Ang Pahayagan

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s (SBMA) entry, the Recyclables Collection Program, was hailed as one of the 2025 Top 100 Stories on the global recognition list from the Netherlands-based organization Green Destinations.

The winning story, “Recyclables Collection Program: SBMA’s Strategy to Implement Circular Economy,” depicts how the agency implements its circular economy strategy primarily through its flagship program, the Recyclables Collection Event (RCE), which is held biannually. It involves collaboration among stakeholders to manage waste, raise funds for charity, and achieve carbon-neutrality goals. 

The Green Destinations Top 100 Stories award was presented during the Sustainable Destinations Forum 2025 on October 28-29 at Expo City Dubai, where the ceremony celebrating stories from around the globe was held. 

Senior Deputy Administrator for Regulatory Group Amethya Dela Llana cited that the primary goal of the Recyclables Program is to achieve a 30 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2040. The initiative also aims to make Subic Bay Freeport into the first Green Port City in the country.

Dela Llana said that the RCE is a multi-faceted approach that transforms waste management from a disposal problem into an integrated system that creates resources, fosters community involvement, and supports social causes, embodying the principles of a circular economy.

SBMA Ecology Center OIC Rossell L. Abuyo added, “The RCE is an event where SBMA departments, Subic Freeport companies, and residents donate or sell segregated common recyclables such as paper, plastics, metals, and hazardous wastes such as used oil, e-waste, busted bulbs, and expired medicines.” 

She added that proceeds from the sales of these materials are often donated to local charitable institutions namely the Missionaries of Charity house which is a shelter for abandoned seniors, and ABS-CBN Foundation’s environmental advocy- the Bantay Kalikasan. There were also instances when the funds were used to provide grocery packs for outsourced utility workers. 

The Green Destinations 2025 Top 100 Stories list highlights sustainable tourism initiatives from around the world, with winning stories announced at the Green Destinations Story Awards ceremony in March 2025. 

Del Carmen of Siargao Islands, Philippines also won an award for its transformation from mangrove cutting to a Ramsar site, or a wetland acclaimed as being of “international importance,” and the Cayo District, Belize, for its sustainable tourism projects. 

Other notable award categories were Destination Management, Nature and Scenery, Environment and Climate, Culture and Tradition, Thriving Communities, and Business and Marketing. (PR)