Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc., Naga City Government, team up to boost PET bottle collection and recycling efforts

In line with its mission to support local communities’ sustainable waste management efforts, Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI), the bottling arm of Coca-Cola in the Philippines, has signed a Memorandum of Agreement to formalize its partnership with the City of Naga and its community partners. As part of this collaboration, CCBPI provided a baling machine to support the city’s PET bottle collection and recycling initiatives. 

Representatives present (L-R) during the signing: Alfredo M. Gatongay of the Independent Component City Agriculture and Fishery Council of Naga, Annielen L. Panerio, General Manager of the CamSur Multipurpose Cooperative, Naga City Mayor Nelson S. Legacion, Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI) VP for Corporate & Regulatory Affairs Atty. Juan Lorenzo Tañada, Chairperson of RAFC Region 5 Bernadette delos Santos, and Chief of PMED and RAFC Bicol Regional Executive Officer Aloha Gigi Bañaria.

"CCBPI is proud to support the City of Naga in promoting its waste management initiatives and empowering its community members to actively participate in the city’s collection and recycling efforts. We thank all our partners—Mayor Nelson S. Legacion, the CamSur Multipurpose Cooperative, and the Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council of Region 5—for working with us towards our goal of fostering cleaner and greener communities,” says Atty. Juan Lorenzo Tañada, CCBPI VP for Corporate & Regulatory Affairs.

The partnership underscores the shared commitment of Coca-Cola, the local government, and partner communities to fostering a collective effort toward creating a circular economy for recyclable plastic packaging in Naga. Central to the effort is the CamSur Multipurpose Cooperative, which leverages its network of over 7,000 members to execute the collection initiatives for post-consumer clear PET plastic bottles within the city. The Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council Region 5 will help oversee the project implementation to ensure that the collection efforts are seamlessly integrated into the community’s needs.

The goal is to ensure that all collected clear PET plastic bottles, regardless of brand, are diverted to PETValue Philippines, the country's first facility dedicated to bottle-to-bottle recycling. PETValue employs advanced technologies to transform fully recyclable post-consumer plastic packaging into new food-grade recycled PET (rPET) bottles. This facility is a joint venture between CCBPI and Indorama Ventures, a global sustainable chemical company.

Through strong multi-sectoral partnership, the initiative aims to promote a circular economy that is geared towards protecting the environment, supporting local livelihoods, and creating a better future for the residents of Naga City.