- Media practitioners get hands-on experience in environmental storytelling to help drive solutions-oriented reporting on the Philippines’ waste management crisis
MANILA, Philippines – September 30, 2026 – Save Philippine Seas (SPS) and Mondelēz International in the Philippines today held the first-ever Marine Litter Learning Workshop for Media. This was an exclusive, hands-on session designed to equip journalists and media practitioners with a deeper understanding of the country’s waste management challenge and the science-backed solutions being developed to address it.
Held at Catering Trio in Pasig City, the three-hour workshop brought together members of the press to experience the same interactive learning modules that have trained community leaders, educators, and youth advocates across the Philippines. Participants went through two key activities: “Understanding Recycling,” which teaches the science behind resin codes and which plastics are actually recyclable in the Philippine context, and “Sink or Swim?” an immersive experience that traces how a single piece of improperly disposed waste travels from a street corner, through esteros and drainage systems, and into Philippine seas.
A special session on environmental reporting, facilitated by FYT Media, provided journalists with tools and frameworks for more effective and accurate environmental storytelling.
Why Media Matters in the Waste Conversation
The workshop was born out of a recognition that media plays a critical role in shaping public understanding of environmental issues, and that the waste management conversation in the Philippines needs greater nuance.
“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.
Save Philippine Seas (SPS), co-founded by Oposa in 2011, has grown from a social media campaign into one of the Philippines’ leading marine conservation organizations. SPS bridges the gap between scientists and the public, mobilizing communities toward collective action and behavior change for ocean conservation. The organization developed the Marine Litter Learning Kit — a suite of hands-on educational modules now being deployed in communities nationwide.
Building on Momentum
The workshop aims to help consumers – through the media, to be more informed about the issue of plastic waste management. Often pointed to as the reason for flooding and is the subject of proposed taxation by the government, the protective role of plastic is also explored in the workshop. Known for providing protection, especially for items such as food, plastic is only one material in the total chain of packaging in the Philippines. What is made evident in conversations such as the workshop is that waste, regardless of its composition, will end up in oceans and esteros if not properly managed.
The proposal to impose taxes on plastic products, including sachets was also explored during the workshop. Mondelēz International provided science-based scenarios which show which environmental initiatives, other than taxation, can help the Philippines manage its waste management problem.
Mondelēz International: From Policy to Practice
The workshop is the latest in a series of initiatives in partnership with snacks company Mondelēz International to help address waste management in the Philippines through a combination of policy support, community education, and on-the-ground collection efforts.
Mondelēz International actively supports the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act and was recognized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in 2026 for its efforts in collecting and diverting the plastic packaging used across its products. Through its “Trash Right” program, the company invests in information and education campaigns including the Miming and Friends animated YouTube series and partnerships with SPS on hands-on learning workshops. The aim of these initiatives is to help Filipino communities manage waste responsibly. These efforts are complemented by the company’s community-based plastic collection initiatives.
“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.