ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. (AFI) and Filinvest Malls partner to promote proper disposal and recycling of used lead-acid batteries and untreated used oil. Through ABS-CBN Foundation’s Bantay Baterya and Bantay Langis projects, AFI and Filinvest Malls aid in preventing above-mentioned hazardous wastes from impacting the environment and causing harm to human health.
Held last March 4, 2024, at the Palms Country Club in Alabang, Muntinlupa, the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement was attended by the ABS-CBN Foundation’s Managing Director, Roberta Lopez Feliciano and Filinvest Malls’ FVP and Retail Business Head, Mitch A. Dumlao. Also in attendance were representatives of Genetron International Marketing, one of the partner transporters and recyclers of this project and Sarah Agcaoili, ABS-CBN Foundation Bantay Kalikasan Supervisor.
“The warning signs have been there for the past two decades… That puts a lot of pressure on all of us, especially [since] we all contribute to what is happening now [to the environment]. And it is important for businesses [like ours] to be the example and to lead in all of these sustainability initiatives and inspire others to do the same things,” expressed Dumlao in reference to the importance of businesses like Filinvest Malls leading the way in sustainability initiatives.
Improper handling and disposal of hazardous waste, like used oil and batteries, poses a significant risk to human health and the environment. They contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals that can infiltrate soil and groundwater, leading to irreversible environmental damage. Responsible disposal is crucial to alleviate potential risks to humanity and the planet and reinforce moves toward sustainability.
Similarly, Lopez-Feliciano stressed the importance of individual responsibility in achieving sustainability: “It’s really a shift in the way you think, but once you find and believe that it is important that you buy responsibly, dispose of your waste responsibly, you behave responsibly in everything you do. It just becomes a part of your life, and you don’t have to make an extra effort because it’s important to you.”
Through this initiative, Filinvest Malls’ used batteries and untreated oil will be handled and treated in an environmentally responsible manner. Any recoverable value from these wastes will then be remitted to the Foundation to support its environmental advocacies and projects. The ABS-CBN Foundation and Filinvest Malls’ partnership in this endeavor proves that everyone can contribute to a more sustainable future.
Left to Right (Front): Jocelyn Panen, Sales Director, Genetron International Marketing; Mitch Dumlao, First Vice President & Retail Business Head, Filinvest Malls; Roberta Lopez-Feliciano, Managing Director, ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.; Sarah Agcaoili, Bantay Kalikasan Supervisor, ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.
Left to Right (Back): Engr. Nestor Reyes II, Sr. Facilities Engineer, Proexcel Property Managers Inc. (PPMI); Engr. Augusto Frani Jr., Facilities Manager, PPMI; Em-Ai De Pedro, Corporate Marketing Manager, Filinvest Malls; Ellen Joy Karganilla, Corporate Retail Engineering Manager, PPMI; Karl Marvin Lizardo, Sr. Retail Area Manager, PPMI; Denise Rae Lagayan, SAVP Corporate Marketing, Filinvest Malls; Yvette Dizon, Deputy General Manager, Festival Mall; Bienvenido Cruz, Strategic and Business Development Unit Head, PPMI; Sherwin Hinlo, OIC/Resource Mobilization and Donor Management Manager, ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc
To learn more about ABS-CBN Foundation’s Bantay Baterya and Bantay Langis initiatives, send us an email at foundation@abs-cbnfoundation.com.