Even the simplest of household decisions impact how communities safeguard the environment. In line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI) encourages Filipinos to make more mindful choices on how valuable resources like water, energy, and oil are consumed and managed.

The exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the country, PCPPI reaffirms its sustainability commitments ahead of Earth Day, which is observed worldwide on April 22. According to Frederick D. Ong, PCPPI president and chief executive officer, adopting sustainable lifestyle habits affects people and planet for the better. “The daily decisions we make can help reduce household waste, save expenses, and improve our well-being. Living ‘sustainably’ does not have to be complex, as we can all start with the choices we make at home,” he said.

Re-use and repurpose. It often takes a fresh perspective to see our everyday tasks differently. One of the ways to reduce household waste is through repurposing old items, like plastic water bottles which may be transformed into plant holders or vases. Used boxes can also be turned into organizers, while brown paper bags can be used as craft paper for school projects.

Meal planning. Apart from selecting healthier food options from the market or grocery, meal planning has the added benefit of consuming just the right amount of food—thereby cutting down on excess and food waste. Planning meals ahead of time also helps manage one’s budget, as well as electricity costs.

Unplug when not in use. Turning off that are not in use, using enough water to wash hands, or unplugging fully charged devices are some good practices to manage resource consumption at home. These also help maintain the health of electrical appliances, helping them run properly for longer.

Go digital, go paperless. One of the shifts accelerated during the community lockdowns was the move towards paperless transactions. Mail and bills are now accessed electronically, minimizing the need to consume paper. With further advances in technology, the possibilities are endless with how the world can help preserve and protect trees.

As PCPPI supports the practice of these sustainable practices, the organization continues to work on its own sustainability initiatives that demonstrate its long-term commitment towards care respect for the environment.

PCPPI aims to reduce the use of virgin plastic and reach 100% recyclable packaging. The company continues to expand its efforts in lightweighting and exploring alternative packaging sources. Since early 2021, PCPPI has also transitioned to renewable energy use to supply the energy requirements of its plants. Solar panels are installed in its Batangas, Cebu, and Davao manufacturing facilities.

In line with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) Adopt-an-Estero Program, PCPPI has organized clean-up drives near bodies of water in the communities where it operates. PCPPI has adopted key waterways across the country, including those in San Fernando, Iloilo, Bacolod, Davao, Cebu, and Zamboanga. Partnerships with agencies like the Laguna Lake Development Authority allow PCPPI to regularly meet with other community stakeholders on how to best address environmental concerns and develop innovative ways to protect local ecosystems.

PCPPI is the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the country. It distributes well-loved brands such as Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, 7-Up, Mirinda, Mug, Gatorade, Sting, Tropicana, Lipton Iced Tea, Milkis, Chum Churum Soonhari, and Premier. For more information about PCPPI and its products, please visit www.pepsiphilippines.com.

Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. (PCPPI) - the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverage products - recently reported a six percent reduction in its 2020 water usage, compared with previous year. The company saved 5,836,587 cubic meters of water which is more than 2,300 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

In support of 2021 World Water Day, PCPPI commits to improve its water reduction. The company detailed it recycled and reused more than 100,000 m3 or more than 26 million gallons of water.

“Despite the challenges from the pandemic, we still upheld our water stewardship principles. The company respects water as a fundamental right. Thus, we strictly manage our water consumption and water wastes,” said PCPPI President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Frederick D. Ong.

Internally, PCPPI will replicate its water reuse initiatives implemented in its Muntinlupa plant. The company will mirror the project in its Tanuan, Zamboanga, and Cebu plants this year.

To bolster its water stewardship initiatives, PCPPI is strengthening its host communities' involvement. This year, the company will partner with more local government units for its adopt-a-river program.

"Our company does not stop at managing our water resource. We also plan to nourish our sources of clean water to further sustain its supply," added Ong. Water Stewardship is one of PCPPI's three Sustainability pillars. It is aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), the Philippine Development Plan, and PepsiCo’s Performance with Purpose.

Amid the environmental challenges the country is facing, local bottling firm Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. (PCPPI) has strengthened its commitment to running a sustainable business through internal solid waste management efforts. Throughout its 70 years of serving Filipinos world-class refreshments, PCPPI has acknowledged the importance of these measures not just in perpetuating the business but also in ensuring its generational service to the country.

“We strengthened our core commitment to sustainability as we acknowledged that the natural resources we have are limited. Our business and surrounding communities depend on these resources so we resolved to make sure they will continue to be available now and in the future though internal programs we’ve set for ourselves,” said PCPPI Senior Vice President for Operations Allan Frias II.

One of the measures PCPPI initiated within its business was driving a circular economy—minimizing waste at its source through its internal 5-year Luntiang Yaman program focusing on environmental conservation and development. Under this program they launched a three-pronged approach to solid waste management: Packaging innovations, Recycling, and Partnerships.

Innovative packaging solutions

PCPPI has ensured the recyclability of its entire product portfolio—with the bigger share comprised of Returnable Glass Bottles (RGB) at 71%, and the rest comprised of 20% special packaging of pre-mixed beverages for soda fountains, 8% high-value recyclable PET and 1% aluminum can.

"Our product portfolio historically has always been hinged on the returnable glass bottle (RGB) as there continues to be a demand among consumers, and RGBs are a lot sturdier than plastic bottles,” Frias said. “We focus on RGBs because very little needs to be done for their re-use. Our partners return our glass bottles for a fee and all we need to do then is wash and sanitize them.”

Through years of developing RGBs, PCPPI has optimized packaging by reducing the materials in other containers apart from glass bottles by making them lighter, successfully diverting tons of solid waste from landfills. As a result of their packaging innovations since 2014, PCPPI has collectively reduced plastic resin used in its PET containers by 863.4 MT, glass material by 6,467.5 MT, and carton material usage by 921.35 MT.

“Lighter packaging in no way compromises the durability of these containers. The same quality of our products is retained but with added benefit of lessening waste being generated,” Frias explained.

Effective recycling efforts

The Filipino bottling firm also tightened its enforcement of recycling within all of its 13 plants across the Philippines. According to Frias, since the implementation of their Luntiang Yaman program, PCPPI has successfully recycled 81% of in-plant solid waste, putting them right on track to reach their 85% goal by 2020.

“PCPPI embeds recycling even in our community volunteerism projects,” Frias said. “In the past we transformed PET bottles into sustainable sources for light in war-stricken Marawi and recently, in our Brigada Eskwela efforts this year where we turned over a greenhouse made of up cycled PET bottles to one of our beneficiaries.”

Strong Industry partnerships As sustainability isn’t a competition for PCPPI, the company also leveraged on their industry partnerships to help address solid waste challenges outside their plants.

The company has been a long-time partner of the Philippine Alliance for Recycling and Materials Sustainability (PARMS) alongside other industry movers among Fast-Moving Consumer Group enterprises . "We do not have control over post-consumer wastes, but we try to address this by engaging with our brothers in the industry to help the community have a common recycling facility for all of their wastes,” Frias said. "Here, we segregate our wastes, as well as our partners’ for recycling.”

Further, PCPPI has recently partnered with ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya to donate its used industrial oils, and car in exchange of proceeds that will be remitted to the ABS-CBN foundation to help fund its projects. The project will not just help divert and properly dispose these harmful leftovers, but aims to help alleviate as well the lives of the beneficiaries.

“When it comes to strengthening business continuity, sustainability must always be a key component. By being more conscious of our responsibility to the environment, we benefit not only our business but the communities that surround and support us well into the years to come,” Frias concluded.

With the purpose of providing healthcare to the underserved communities of Batad Iloilo, post-graduate interns of the Department of Health Philippine Centers for Specialized Health Care internship program partnered with Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. (PCPPI) to host a two-day medical mission in the municipality.

The project, "G sa Iloilo: Reach the Unreachable," was run by the 16-member, Team G of the DOH's special internship program. Along with volunteers from the municipal health office and PCPPI employees, they reached hundreds of locals in the small and medically underserved communities of Bulak Norte, Binon-an, and Cabagohan with comprehensive, holistic medical service.

"The internship program has a long history of providing free medical assistance to depressed areas all over the country," said team leader Melissa Caparros.

Free consultation and medication were given to the locals who also enjoyed complimentary Pepsi products like Aquafina and Premier mineral water, Tropicana juice, and Gatorade.

"Medical services are very expensive in these areas. Hospitals and health centers are often too far from these towns that almost fade into obscurity and most times, people suffer alone," said John Bermudo, PCPPI's Head of Human Resources for Visayas and Mindanao. "This initiative is our way of bridging the gap by bringing the medical services closer to them."

Reaching the unreachable

Batad is a far-flung, rural municipality in Iloilo consisting of 24 barangays whose communities thrive off of agriculture, fishery, and manual labor. With the average daily income ranging from 200 to 300 pesos a day for a family of four to five members, locals often delay consultations and decide against seeking medical assistance from the far and expensive hospitals in the city.

"Though each barangay has a health center, services are usually for basic medical cases," said Batad municipal health officer, Dr. Maria dela Rosa. Being the only doctor serving all the barangays in the municipality, Dr. Dela Rosa said it can be difficult for the locals to be able to schedule check-ups or get medicine for their ailments and immediate medical needs.

"They are also too scared to visit the doctors in the city because they feel they won't have enough when the prescriptions for their medicines come," said Roy Alleno, Barangay Chairman of Bulak Norte.

Teodora dela Cruz, Barangay Chairman of Cabagohan agreed, "Medical missions are quite rare here, this is only the fifth one in the six years I am incumbent. The residents truly appreciate it because they don't have to travel far nor pay for the medicine and the services they need."

With the success of the project, Team G expressed their thanks to their partners in helping them reach out to the community.

"We're very thankful for the municipal office of Batad as well as for PCPPI and its volunteer employees," said Caparros. "It was very difficult for us to find big companies who were willing to sponsor this project perhaps because the area is too far. We're grateful that Pepsi Philippines believed in what we wanted to achieve. Partnering with them was beneficial to our goal because of their already strong presence in the community."

PCPPI is optimistic in planning to replicate the initiative across the region. "Recently, our initiatives with the government focused on environmental projects like estero clean-ups in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural resources to prepare for the rainy season, or road side tree-planting with the Department of Public Works and Highways," said Bermudo.

"With today's turnout we will add and continue this program in our own list of initiatives. We are continually planning more outreaches and programs targeted to help better serve the communities who have given us their full support through the years and those that helped build us into the company we are today, like Iloilo."