[1] OIC ROSELLE ABUYO OF THE SBMA ECOLOGY CENTER AND OIC SENIOR DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR REGULATORY AMETHYA DELA LLANA PRESENT THE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION AS ONE OF THE TOP 100 STORIES FOR ITS RECYCLABLES COLLECTION PROGRAM, FROM THE NETHERLANDS-BASED ORGANIZATION GREEN DESTINATIONS
[2] WINNERS OF THE TOP 100 STORIES OF THE GREEN DESTINATION AWARDS POSE FOR A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has earned international recognition after its Recyclables Collection Program was included in the Green Destinations 2025 Top 100 Stories, a global list honoring outstanding sustainable tourism initiatives.
SBMA Chair and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño said the award, under the “Good Practice Stories” category, highlights the agency’s circular economy strategy, anchored on its flagship Recyclables Collection Event (RCE). Held twice a year, the RCE gathers Freeport locators, residents, and SBMA departments to collect and segregate recyclables—from paper and plastics to e-waste, used oil, busted bulbs, and expired medicines.
“This is the first international award of the SBMA for its sustainability efforts,” Aliño said. “The RCE is part of our bid to make the Subic Bay Freeport Zone the first carbon-neutral economic zone in the Philippines.”
The winning story, “Recyclables Collection Program: SBMA’s Strategy to Implement Circular Economy,” showcases how the initiative reduces waste, generates funds for charity, and supports the Freeport’s carbon-neutral goals.
The recognition was announced during the Sustainable Destinations Forum 2025 held on Oct. 28–29 at Expo City Dubai.
According to OIC–Senior Deputy Administrator for Regulatory Group Amethya Dela Llana, the program aims to cut emissions by 30 percent by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2040, pushing Subic toward becoming the country’s first Green Port City.
SBMA Ecology Center OIC Rossell L. Abuyo said proceeds from recycled materials are donated to local charities such as the Missionaries of Charity shelter for abandoned elderly and Bantay Bata 163. In some years, funds also supported grocery packs for outsourced utility workers.
The Green Destinations Top 100 Stories list celebrates sustainability innovations worldwide. Other winners from the Philippines and abroad include Del Carmen in Siargao for transforming its mangrove area into a Ramsar site, and the Cayo District in Belize for its community-driven tourism programs.
Categories recognized in the awards include Destination Management, Environment and Climate, Nature and Scenery, Culture and Tradition, Thriving Communities, and Business and Marketing.