Kwento Ni Toto: Initiative

Showing posts with label Initiative. Show all posts

2026/06/19

SM Named First Mall Operator to Roll Out DOE’s Oras Natin sa Efficiency (O.N.E.) Initiative

Toto 6/19/2026 04:00:00 PM

SM has partnered with the Department of Energy (DOE) in launching O.N.E.: Oras Natin sa Efficiency, a nationwide energy efficiency campaign that encourages Filipinos to turn awareness into action through simple, collective habits that help save energy.

(L-R) Director Patrick T. Aquino, CESO III, Energy Utilization Management Bureau (EUMB), Department of Energy, Mr. Joaquin L. San Agustin, Executive Vice President for Marketing, SM Supermalls, Assistant Secretary Mandy Romero, Department of Energy, Ms. Nicole Cordovez, Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2016, Secretary Sharon S. Garin, Department of Energy, Honorable Imelda G. Calixto-Rubiano, Pasay City Mayor, Engr. Junias M. Eusebio, Vice President for Mall Operations, SM Supermalls, Undersecretary Mario C. Marasigan, Department of Energy, Ms. Mhicaela "Bella" Belen, and Ms. Pauline Gaston.

Launched through a ceremonial switch-off event at the Mall of Asia Globe, the campaign champions the importance of responsible energy use amid the country’s State of National Energy Emergency, declared under Executive Order No. 110, s. 2026, which cites geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions as critical threats to national energy security.

The O.N.E. campaign, anchored on the message “One Hour, One Energy, One Nation,” encourages coordinated energy reduction as a shared national habit. For SM, this means participating in anenergy reduction window where participating properties will switch off non-essential lights and reduce unnecessary energy use.

During the ceremony, SM expressed its support for DOE’s call for energy responsibility, emphasizing that energy security is a shared concern that affects homes, businesses, communities, and the daily lives of millions of Filipinos.

Department of Energy Secretary Sharon Garin delivers the keynote message during the launch of the O.N.E. (Oras Natin sa Efficiency) campaign at SM Mall of Asia, reinforcing the call for collective action toward energy efficiency nationwide.

“At first, one hour may seem small. One switch turned off. One appliance unplugged. One light dimmed. But when many people do it together, across homes, malls, offices, and communities, that one hour becomes something bigger. It becomes a shared habit. It becomes a national effort. It becomes a reminder that each of us has a role to play in protecting our country’s energy future,” said Junias M. Eusebio, Vice President for Operations, SM Supermalls.

As part of its operational commitment, SM will assign energy officers to monitor participation and report actual energy savings to the DOE. The initiative will also include the switch-off of non-essential lights such as pylons, façade lighting, and decorative displays during the designated reduction window, supported by proper coordination and monitoring across participating properties.

Engr. Junias M. Eusebio, Vice President for Mall Operations of SM Supermalls, highlights the company’s operational commitment to energy efficiency in support of the Department of Energy’s O.N.E. (Oras Natin sa Efficiency) campaign at SM Mall of Asia.

Beyond the ceremonial switch-off, SM emphasized that the campaign is about building lasting habits. Through its nationwide network of most-loved malls, SM will continue to share DOE-provided energy efficiency tips and information materials with tenants, employees, customers, and millions of daily visitors—encouraging them to carry the practice beyond the mall and into their homes and workplaces.

“It is not just about one hour. It is about what that one hour teaches us. That energy efficiency can be practical. That sustainability can be part of everyday life. That small habits, when shared by many, can help move a nation forward,” Tan added.

Pasay City Mayor Imelda G. Calixto-Rubiano expresses support for the O.N.E. (Oras Natin sa Efficiency) campaign at SM Mall of Asia, underscoring the vital role of local government units in advancing energy efficiency and sustainability efforts.

The O.N.E. campaign also aligns with SM Cares’ long-term environmental advocacy and the broader SM Green Movement, which promotes responsible energy use, climate action, and everyday sustainability practices. SM continues to strengthen its sustainability efforts through energy-efficient operations, solar initiatives, and EV charging efforts across its properties.

Through its support for DOE’s O.N.E. campaign, SM reinforces the role of the private sector in helping strengthen national energy responsibility—showing that even the smallest actions, when done together and repeated consistently, can create meaningful impact.

Together, one hour can count for one nation.

2025/07/05

Waste-Free

SM Prime Marks First Year of Waste-Free Future Initiative

Toto 7/05/2025 06:46:00 AM

The Philippines produces more than 60,000 metric tons of waste each day, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources—a number projected to grow as urbanization and economic activity continue to rise.

In response, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. launched the SM Waste-Free Future program in 2024. As part of its environmental sustainability efforts, the initiative aims to cut down waste through proper segregation, recycling, composting, and other eco-friendly disposal methods, helping reduce the volume sent to landfills.

Together as one community, 2024 marks the launch of SM Waste-Free Future in SM Mall of Asia.

In its first year, it implemented a new waste management segregation system across its properties, including all malls, residences, offices, hotels and convention centers, and estates nationwide.

Beyond SM Prime, the campaign on waste has extended its reach to other SM groups and portfolio companies, making SM Waste-Free Future a group-wide endeavor.

A bigger picture of waste

The Recyclable, Disposable, Composable (RDC) bins are central to the program’s segregation practice. RDC makes it simple and consistent, providing key visual cues to bin it right.

Together for an SM Waste-Free Future, the Recyclable, Disposable, Composable (RDC) bins at SM Store branches support the broader goals of environmental sustainability through clear and effective waste segregation practices.

Despite its infancy stage, the rapid and wide-scale integration underscores SM Prime’s ability to operationalize sustainability across diverse asset classes and ecosystems, reinforcing the company’s commitment to innovative waste diversion strategies.

SM Prime also celebrates the efforts of SM Retail in advancing a waste-free future. All SM Store branches have successfully deployed their RDC bins, while SM Markets continues to implement its reusable bag system. In support of waste management efforts, Goldilocks Bakeshop has also implemented the RDC system across its stores in all SM Supermalls.

Creating opportunities to expand

Partnerships with other organizations pave the way for the work ahead. SM Waste-Free Future strengthens tenant engagement for SM Supermalls and SM Offices, supporting businesses with similar goals on waste and helping them align with their global sustainability policies.

Similarly, it reinforces SM Hotels’ advanced Back of House operations, food waste policies, and textile recycling program. The SM Hotels’ Tela Tales program transforms discarded linen into sustainable products and provides livelihood for the women of partner communities, upcycling more than 2,000 yards of condemned linens.

Recognizing that technology greatly contributes to the solutions, SM Waste-Free Future has also strengthened collaborations with other organizations. SM Development Corporation (SMDC) works with Globe’s Hapag Movement to rescue surplus food from residents and help make a difference in the lives of Filipino families experiencing involuntary hunger and divert household food waste away from landfills.

In the mall’s Cyberzone areas, SM Supermalls’ Electronic Waste Collection Program and their partnership with PLDT and Smart make it accessible to dispose of old mobile devices and other electronic gadgets responsibly.

Shoppers can conveniently drop off old gadgets for proper recycling through SM Supermalls’ E-Waste Collection in partnership with PLDT and Smart at Cyberzone.

Join the movement

SM Waste Free Future invites more communities and stakeholders to participate through proper waste segregation, joining local clean-ups and collection drives, or supporting eco-friendly products and practices.

Positive reinforcement and catchy social media campaigns from SM Cares target the youth by promoting better waste segregation habits and encouraging them to become more involved with the state of the planet they will inherit.

Recently, in celebration of World Oceans Day, SM Cares mobilized communities across 18 SM Supermalls nationwide, bringing together over 5,000 volunteers and collecting more than 30,000 kilograms of waste from shorelines.

Mobilizing for World Oceans Day, SM Cares volunteers unite and act to remove waste that ends up in the oceans.

“Waste-Free Future is more than just a program—it’s a mindset shift. And we’re only getting started,” said Engr. Liza Silerio, Vice President for Corporate Compliance and Program Director of SM Cares for Environment. “We call on our tenants, partners, and customers to continue the journey with us—because a truly sustainable future is one we build together.”

With the growing momentum for a waste-free future, SM Prime believes that a cleaner, more circular Philippines is well within reach.