“The stories we tell about waste shape how Filipinos understand and respond to the problem. When media gets the science right — when they go beyond the surface and explain why waste ends up in our seas — they don’t just inform. They empower millions of consumers to act. This workshop is our way of partnering with the press to make that happen. Because the more accurately we tell the story, the faster we can change the culture of waste management.” ~Anna Oposa, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Save Philippine Seas
Media practitioners get hands-on experience in environmental storytelling to help drive solutions-oriented reporting on the Philippines’ waste management crisis
Save Philippine Seas (SPS) and Mondelēz International in the Philippines have launched the country's first Marine Litter Learning Workshop for Media, giving journalists and media practitioners an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of marine pollution, waste management, and science-based solutions to the country's growing waste challenge.
Held at Catering Trio in Pasig City, the three-hour workshop provided members of the press with a hands-on learning experience based on the same interactive modules previously used to train community leaders, educators, and youth advocates across the Philippines.
The workshop featured two main activities. “Understanding Recycling” introduced participants to the science behind plastic resin identification codes and explored which types of plastic can actually be recycled within the Philippine context. Meanwhile, “Sink or Swim?” offered an immersive look at the journey of improperly discarded waste—from streets and drainage systems to esteros and eventually the country's seas.
The program also included a special environmental reporting session facilitated by FYT Media, which equipped participating journalists with practical tools and frameworks for producing more accurate, effective, and responsible environmental stories.
Why Media Matters in the Waste Conversation
The workshop was developed in recognition of the media's important role in informing public understanding of environmental concerns, while also highlighting the need for a more nuanced and informed discussion around waste management in the Philippines.
Co-founded by Oposa in 2011, Save Philippine Seas (SPS) has evolved from a social media campaign into one of the Philippines' prominent organizations focused on marine conservation. The organization works to connect scientific knowledge with the public, engaging communities in collective efforts and encouraging behavior change to help protect the country's oceans. As part of its education initiatives, SPS developed the Marine Litter Learning Kit, a collection of interactive, hands-on learning modules that are now being introduced and implemented in communities across the Philippines.
Building on Momentum
The workshop seeks to help consumers, through greater media awareness, better understand the complexities of plastic waste management in the Philippines. While plastic is often associated with flooding and has been included in discussions around potential government taxation, the session also examined its functional role in packaging.
Plastic can provide important protection for products, particularly food, and represents only one component of the broader packaging system used in the Philippines. The workshop emphasized that the environmental impact of waste is closely connected to how it is managed. Regardless of the material, improperly handled waste can enter drainage systems, esteros, waterways, and eventually the ocean.
The workshop also explored proposals to impose taxes on plastic products, including sachets. Mondelēz International presented science-based scenarios examining environmental approaches beyond taxation that could potentially contribute to improving waste management in the Philippines.
Mondelēz International: From Policy to Practice
The media workshop forms part of a broader series of initiatives between Save Philippine Seas (SPS) and snacks company Mondelēz International aimed at supporting better waste management in the Philippines through policy engagement, community education, and plastic collection efforts.
Mondelēz International has expressed support for the country's Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act and was recognized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in 2026 for its efforts to collect and divert plastic packaging associated with its products.
Through its “Trash Right” program, the company supports information and education initiatives designed to encourage more responsible waste management. These include the “Miming and Friends” animated YouTube series and hands-on learning workshops conducted in partnership with SPS.
“At Mondelēz International, we believe that tackling the waste management challenge requires action on every front, from supporting legislation like the EPR Act, to collecting plastics in communities, to making sure Filipino consumers have the right information to make better choices. Bringing this workshop to media is a natural next step. Journalists are among the most powerful multipliers we have. When they understand the full picture — the science, the systems, the solutions — they can help us reach and empower millions more.” ~Caitlin Punzalan, Corporate & Government Affairs Lead, Mondelēz International in the Philippines
The education efforts are complemented by community-based plastic collection initiatives, creating a multi-faceted approach that combines awareness, community participation, and on-the-ground waste recovery.
About Save Philippine Seas
Save Philippine Seas (SPS) was founded in 2011 as a social media
campaign in response to an illegal wildlife trade case in the Philippines. What
started as an online movement eventually became a registered non-profit
organization in 2013. SPS aims to narrow the gap between scientists and the
general public, the old and young, and the passionate and indifferent by
mobilizing seatizen-led initiatives that empower Filipinos towards collective
action and behavior change for ocean conservation. Through education, community
engagement, and policy advocacy, SPS continues to inspire Filipinos to become
active stewards of the country's marine resources.
About Mondelēz International
Mondelēz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ) empowers people to snack right in over 150 countries around the world with 2025 net revenues of approximately $38.5 billion, MDLZ is leading the future of snacking with iconic global and local brands such as OREO, belVita and LU biscuits; Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolate; Sour Patch Kids candy and Trident gum. Mondelēz International is a proud member of the Standard and Poor’s 500, Nasdaq 100, and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Visit www.mondelezinternational.com or follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDLZ.
About
Mondelez Philippines
Mondelez Philippines, Inc. has been providing consumers with delicious
snack products for the past 63 years - since 1963. Its product portfolio
includes Tang powdered beverages, Eden cheese, mayonnaise and
sandwich spread, Cheez Whiz spread, Oreo cookies, Tiger
energy biscuits, as well as Toblerone and Cadbury Dairy Milk
chocolates. The company employs about 450 people in the Philippines, with a
manufacturing facility in Parañaque City. Visit https://ph.mondelezinternational.com/home
