The First Balfour-Leighton Joint Venture (FBLJV), leading the STT Fairview 1 Project in Quezon City (QC), has become the first construction project to collaborate with the QC BasuHero program, donating 100% of its recyclable wastes totaling 1,105 kilograms.
An initiative of the Department of Sanitation and Cleanup Works of Quezon City (DSQC), the QC BasuHero: A Recyclables Trading for a Cause program is a community-based initiative that incentivizes the collection of recyclables. Established in 2021, the program enables business establishments, barangays, and homeowner’s associations to trade their recyclable wastes for cash. QCDS pointed out that it is rare for construction companies to join as schools and various QC-based corporations have been the typical primary contributors to their program.
FBLJV Pollution Control Officer Jasmin Jill Dumasig shares, “With our operations, we really have a lot of recyclables, especially boxes, since we always transport items. We looked at the recyclables we collect and thought it would be a waste if they were discarded, so we looked for ways for them to be used.” It was in early May when the QC BasuHero had a successful first haul of a diverse array of recyclable materials including used boxes, metal sheets, plastic bottles, paper, and other hard plastics totaling 414 kilograms. The second waste collection was in early June where the project turned over a total of 691 kilograms of recyclable wastes.
The hauled materials generated for them PhP 6,000 which the project decided to forego as donations to the local government’s charitable causes. “We saw that the QC BasuHero program goes beyond segregating. It has different causes,” added Dumasig. In 2022, learning tablets were procured through QC BasuHero and were given to grade school kids with comorbodities.
Looking ahead, FBLJV aims to maintain and even expand its recycling efforts. The project’s collaboration with the QC BasuHero program marks a practice that does not only help in reducing waste but also paves the way for other companies in the industry to adopt greener practices.
Awarded by ST Telemedia Global Data Centres Philippines (STT GDC Philippines) in 2023, STT Fairview 1 is First Balfour’s largest specialized building project to date with joint venture partner Leighton Asia. The contract, which covers general construction works including civil, structural, architectural, and MEPF works, is for the project’s first phase scheduled for completion by early 2025. The hyperscale data center forms part of STT GDC Philippines’ expansion strategy, adding a significant 124 MW capacity to its portfolio.
