Coca-Cola Philippines Celebrates World Water Day, Participates in Dialogue on Sustainable Water Management

MANILA, Philippines, 22 March 2024 – In celebration of World Water Day, Coca-Cola Philippines and the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham) convened stakeholders to discuss the critical challenges surrounding water resource management in the Philippines.

Held on March 7th, the Sip & Sustain: Water Security for the Philippines event brought together industry leaders, experts, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) represented by Undersecretary Carlos Primo C. David to discuss strategies aimed at ensuring water security for all Filipinos.

Participants shared their thoughts on the importance of sustainable water management practices and the need for collaborative efforts to tackle water-related challenges effectively. Topics ranging from data collection and planning to governance and accountability were explored, emphasizing the significance of transparent and accountable water management systems.

In addition to fostering dialogue among stakeholders, the event underscored the role of public-private partnerships in driving innovation and investment in water management initiatives, such as The Coca-Cola Company’s 2030 Global Water Security Strategy, where the company aims to: Achieve 100% regenerative water use across 175 facilities in different countries identified as facing high levels of water stress by 2030;

Work with partners to help improve the health of 60 watersheds identified as most critical for the system’s operations and agricultural supply chains by 2030; and·return a cumulative total of 2 trillion liters of water to nature and communities globally, between 2021–2030.

For more information on Coca-Cola Philippines' sustainability efforts, please visit www.coca-cola.com.ph or follow @CocaColaPhilippines on Facebook and @cocacolaph on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

Coca-Cola Philippines Affirms Commitment to Helping Preserve and Improve Water Resources

MANILA, Philippines, 23 November 2023 — Coca-Cola Philippines brought together a diverse group of stakeholders on November 16, 2023, to discuss locally relevant water issues and explore collaborative solutions for addressing these water-related challenges.

Among the speakers were Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, Sen. Grace Poe, US Embassy in the Philippines Deputy Chief of Mission Y. Robert Ewing, Coca-Cola Philippines President Tony del Rosario, Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI) Director for Corporate & Regulatory Affairs, Atty. Juan Lorenzo Tañada, and Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, Inc. (CCFPI) President Cecile Alcantara.
From left to right: CCBPI Director for Corporate & Regulatory Affairs, Atty. Juan Lorenzo Tañada; US Embassy in the Philippines Deputy Chief of Mission Y. Robert Ewing; Sen. Grace Poe; Coca-Cola Philippines President Tony del Rosario; CCFPI President Cecile Alcantara; and Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific Climate and Water Lead Lynn Hong
during the 2030 Water Security Strategy Forum

Water is the primary ingredient used in Coca-Cola beverages and is an essential resource for the well-being of communities around the world. With a presence in more than 200 countries and territories, The Coca-Cola Company believes it has a responsibility to protect local water resources and help people who live in places that face water scarcity.

“In the Philippines, we invest in initiatives to reduce water in making beverages and to treat and reuse water where possible. The goal is to return to nature and communities the amount of water used to produce our finished beverages. Efforts to preserve nature and biodiversity and promote advanced water management practices are among our company’s priorities,” said Coca-Cola Philippines President Tony del Rosario. “We have an array of partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, and communities to generate an even bigger impact and we encourage others to join us in these efforts.”

Coca-Cola Philippines President Tony del Rosario reaffirms the company’s commitment to water sustainability

To accelerate its actions on water, The Coca-Cola Company launched this year its holistic 2030 Water Security Strategy, which focuses on the following:

● Achieve 100% circular water use across 175 facilities globally identified as leadership locations.
● Form partnerships to improve the health of 60 critical watersheds worldwide.
● Return a cumulative total of 2 trillion liters of water to nature and communities globally between 2021 to 2030.

“Coca-Cola has significantly contributed to water stewardship and in the pillars of water access, sanitation and health, watershed conservation, and water for productive use. They have demonstrated that the private sector can be pivotal in addressing water-related challenges,” said DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga.

US Embassy in the Philippines Deputy Chief of Mission Y. Robert Ewing also commended Coca-Cola Philippines for its efforts. “Coca-Cola has been a long-standing partner of the U.S. government. I am proud of our strong partnership and shared commitment to providing water access, sanitation, and health services to underserved communities while conserving valuable water resources for future generations. Building a water-secure Philippines is a shared goal that we can achieve by working together.”

Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe, Chairperson of the Senate Public Services Committee, renewed her call for the creation of the Department of Water. "Water is indispensable for leading a life of human dignity. Let us work together to lift the floodgates of bureaucracy, attain sustainable consumption and production, and ensure that clean water flows to every household like a mighty stream.”

Efficient water use in manufacturing

CCBPI has improved its national water use efficiency across 18 manufacturing plants throughout the country through stringent water-saving initiatives. From 2015 to 2022, CCBPI saved approximately 11 million cubic meters of water, equivalent to about 4,400 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. Director for Corporate & Regulatory Affairs Atty. Juan Lorenzo Tañada, reports the company’s water-saving initiatives

“Our passion for water sustainability is evident in the way we operate. From conducting Source Water Vulnerability Assessments to understanding and monitoring our water sources, making sure that we improve on our water use in our plants, to ensuring that we have the right people and the right technological investments in our facilities,” shared Atty. Juan Lorenzo Taňada, Director for Corporate & Regulatory Affairs of CCBPI.

Improving watershed health

CCFPI prioritizes nature-based solutions as a way to conserve watersheds using natural processes such as reforestation, wetland restoration, and sustainable agriculture. Together with WWF Philippines, the Foundation has worked to improve the health of Ipo Watershed, one of the main sources of water of Metro Manila.

Their 5-year partnership has replenished approximately 400 million liters of water per year due to decreased runoff, helped reduce 2,500 metric tons of CO2 per year from reforestation, and improved sustainable food supply for the people living in the community.

Helping communities access safe and clean water

Coca-Cola Philippines aims to return to nature and communities the amount of water used to produce its finished products and help increase access to drinking water, sanitation, and washing facilities for the most impacted communities.

Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines Inc. President Cecile Alcantara shares how the Foundation helps
communities have access to clean water for drinking and sanitation and build resilience against climate change

Through the Foundation, the company collaborates with more than 25 partners nationwide to make these goals happen. For instance, CCFPI’s partnership with the Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation for over a decade has led to the installation of more than a hundred ram pump projects across the country, providing water for domestic use and helping reduce the prevalence of waterborne diseases.

"The results of our water stewardship program testify to the power of collaboration on our shared advocacy on water security. We are committed to continue working with partners to reach more Filipino communities in the future,” said Cecile Alcantara, President of CCFPI.

For more information on the sustainability initiatives of Coca-Cola Philippines, follow the company’s social media channels: @CocaColaPhilippines on Facebook and @cocacolaph on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram—or visit www.coca-cola.com.ph.

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