The Ocean Cleanup is set to install its first Interceptor barrier in the Philippines, with deployment planned for the Meycauayan River by June 2026. The project marks the group’s first on-the-ground rollout in the Manila Bay area.

The barrier will replace an existing trash trap and is expected to improve the capture of plastic waste before it flows into Manila Bay. Estimates show the Meycauayan River system contributes around 370 to 540 tons of plastic waste each year.

The project is being carried out with the City of Meycauayan and its local environment office. For The Ocean Cleanup, it’s an initial step under its broader 30 Cities Program, which focuses on reducing plastic flowing from rivers into the ocean.

Founder and CEO Boyan Slat said the rollout is part of a longer effort to address river-based plastic pollution in the region. Meycauayan Mayor Henry Villarica said the partnership adds support to the city’s ongoing river rehabilitation work.

Across the Philippines, an estimated 20,000 to 33,000 tons of plastic enter the ocean annually. Within the Manila Bay region alone, projections range from 3,500 to 4,400 tons each year.

The Ocean Cleanup focuses on rivers as a key source of marine plastic, deploying Interceptor systems designed to collect waste before it reaches open waters. The Meycauayan project is expected to be the first of several deployments as the group expands its work with local governments and partners in the country.

More information is available at theoceancleanup.com.

Global non-profit organization The Ocean Cleanup has officially reached the shores of the Philippines with its groundbreaking 30 Cities Program, marking a major milestone in the country’s fight against ocean-bound plastic pollution.

Manila joins major global cities such as Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Panama City as part of the program’s initial rollout, planned to start in 2026. The initiative will focus on the waterways that feed into the Manila Bay, wherein over 90% of collected waste from the area is reportedly composed of hard and film plastics, according to a study done by EcoWaste Coalition, KOICA, DENR, and De La Salle University-Dasmarinas.

The 30 Cities Program is an initiative to accelerate the organization’s efforts to intercept and remove ocean-bound plastic pollution across 30 key cities in Asia and the Americas, aiming to eliminate up to one-third of all plastic flowing from the world’s rivers into the ocean before the end of the decade.

The environmental organization estimates that 1,000 rivers are accountable for nearly 80% of global annual river plastic emissions, which range between 0.8 – 2.7 million metric tons per year, with small urban rivers amongst the most polluting. The remaining 20% of plastic emissions are distributed over 30,000 rivers across the globe.

According to the World Bank, the Philippines is reportedly among the top contributors of ocean plastic waste, with an estimated 0.75 million metric tons of mismanaged plastic entering the ocean every year.

Working together with government leaders, private corporations, and the scientific community, The Ocean Cleanup utilizes its portfolio of Interceptor solutions, ranging from heavy-duty trash traps to autonomous solar-powered systems that are designed to capture plastic directly from rivers before it reaches the ocean. In the Philippines, the organization has been working to set up collaborations with several national and city government agencies, the private sector, and intergovernmental organizations with the goal of kicking off its first projects this year.

Cebu Pacific became the first Philippine airline to use SAF or sustainable aviation fuel on a commercial flight from Japan—operating Flight 5J 5055 from Narita to Manila.

The airline used a 40% blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in one of their flights, resulting in a 44% decrease in carbon emissions per passenger. This achievement set a new record for the airline's SAF-powered flights.

Samsung Epic After Hours is shaping up to become one of the can’t-miss events of the summer. Happening May 25 to 31 at the Bonifacio High Street Amphitheatre in BGC, it has immersive rooms for IG-worthy content powered by the Galaxy S23 Series, along with stunning art installations, and experiential passion-driven lounges. Plus, it offers the chance to get the inside track with the country’s top content creators, and vibe with hip artists from the local music scene.

Cebu Pacific, the Philippines’ leading airline, transitions its Juander Shuttle service to 100% electric, zero-emission minibuses for the commuting needs of its employees.

CEB provides the Juander Shuttle service for free to transport its employees to and from its main office in Pasay City to various pick-up and drop-off locations along selected routes within Greater Metro Manila.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today unveiled the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23, marking a new era of Samsung Galaxy’s ultimate premium phone experience. Samsung Galaxy's epic camera gives users more freedom to explore their creativity, like capturing truly cinematic Nightography videos with transformative AI. The Snapdragon^® 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy” unleashes premium experiences, including groundbreaking AI, future-ready mobile gaming feature and powerfully sustained game play with the world’s fastest mobile graphics.

On the Galaxy S23 Ultra, an embedded S Pen that many long-time Samsung Galaxy users know and love offers more possibilities for productivity, notetaking, hobbies and more. All the Galaxy S23 series’ new standard-setting innovations are housed within a striking design that advances the company’s sustainability commitment with more components made using recycled materials than any other Samsung Galaxy smartphone.³