamber Council of the Philippines and the Philippine Wood Producers Association, that was endorsed by the Senate President Aquilino “KOKO” Pimentel III, as one of the supporting personalities of the event. The event that was launched will take place on September 21-23 at the SMX Convention Center Manila, SM Mall of Asia Complex. In his Key Note speech at this Launching, Sen Koko Pimentel emphasized, “Addressing climate change is a central overriding concern of global actions for sustainability. The Philippines, in its commitment to the Paris Treaty for Climate Change, needs to shape its development agenda for the promotion of sustainable consumption and production.” Organized by the National Ecolabelling Programme-Green Choice Philippines (NELP-GCP), the advocacy event aims to gather increased commitments for deeper inroad actions in addressing climate challenges, and advancing sustainable consumption and production practices. For the last six years, the Kalikasan GP3 Expo Conference has served as a valuable forum and convergence for buyers’ increased awareness on green products available in the market; and the acquisition of knowledge and shared experiences on green business practices and production technologies. Garnering more than 200 local and international trade exhibitors in the past years, Kalikasan GP3 hopes to gather some 300 exhibitors and some 600 conference participants for this year. Green traders, manufacturers, service providers and the general public are all expected to benefit from the array of activities lined up for the three-day expo-conference. Also during the Launching, a back-to-back event celebrating the 14th Anniversary of NELP-GCP was highlighted by the awarding of citations to the men and women who had made the NELP-GCP a success. “With the continuous evolvement of the programme, we hope to gather more commitments for the adoption of sustainable production and consumption, to contribute to the country efforts on climate change mitigation and adaptation” pointed by Nereus Acosta, former Presidential Adviser for Environment Protection and presently the Chairperson of the Phil. Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc , which administers the NELP-GCP.

Selected Quezon City government officers went through the first leg of capacity-building training on Green Public Procurement (GPP) last September 14-16 and October 12-14, held at La Traviesa Hotel and Resort, General Trias, Cavite. Among the Quezon City Local Government Unit departments who attended were representatives from the Department of Building Official, Disaster Risk Management Office, General Procurement Office, General Services Department, Office of the City Administrator, Parks Development and Administration Department, Task Force Streetlights, City Accounting Department, City Engineering Department, City Planning and Development Office and City Health Department. Gearing to a greater, greener and ever growing community, Quezon City LGU earlier forged partnership with by the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development (PCEPSDI) last February 29, 2016 to serve as an acid test for a local Green Public Procurement (GPP), which is a UN Environment 10YFP Trust Fund for Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) assisted project in partnership with the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB). The project aims to establish and implement a comprehensive GPP program for Quezon City Local Government that will present and demonstrate an LGU model to promote Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) in the country. Among the project deliverables are the development of a local policy to promote green procurement in Quezon City, and the development of green products specifications that will be used in buying products and contracting services for this local government. The series of training for the newly formed GPP Task Force of Quezon City aims to equip them with the technical knowledge on Green Public Procurement to effectively institute their specific roles in project implementation. With various topics presented by sustainability experts and procurement practitioners, the capacity building activity included workshops and case study exercises. Among the invited resource speakers who presented were Ms Flerida Arias from the Department of Budget and Management – Procurement Service (DBM-PS) who discussed about their GPP initiatives at the national level with the EU Switch Asia assistance in crafting green specifications for products including paper and other office supplies and equipment. At present, PS is partially powered with solar energy. Ms. Angelica Isnani of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) shared their GPP experience under the assistance of the EU Switch Asia Policy Support which includes technical assistance in their capacity building trainings, which they plan to share with other government agencies as well. Mr. Nino Pinalva of EMB and Ms. Karlene Laxamana of the Environment Protection and Waste Management Department (EPWMD) of Quezon City discussed the national and local environmental initiatives respectively. The trends on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) in other city governments abroad were tackled by Ms. Joy Baldos, a Project Officer of the International Council of League of Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). In addition, Atty. Don Radjaie of Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) presented a review of the Policies and Processes of Government Procurement under Republic Act 9184. PCEPSDI Legal Consultant Atty. Arvin Jo also discussed the context of GPP in the current government policies and processes. Engr Reynaldo Esquerra of the Department of Science and Technology presented valuable information on Cleaner Production and the adoption of Renewable Energy. Main speakers from PCEPSDI were Executive Director June Alvarez, Programme Director Grace Lebria and Communications and Sustainability Head Rodora Catibog who discussed about sustainable approaches and practices (e.g. ecolabelling, greening the supply chain, life cycle assessment and life cycle costing, green procurement, among others) They were also the ones who facilitated the workshops and group dynamics. “We appreciate the speakers invited and all PCPESDI lecturers who were all willing to impart their knowledge and experience to us. This will be helpful in the successful implementation of the project.” Ms. Sheryl Campos of DRRMO, a participant, said. The next trainings for the GPP Task Force will be held early next year. Seminars will also be held among other departments in the QC City Hall, for the QC supply chain businesses as well as other LGUs.

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.