Pasig City partners with Unilever Philippines and Cemex Philippines to scale up plastic collection

Community junkshops to play crucial role in Walastik na Pasig in enjoining more households

The City Government of Pasig led by Mayor Vico Sotto, Unilever Philippines, and Cemex Philippines have formalized their partnership to roll out an expanded plastic collection program under the campaign “Walastik na Pasig.”

Pasig City is a highly urbanized area with approximately 800,000 residents. With an estimated average per capita waste generation of 0.40 kilograms per day1 and with waste segregation becoming more crucial amid the pandemic, Pasig stays close to its commitment to reduce its waste generation by 20% by 2025.

“Walastik Na Pasig, which advocates proper waste management, addresses our concern on post-consumer plastic waste ending up in our river and drainage system. We are looking forward to implement this program in the entire city with Unilever and Cemex, and to continue working with them in protecting and preserving the environment for Pasigueños.” said Mayor Sotto.

As Pasig strives to become a progressive eco-city, the partnerships it builds with organizations like Unilever and Cemex will help drive its ambitious waste management and climate action plans.

Walastik na Pasig rolls out in 30 barangays

“Walastik Na Pasig” is based off Unilever Philippines’ flagship education and plastic collection program “Misis Walastik,” which has been implemented in Pasig City and in over 400 barangays in Metro Manila and nearby provinces since 2012.

The program has also been running for five years in two of the biggest barangays in Pasig: Pinagbuhatan and Manggahan.

“The City of Pasig is home to our Selecta ice cream facility and has also been a long-time partner of our various sustainability programs for health and environment. These underscore our commitment to Pasig and its people and our drive to make sustainable living accessible to our communities,” said Benjie Yap, Chairman of Unilever Philippines.

Unilever’s programs seek to reduce flexible plastic waste ending up in landfills and leaking into waterways by incentivizing households and community junkshops to participate in proper segregation and recycling.

Despite the challenge of the pandemic, Unilever is scaling up its program to the entire city in a new way - by partnering with branded “Walastik na Junkshops” within each of the 30 barangays. Serving as drop off and collection points, these partner junkshops in the revamped program would still follow the same basic mechanics—Kolek-Kilo-Kita.

Following a wide-scale information and education campaign led by the City Government and the barangays, households build the habit of segregating their empty, clean flexible plastic packaging waste which they can now bring any time to the nearest partner junkshop.

For every kilo of collected flexible plastic waste, cash incentives will be given to the household. The junkshops will also get incentives in the form of e-money for every kilo of flexible plastic waste turned over to them.

At a dedicated time within the month per barangay, the city hauler, managed by the Solid Waste Management Office, will collect the waste from the partner junkshops.

“Winning partnerships play a key role in keeping plastic waste out of our rivers and waterways and we are happy that we have the City of Pasig and Cemex Philippines working with us on this program.,” shared Ed Sunico, Unilever Philippines VP for Sustainable Business and Communication.

This launch forms part of Unilever’s sustainable packaging commitment to collect and process more than what it sells and follows the rollout of “Kolek Kilo Kita Para Sa Walastik Na Maynila” in 2019.

Bringing it online, community members can also share about their experience in participating in the program or some tips for their fellow ‘conscious consumer’ by posting it on Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #WaisWalastik.

To learn more about “Walastik na Pasig” and Unilever’s sustainability programs, visit www.unilever.com.ph or https://facebook.com/UnileverPhilippines

Paid press release from Unilever Philippines