The France–Philippines United Action (FPUA), in partnership with Plastic Odyssey and supported by the Embassy of France to the Philippines under the Blue Nations Initiative, held the Youth for Dagat Summit on 25 October 2025 at the Alliance Française de Manille in Makati City.

The summit capped the Youth for Dagat (YFD) program, gathering over 120 participants — including student ambassadors from seven universities, sustainability experts, policymakers, and development partners — to promote environmental education, youth leadership, and cross-sector collaboration between France and the Philippines.

“The Summit stands as a testament to the Embassy’s steadfast commitment to advancing sustainability and empowering youth in the Philippines,” the organizers said. “Through continued French support, initiatives like [the] Youth for Dagat (YFD) bridge collaboration between France and the Philippines, creating lasting impact in environmental education and action.”

Opening remarks were delivered by Fabrice Place, Deputy Ambassador of France and Olivier Guilly, president of FPUA. Prince Dellosa, FPUA Project Coordinator, shared updates on YFD activities, while Maxime Thirouin of Plastic Odyssey discussed new training initiatives on recycling and the circular economy.

Panel discussions

Panel discussions featured experts from local government, academia, and the private sector, tackling green leadership, sustainability education, and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Law.

Representing Quezon City, Vincent Vinarao noted that even “simple” bans on single-use plastics such as sachets are often seen as “anti-poor,” underscoring the complexity of policy enforcement. 

Meanwhile, Ma. Lourdes Nicole Liu of SM Investments Corp. and Atty. Ivy De Pedro of the DENR stressed that accountability, cooperation and industry participation are essential to effective sustainability laws.

The summit closed with a screening of the Plastic Odyssey documentary and FPUA’s announcement that it will donate EcoBins —recycling bins made entirely from processed plastic waste — to partner universities as a symbol of youth-driven environmental change.