In celebration of National Environmental Awareness Month this November, First Balfour highlights one of its key environmental initiatives—its ongoing partnership with The Plastic Flamingo (PLAF) Philippines, which began in 2022. As a committed PLAF partner, First Balfour has collected and delivered over six tons of plastic waste to PLAF’s facility in Muntinlupa, where these materials are transformed into sustainable construction products used for schools, shelters, and other resilient community structures.
First Balfour has long been committed to strengthening its sustainability efforts through ongoing programs such as environmental awareness campaigns, carbon and resource conservation initiatives, waste reduction activities, and water recycling and energy-saving programs. The company also recently launched the Best in Sustainability Award for Projects (BSAP), a corporate recognition program designed to honor exemplary sustainability efforts that promote sustainability and advance decarbonization across First Balfour operations.
With sustainability at the core of its mission, First Balfour Head of Strategic Business Planning and Corporate Sustainability Vicente M. De Lima II shares, “Sustainability is central to our company’s mission. First Balfour’s partnership with The Plastic Flamingo is an example of how we collaborate in pursuing decarbonization and regeneration. There is value in the circular economy, which directly supports one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 12).”
First Balfour employees and workers at a project in the First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) drop their plastic waste into a designated container, which is collected every Thursday.
Its trusted partner, PLAF, is a social enterprise based in the Philippines that collects and transforms plastic waste into eco-boards and eco-products. These eco-boards are then used to build new schools, homes, and shelters, helping communities manage plastic pollution while strengthening resilience against the country’s many natural hazards. With these eco-boards, PLAF manufactures 100% recycled plastic products such as sorting bins, desks, counters, and other custom-made furniture, as well as school chairs for under-resourced schools in the Philippines.
PLAF Senior Partnerships and Operations Manager Krisha Rubia shares about their partnership with First Balfour, “It is a true honor to partner with First Balfour in plastic collection. Together, we have reached significant collection milestones of 6,000 kilograms, and we cannot wait to reach the next ones over the coming years.” She further adds, “This could not have been achieved without the strong commitment of First Balfour’s employees, who consistently do their part to make the world a better place. Thank you for your constant support of such a great cause.”
PLAF school chairs made from 100% recycled plastic (top left) and eco-boards crafted entirely from recycled plastic waste (top right). Women at PLAF who sort plastic waste (bottom left and right).
Over the past four years, First Balfour, particularly the Head Office and FPIP Plaza, has helped reduce plastic waste by diverting a total of 6.28 tons from landfills—collected not only from company operations but also from employees’ personal contributions. Donations to The PLAF include 451.3 kilograms in 2022, 2,163.42 kilograms in 2023, 2,037.14 kilograms in 2024, and 1,632.14 kilograms as of October 2025.
In other First Balfour project sites, various plastic reduction initiatives are also being implemented. Projects practice upcycling plastics into usable site materials, such as improvised trash bins and simple recycled fixtures, helping divert more waste from landfills. Several sites, along with the head office, have begun implementing Single-Use Plastic (SUP) programs, particularly in cafeterias, phasing out plastic utensils, cups, and straws, and transitioning to reusable or eco-friendly alternatives.
By integrating sustainable practices into its daily operations and supporting circular economy initiatives, First Balfour demonstrates its active involvement in addressing plastic pollution within its project sites and offices while encouraging employees to adopt responsible consumption habits and proper plastic disposal practices.
The partnership with PLAF is anchored on First Balfour’s commitment to supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. Through responsible waste management practices and meaningful collaborations, the company advances its mission of forging collaborative pathways toward a decarbonized and regenerative future.
