Save Philippine seas: Mondelēz International launches ‘Trash Right’ workshop to tackle marine litter

As heavy rains repeatedly expose the severity of urban waste management challenges across the country, marine conservancy group Save Philippine Seas (SPS), in partnership with Mondelēz International, launched the Marine Litter Learning Workshop to empower local communities to tackle plastic pollution at its source.

It’s a reality that hits hard for anyone who’s ever driven past a swollen estero or watched trash float through floodwaters. While the image is familiar, the actions needed to prevent it are not always clear.

Enter the Marine Litter Learning Workshop, a two-day, hands-on training held between August and October 2026, hosted at the National University – Mall of Asia Campus in Pasay City. Organized by marine conservancy group Save Philippine Seas (SPS) and supported by Mondelēz International, the Philippine Alliance for Recycling and Materials Sustainability (PARMS), and National University, the workshop brought together 60 community members, youth advocates, educators, and students to learn—and then teach others—how to keep waste out of the seas.

Sustainable Snacking Through “Trash Right”

As one of the country’s leading snack companies, Mondelēz International knows that packaging doesn’t disappear when a snack is eaten. The brand’s commitment to sustainable snacking is embedded in its “Trash Right” program. Trash Right is a Southeast Asia–wide initiative that aims to strengthen understanding of waste management issues and empower students to be part of the change.

Trash Right is one of several community initiatives implemented by the company to share environmental education in an engaging way. Other projects include Miming and Friends, a YouTube educational animated series that helps children and families learn how everyday Filipinos handle waste. The company was also recognized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 2026 for supporting the Extended Producer Responsibility Act, which mandates companies to collect and divert the plastic packaging used in their products.

The message is clear: environmental awareness isn’t just for adults. It’s for students, families, working mothers, and community leaders looking for practical solutions.

“We believe that every Filipino consumer has the power to be part of the solution. This workshop isn’t just training—it’s an invitation to step up and empower yourself with information about the role everyone plays in keeping waste out of the sea,” says Caitlin Punzalan, Corporate and Government Affairs Lead at Mondelēz International in the Philippines.

Two Days of Learning

The Marine Litter Learning Workshop is structured around hands-on modules that make environmental science feel tangible and eye-opening. Developed by SPS, participants rotate through activities such as:

Path of Litter: Tracing how a single piece of garbage moves from a street corner to the sea—making the estero-to-ocean journey visible.

Decoding Plastics: Understanding resin identification codes, material properties, and which plastics are recyclable in the Philippine context.

The two-day workshop closes with community action planning sessions, where participants map out how to bring these learnings back to their schools, communities, or workplaces. The goal: turn 60 participants into 60 community multipliers.

“Every piece of waste that ends up in the estero started as someone’s everyday choice. When we educate the communities that consume the most, we don’t just clean the seas—we transform the culture. That’s the shift we need, and that’s what this workshop is building,” says Anna Oposa, Executive Director and “Chief Mermaid” of SPS.

The Bigger Picture: A Waste Management Movement

The Marine Litter Learning Workshop is part of a growing ecosystem of initiatives responding to the Philippines’ urgent waste management challenge. PARMS contributes expertise in material recovery and recycling infrastructure, while National University provides both the venue and a community of engaged young Filipinos ready to drive solutions.

Next time it rains and you see a familiar river of waste floating past your commute, remember: this is the exact problem these workshops are working to solve—one community, one classroom, and one conversation at a time.