Coca-Cola Philippines Ramps up PET Plastic Bottle Recycling Program through 2,200 Sari-Sari Stores and Carinderias Across NCR

MANILA, Philippines, 17 January 2024 — Consumers across Metro Manila can now drop off their empty PET bottles for recycling at over 2,200 sari-sari stores and carinderias. This initiative, the Tindahan Extra Mile (TEM): Balik PET Bottle Program of Coca-Cola Philippines and Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies, Inc. (BEST), not only extends the life of these bottles but also offers financial incentives for store owners. 

 

Promoting environmental sustainability while earning incentives 

 

How does this work? TEM collection bins are positioned in front of sari-sari stores and carinderias where consumers can conveniently drop off their empty bottles and cans for recycling. After collection, PET bottles are weighed at each store and recorded in the store owner's bXTRA app account. Store owners earn points that can be exchanged for cash back depending on the number of bottles acquired in a month. They can choose to withdraw the points as cash or use them to acquire Coca-Cola products and merchandise. 

 

 

TEM collection bins are placed in front of sari-sari stores and carinderias. 

Here, consumers can drop their empty bottles and cans for recycling. 

 

“Malaking tulong sa amin ‘tong programa, kaya salamat talaga sa Coca-Cola. Kumikita na kami, nakatutulong pa kami sa kalikasan (We are grateful to Coca-Cola because this program is a big help to us. We are earning while also helping the environment),” said Carolina Catimbang, a store owner in Brgy. West Bicutan. 

 

 

Store owner Lolita Repia said Coca-Cola Philippines and BEST’s Tindahan Extra Mile Program has helped her grow her business and increase her income while contributing to the cleanliness of her community. 

 

When asked about her inspiration in joining the TEM Program, Lolita Repia, another store owner, shared, “Ang naging inspirasyon ko sa pagsali sa programa ay ang pag-recycle. Ginagawa ko na ‘yun dati pa, nagbebenta ako ng mga bote sa junk shop (My inspiration for joining the program is recycling. I've been doing that for a while; I sell bottles directly to junk shops). 

 

“Pero ngayon, mas excited akong gawin ito dahil alam kong ‘yung mga bote na kinokolekta ko, magiging bote ulit. Masaya akong nakakatulong sa kapaligiran (But now, I'm more excited to do this because I know that the bottles I collect will become bottles again. I am happy to contribute to the environment), she added. 

 

Inspiring collective action toward recycling 

 

“Noong una sinasabihan namin ‘yung mga bumibili dito na kapag bumili sila ng Coke products, itapon nila ‘yung PET bottles sa bins. Ngayon, automatic na, eh (At first, we used to tell our customers that when they buy Coke products, they should throw the PET bottles into the bins. Now, it’s automatic),” shared Catimbang who noticed the easy cooperation of their customers in their recycling efforts. 

 

 

Carolina Catimbang showing Coca-Cola products sold at her store. 

The packaging of these products are made from 100% recycled plastic. 

 

“Kahit ‘yung jeepney drivers na customer namin, ‘yung trash nila, minsan sila na rin nagkukusang maglagay sa bins. Kaya minsan nagugulat ako, ang dami na (Even the jeepney drivers, who are our customers, willingly put their trash in the bins. That’s why sometimes I get surprised that our bins are filled with empty bottles),” she added. 

 

For PASCO National President Elilyn Gadia and National Treasurer Emma Alvarez, the TEM Program help adults become better examples to children. “Dapat nakikita ng mga bata sa mga magulang nila ‘yung pag-segregate ng basura at paglilinis ng kapaligiran. Natutuwa kami ‘pag may nakikita silang PET bottle sa daan, pinupulot nila (Children should see their parents segregating waste and cleaning their surroundings. We are happy to see children picking up empty bottles on the road). 

 

Gadia and Alvarez said they are happy to see TEM Program members growing with the help of Coca-Cola Philippines, especially as sari-sari stores and carinderia owners continue to recover from the income loss during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Advancing circularity of plastic packaging 

 

For 2024, Coca-Cola Philippines announces that it is expanding the Tindahan Extra Mile program to 2,400 stores.  

 

“We are one with Coca-Cola Philippines in ensuring that our bottles can have many lives by bringing our collected PET Bottles from Sari-Sari Stores to PETValue Philippines, a first of its kind,” said Jan Vincent Mercado, Senior Vice President for Business Development of BEST. “Our commitment to sustainability and waste innovation comes full circle through this partnership. Indeed, it is refreshing to walk the talk in circularity,” he added. 

Members of BEST delivering collected bottles through the Tindahan Extra Mile program

to the PETValue facility in Cavite

 

In September 2023, Coca-Cola Philippines launched its consumer engagement program, ‘May Ikabobote Pa’, to educate, inspire, and engage more consumers to return their empty bottles and cans so they can be recycled and turned into new materials. Through this, the company hopes to inspire behavior change among consumers and empower like-minded organizations and communities to continue working together to prevent plastic waste from ending up in places where they are not supposed to be. 

 

To advance the circularity of plastic packaging, Coca-Cola Philippines introduced new bottles made from 100% recycled PET plastic. This packaging innovation is now available in Coca-Cola Original (190ml), Wilkins Pure (500ml), and Sprite 500ml. These bottles can be recycled many times, significantly reducing the volume of virgin plastics created and used. 

Consumers can locate the nearest collection points and discover more about Coca-Cola Philippines’ recycling initiatives through the Coca-Cola Sustainability Hub. 

Applications for 5th Reimagine Recycling Now Open! Save Philippine Seas, Coca-Cola Team Up to Provide Waste Solutions Funding

From the pool of applications, up to 10 finalists will be selected to attend the Reimagine Recycling Summit in January 2024. During the summit, they will have the opportunity to meet with past winners, participate in workshops, and pitch their proposals before a panel of experts and specialists. Selected proposals have the chance to receive up to Php 500,000.00 in funding from the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines to support their implementation.

“Coca-Cola Philippines is proud to continue working with Save Philippine Seas to promote marine conservation. We recognize the importance of our oceans in life. Through Reimagine Recycling, we are helping support a circular economy for our packaging – including uplifting informal livelihoods, and working to reduce marine pollution in our rivers and oceans,” said Tony del Rosario, President of Coca-Cola Philippines and Vice President for Coca-Cola Franchise Operations in the East Region (Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Philippines).

The program is part of Coca-Cola’s continuous efforts to achieve a World Without Waste through partnerships with organizations. In 2018, The Coca-Cola Company pledged to collect and recycle an equivalent of every bottle and can it sells by 2030; make its packaging recyclable globally by 2025, and use at least 50% recycled materials in its bottles by 2030. The company has also opened a state-of-the-art bottle-to-bottle recycling facility in General Trias, Cavite in 2021.

“At Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, we believe in the power of collective action and the ability to make a difference. That is why we are excited to support the 5th year of Reimagine Recycling! We continue to seek new innovations from groups who share our vision of caring for our communities and supporting our informal waste sector,” said Cecile Alcantara, Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines President.

A program participant joining a brainstorming session on waste segregation and collection
“Reimagine Recycling has enabled past winners to make new connections, grow their projects, and support the collection of over 195,000 kilograms of waste. The ingenuity of Filipinos is inspiring,” said Anna Oposa, Executive Director of Save Philippine Seas.

Applications must be submitted by November 20, 2023. For any questions or concerns, please email Ms. Mo Maguyon, Reimagine Recycling Project Manager, at rr@savephilippineseas.org.

Eligibility

Applicants should have an established and ongoing project that addresses issues in coastal community engagement, improving the welfare of informal waste pickers, gender mainstreaming in waste management, and preventing waste from river and marine ecosystems. The project must be at least six (6) months old by November 2023. The initiative must be a community-based project. Priority will be given to projects that work at the barangay level and collect and recycle hard plastics.

Applications must be by an organization, association, or group, with two to three representatives per project. Applicants may represent private entities (including startups and social enterprises), civil society organizations, or academic institutions.

Examples of initiatives

Supporting informal livelihoods
● Capacity-building opportunities
● Implementing models of cooperative organizing and community governance
● Improving facilities for workers to safely process collections

Developing circular systems
● Providing access to recycling markets and solutions
● Improving local infrastructure for waste collection, recovery, recycling and disposal facilities
● Developing roadmaps and strategies for solid waste management and/or circular economy

For more information, please visit www.savephilippineseas.org/reimagine-recycling. Deadline for applications is on November 20, 2023 (11:59PM GMT+8). For any questions or concerns, please review the FAQs at www.savephilippineseas.org/faq-reimagine-recycling or email rr@savephilippineseas.org.

COCA-COLA PHILIPPINES LAUNCHES NEW 100% rPET BOTTLES

MANILA, Philippines, 8 September 2023 – Coca-Cola Philippines is taking another meaningful step toward a circular economy for plastic packaging by introducing more bottles made from 100% recycled PET plastic (rPET), excluding caps and labels. The rPET packaging is now available for Coca-Cola Original in 190ml and 390ml and Wilkins Pure in 500ml, in addition to Sprite 500ml, which was introduced in 2019. 

Four brands of Coca-Cola Philippines are now in packaging made from 100% recycled plastic: Coca-Cola 190ml, Coca-Cola 390ml, Wilkins 500ml, and Sprite 500ml that was introduced to the market in 2019

Coca-Cola has launched at least one brand in bottles made from 100% rPET in more than 40 countries around the world such as Indonesia, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Coca-Cola’s rPET bottles maintain high-quality standards that consumers expect from the company and comply with local regulations as well as The Coca-Cola Company’s strict global standards for food-grade rPET packaging. 

Coca-Cola Philippines has also established over 2,800 recycling drop-off points across the country, making it more convenient for consumers to return their empty bottles. The initiative encourages consumers to join recycling efforts, helps small store owners grow their businesses, and helps prevent plastic waste from ending up where it is not supposed to be.
  
Additionally, the company's collaboration with Plastic Bank Philippines has led to the activation of 38 recyclable waste collection branches in Cavite and Laguna. Since 2021, the partnership resulted in the collection of 546,000 kilograms of post-consumer bottles for recycling while also enhancing the livelihood of informal waste sector workers. 

“Coca-Cola recognizes that the plastic waste problem in the Philippines is both urgent and complex. Therefore, it will take a collaborative effort to solve this issue. In line with our commitment to helping build a circular economy in the country, we are working to offer innovative packaging design, expand collection and recycling programs, and forge strategic alliances with stakeholders—including government agencies, industry partners, and local organizations,” Coca-Cola Philippines President Tony del Rosario said. 

“We will also use our brand power to engage consumers in collection and recycling initiatives and build awareness that used plastic bottles can have many lives,” he added. 

Coca-Cola Philippines is working to further increase the amount of recycled content used in its plastic packaging by building a sustainable pipeline of high-quality recycled material. Its bottling partner, Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI), established PETValue Philippines through a joint venture with Indorama Ventures, a global leader in green technology and packaging solutions. This pioneering bottle-to-bottle recycling facility started operations in October last year and is expected to recycle 2 billion pieces of collected post-consumer PET plastic bottles per year. 

These initiatives are aligned with The Coca-Cola Company’s ambitious sustainable packaging strategy, where it aims to make 100% of its packaging recyclable globally by 2025, use at least 50% recycled plastic in its packaging by 2030, collect and recycle the equivalent of every can and bottle it sells by 2030, and bring people together to support a healthy, debris-free environment. 

CCBPI proudly shared its growing plastic bottle collection network through the strong support of its partners— “Tapon to Ipon: Basta Klaro, Panalo!” has already reached 170 cities and municipalities and is growing. CCBPI has inked partnerships with more local government units, including the Province of Iloilo, Davao del Sur, and Camiguin for large-scale collection.

“At CCBPI, we always say that we are only as strong as the communities we serve. Everything we do builds on our promise to create a more sustainable future for Filipinos,” shared Gareth McGeown, President and CEO of Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. “We always strive to set higher standards for the industry, but more importantly for ourselves—because we know we need to do more, and you have our commitment that we will do more. We are thankful for the support of our partners in helping give our bottles many more lives."
 
MAY IKABOBOTE PA: A NEW CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE 

On top of the announcement of the new Coca-Cola Original and Wilkins Pure 100% rPET bottles, the company has launched “May Ikabobote Pa”, its new consumer engagement initiative to inform and engage consumers about the actions they can take to recycle their empty plastic bottles. 

May Ikabobote Pa will be brought to life through the following activities, which are also intended to inspire action from consumers and like-minded organizations: 

● New rPET labels: Coca-Cola and Wilkins Pure bottles made from 100% food-grade rPET, excluding caps and labels, now have a call to action “Recycle Me Again” message on their labels. A QR code that will lead to information about the company’s recycling program is also included on each label. 
● Enhanced consumer recycling experiences: Engaging activities on recycling will be featured at Coca-Cola’s on-ground events. 
● Digital-led communications for consumers: Coca-Cola Philippines will partner with groups and community leaders to co-create educational content for a wider audience and advocate for sustainable practices. 
● Partnership with 7-Eleven and Shell: The company is partnering with 7-Eleven stores and Shell stations to create programs that make recycling more convenient and rewarding for consumers. 

These activities are meant to bring people together and remind consumers about the importance of recycling their empty plastic bottles because #MayIkabobotePa (Bottles Can Have Many Lives). 

Coca-Cola Philippines President Tony del Rosario announces the launch of “May Ikabobote Pa”, the company's newest consumer engagement initiative that aims to make recycling more convenient and engaging in the Philippines. Coca-Cola Philippines has more than 2,800 collection drop-off points across the country where consumers can return their empty bottles for recycling. An on-pack QR code that will lead to the Coca-Cola Sustainability Hub is also included on the labels of the new Coca-Cola bottles made from 100% recycled plastic.

From left to right: Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Incorporated President and CEO Gareth McGeown,

Sustainability Champion Andi Eigenmann, Coca-Cola Philippines President Tony del Rosario, Ms. Universe Philippines 2018 and Environment Advocate Catriona Gray, and DENR Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna leading the launch of “May Ikabobote Pa” consumer engagement initiative

TAPON TO REBORN: COCA-COLA PHILIPPINES EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM 

In line with Coca-Cola’s global commitment to sustainability, Coca-Cola Philippines has launched an employee engagement program, “Tapon to Reborn”, to encourage and enable its employees nationwide to become active participants in helping address the plastic waste problem in the country.  

“Tapon to Reborn” encourages employees to collect, segregate, and bring their empty PET bottles, cans, and beverage cartons to the office for recycling. The bottles are then sent to partner recycling facilities, including the CCBPI-supported PETValue PET bottle recycling plant, where they can become new bottles.  

The initiative aims to collect and sell 500 kilograms of PET bottles and cans. The proceeds of the collection will be used to support reforestation efforts in the Lagadlarin Mangrove Forest and Sierra Madre Forest. 

For more information on the sustainability initiatives of Coca-Cola Philippines, visit the Coca-Cola Sustainability Hub at coca-cola.com/ph/en/brands/coca-cola/sustainability or follow the company’s social media channels: @CocaColaPhilippines on Facebook and @cocacolaph on Twitter and Instagram

Coca-Cola launches new Christmas Campaign under Real Magic™ Platform

Manila, Philippines – Coca-Cola, the Philippines’ most-loved beverage brand, heralds this year’s season with “Buksan ang Magic ng Pasko,” a holiday campaign that celebrates the real magic of community and togetherness. The multi-faceted campaign carries, at its heart a simple message of festive joy and inclusion; reminding us that real magic is in the moments of connection we share with others.

“Most of us grew up with Coca-Cola. As a brand, we consider ourselves fortunate to have been given the opportunity to be part of every Filipino table and witness the real magic of human connections, especially during Christmas. From celebrating every occasion to being a source of comfort – Coke serves as that uplifting pause that connects people, in friendship and in community, over a meal or a glass of Coke – and we see this even more pronounced during Christmas,” says Cesar Gangoso, Coca-Cola Marketing Director for Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia. 

Coca-Cola, with its 100-year-old history with the Filipino community, signals the start of Christmas celebrations with a full line up of experiences that people can enjoy. This includes a display of creative out-of-home images that celebrate people, colorful packs, lights and sound festival, well-decorated bottling facilities all over the country, and the infamous Coca-Cola truck going around to surprise 10 local communities.

Gangoso adds, “Christmas for most Filipinos has been a bit different for the past two years. However, what has always been consistent is the familiar comfort that family and friends bring. This year is no different, and just like in the past, Coca-Cola will continue to be part of everyone’s story.”

Coca-Cola’s Real Magic brand philosophy believes that magic is everywhere. It is alive in quiet moments and in grand celebrations. It is in every new experience discovered and nostalgic memories remembered. It is real in shared moments with people we love and even with our community, whether these connections are made physically or virtually.

 

Of course, Christmas will not be the same without iconic films. Buksan ang Magic ng Pasko is anchored by a new short film and supported by a series of activations across digital channels including influencer partnerships and in-store activations. The new film, directed by Sam Brown of Rogue Films and created by dentsuMB UK, embraces and celebrates human kindness with a renewed relevance for the world we live in today. Its uplifting tale shows a boy whose imagination and efforts gather a community’s goodwill at Christmas, creating a shared moment of magic around a festive meal and a Coke.

Coca-Cola Philippines has a series of activities for this holiday season. Buksan ang magic ng Pasko! Celebrate #PaskongCocaCola and the people around you who make moments of connection and hope truly magical. Visit facebook.com/CocaColaPhilippines to learn more.

Coca-Cola Celebrates a Successful Decade of Empowering 250,000 Women Entrepreneurs in the Philippines

Coca-Cola believes that improving women’s economic conditions enables the creation of more empowered communities. In 2010, the beverage company made a global commitment to empower 5 million women across its value chain by 2020. Today, on International Women’s Day, Coca-Cola announced that it has surpassed its global goal, enabling more than 6 million women through 318 programs across 100 countries. Here in the Philippines, Coca-Cola announced that it has successfully supported the economic empowerment of about 250,000 women retailers all over the Philippines—this represents 21% of the total universe of small sari-sari store owners in the country.

“Through this program over the last decade, we’ve seen women creating a ripple effect of change. As we move forward in this new decade, we will continue our commitment to fostering gender equality and support women as they challenge the barriers and the Kababae Mong Tao (Unlady-like) narratives in our society,” says Tony del Rosario, president of Coca-Cola Philippines and vice president for franchise operations of the East Region for Coca-Cola ASEAN and South Pacific. “This is good for society, good for business, and good for socio-economic progress.”

A decade ago, the Philippines was selected as one of a handful of global lead markets to pilot the 5by20 initiative. Realizing that the full potential of women can only be achieved by investing and creating an enabling environment where women can succeed, Coca-Cola Philippines has made incredible strides in empowering and advancing women across its value chain. Over the last decade, the 5by20 program has reached all 17 regions and 81 provinces of the country, which includes sari-sari store owners, carinderia owners, repatriated OFWs, artisan women, and women in operations. For those in Coca-Cola’s external value chain, the company provides business skills training, financial services, and peer mentoring support.

Women as the best investment to spur economic growth

The journey of Coca-Cola towards women economic empowerment here in the Philippines started in 2011 with the pilot program of the 5by20 Sari-Sari Stores Training and Access to Resources (STAR) Program. In partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the STAR program for the past decade and until today helps women overcome barriers to achieving their full potential.

Globally-referenced as a case study on effective business-sustainability initiatives and identified as one of the country’s first business training modules that provides Gender Sensitivity Training, the STAR program continues to emphasize the critical role women play in their families and communities, at the same time, in fostering economic growth.

A 2020 report of the program’s impact revealed that 97% of the women participants found the women economic programs beneficial in their business management.

“Coca-Cola Philippines wouldn’t be where it is today without the strategic role that women play as a key pillar of our business success,” says Jonah de Lumen-Pernia, public affairs and sustainability director of Coca-Cola Philippines. “Supporting women and small retailers will always be a priority for us. When women are empowered, their valuable contribution is not only seen within their families nor in the communities; but in the vibrancy of the economy as well.”

Since its inception, Coca-Cola has built many partnerships and engagements anchored in women’s economic empowerment. The STAR Program has evolved into several other initiatives in response to the prevailing needs of women and sub-sectors—working closely with various government agencies, civil society organizations, and micro-finance institutions. To date, the STAR Program has expanded to sub-initiatives such as iSTAR, STAR Ka-Asenso, ReSTART, Women Artisans of Tondo, PASCO, STAR Rebuild, Women REACH, and OFW Rise, which continue to advance the gender equality agenda.

Coca-Cola and women towards a better shared future

Even after a decade of active participation in the sphere of women empowerment, Coca-Cola Philippines understands that supporting women and communities continues to be essential for economies to thrive into the next decade and beyond.

“Since last year, we have pivoted some of our women economic initiatives to support small retailers in restarting and recovering through the pandemic,” del Rosario further added. “Though we have surpassed our 2020 goal here in the Philippines and globally, the story of resilience and empowerment will continue, and we remain committed to helping women and communities thrive in line with our purpose of refreshing the world and making a difference,” he concluded.

The initiatives of Coca-Cola Philippines have produced positive results and unlocked the full economic potential of women through the support of like-minded organizations from the government: TESDA, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) – OWWA & NRCO, the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) – an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Local Government Units (LGUs); civil-society organizations: Small Business Corporations, and USAID; and micro-finance institutions: Tagum City Council of Women (TCCWI), the Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation (NWTF), First Community Cooperative (FICCO), Alalay Sa Kaunlaran, Inc. (ASKI), and ASA Philippines.

To learn more about the women economic empowerment vision of Coca-Cola, visit https://www.coca-colacompany.com/shared-future/women-empowerment.


About Coca-Cola in the Philippines

Coca-Cola has been refreshing Filipinos and making a difference in the Philippines for 109 years. The Philippines was Coca-Cola’s first market in Asia to begin local bottling operations. Today, the Coca-Cola system in the Philippines has evolved into a total beverage company, offering a diverse portfolio of brands in its beverage portfolio and employing over 15,000 Filipinos in over 19 manufacturing facilities and more than 60 distribution centers nationwide. As part of its long-standing commitment to the country, Coca-Cola continues to #GOBEYONDGOOD as a business by continuously supporting safe water access programs in over 250 communities, empowering around 250,000 women entrepreneurs through training and peer mentoring, and accelerating packaging collection and recycling under its global World Without Waste initiative.