Bulacan airport cited at OECD forum for global standards alignment

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

The New Manila International Airport (NMIA) project in Bulacan was presented recently at the 12th OECD Workshop for Financial Institutions in Paris as a case study on how major infrastructure projects can align with international environmental and social standards.

San Miguel Aerocity Inc. (SMAI), the project proponent, was invited to present NMIA before export credit agencies, commercial and development banks, development financial institutions, and specialist environmental and social consulting firms from across the OECD’s 38 member countries.

The project was taken up as a plenary case study, with the presentation focusing on its alignment with the IFC Performance Standards and Equator Principles, which are widely used by international lenders in evaluating large-scale infrastructure developments. SMAI presented alongside Atradius DSB, the project’s export credit insurer, and Earth Active, one of its independent environmental and social consultants.

SMAI said the presentation highlighted NMIA’s shift from local regulatory compliance to international lender-aligned environmental and social frameworks, including stronger internal management systems and the implementation of biodiversity and social risk measures for a challenging coastal site with critical habitat considerations.

Participants viewed the project as a credible and transparent example of infrastructure development under challenging environmental and social conditions. They also noted the company’s openness in discussing early challenges, capacity-building efforts, and adaptive management approaches, particularly in biodiversity offsets and social performance.

The project was also discussed as a practical reference for lender decision-making in emerging market infrastructure, showing how sponsors and lenders can work together to address gaps and strengthen environmental and social performance over time.

“The NMIA project is a clear example on how the cooperation of financial institutions and consultants can help project developers work towards compliance with International Standards. We carefully considered the project, and decided to support it. The results show that it was worth the effort,” Marije Hensen of Atradius Dutch State Business, the Dutch Export Credit Agency, said.

Separately, SMAI said flooding, land stability, and environmental safeguards have been among the key considerations in NMIA’s technical and environmental review from the outset. These continue to be addressed through assessment, mitigation planning, and oversight under both Philippine regulations and international lender standards.

Founded in 1961, the Paris-based OECD has played a leading role in developing policies and standards on corporate governance and sustainability, among others, with many of its frameworks adopted beyond member countries.

SMAI said its participation in the workshop reinforced its engagement with the international project finance and environmental and social practitioner community, while strengthening its position as a Philippine infrastructure developer capable of operating within OECD, export credit agency, and commercial lender governance frameworks.

PHOTO CAPTION

San Miguel Aerocity Inc., led by Cecile L. Ang, Director for Corporate Relations and Special Projects (third from left), presents the New Manila International Airport as a case study on how infrastructure projects can comply with international environmental and social standards at the 12th OECD Workshop for Financial Institutions in Paris in February.

 

SMAI, the developer of the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan, joined Atradius Dutch State Business and the project’s Independent Social and Environment Consultants at the 12th OECD Workshop for Financial Institutions in Paris in February.

Urban Farmers PH Holds Farewell Celebration

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

Under the towering glass skyscrapers of Bonifacio Global City, where the concrete usually wins, a quiet revolution of soil and soul has spent four years defying the odds. On Easter Sunday, the air at the BGC Community Farm wasn't just filled with the scent of damp earth and the laughter of children hunting for eggs—it was thick with the bittersweet energy of a final harvest.

What began in the depths of a global pandemic as a way to keep silversmiths grounded has blossomed into a lifeline for Metro Manila’s marginalized, proving that growth is possible even in the city's hardest corners. But as the music of Jelo Serrano drifted over the rows of green, a major chapter drew to a close. Urban Farmers PH has officially begun its farewell, choosing the symbolic promise of Resurrection Sunday to conclude its stay.

While the gates at this iconic location have shut, the mission is far from buried. From high-powered partnerships with J.P. Morgan to visits from sports icons like Nico Elorde, the farm has built a legacy that transcends its physical footprint. Now, as founder Louie Gutierrez looks toward an unmapped horizon, the question isn't just where they will plant their next seed, but how many lives will be transformed when they do.

Urban Farmers PH recently held its farewell celebration, last April 4 on Easter Sunday at their BGC Community Farm, in Taguig City. The event gathered visitors and children for an Easter egg hunt event.

The program opened with a song  performed by Jelo Serrano—to kickstart the celebration.

Farm founder and Silverworks CEO Louie Gutierrez opened up that they haven’t decided on a specific location or target date for relocation yet. However, they have posted information on their website and social media platforms as they prepare to announce the details soon.

Gutierrez mentioned that throughout their 4 year stay in BGC, they operated privately and have no connections with the local government units (LGUs). The initiative started during the pandemic and initially focused on silversmithing. They then came up with an idea to engage their workers in setting up a self-sustaining farm.

The initiative of this program is to work with the marginalized community in Metro Manila. Gutierrez stated that more programs will open as they relocate into a new site—which will create new jobs and opportunity for seekers.

Gutierrez also shared that the plan was to initially conclude farming activities on March 31 but decided to move it on Easter Sunday to remember the significance and coincide with Jesus’ resurrection. 

Aside from urban farming sustainability, their program has partnered with J.P Morgan, a bank firm to create workshops and activities for enthusiasts. The event also saw former PBA player Nico Elorde gracing the event with his family.

The harvest in BGC may have ended, but the seeds of this movement are already catching the wind. What started as a pandemic-born experiment in resilience has evolved into a blueprint for urban survival, proving that community and commerce can coexist in the shadow of skyscrapers.

As the last echoes of the Easter celebration fade and the tools are packed away, Urban Farmers PH stands at a pivotal crossroads. The location is uncertain and the date is unwritten, but the mission remains unshakable: to turn forgotten spaces into fields of opportunity. In the heart of the concrete jungle, they didn't just grow vegetables—they grew hope. And as they prepare to break ground on a new horizon, one thing is clear: for this green revolution, the best is yet to bloom.

Written by: Miles Alimangohan

Groups Laud Bacoor, Imus, and Quezon Cities for Actions Protecting the People from Dangerous Mercury-Contaminated Cosmetics

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

(EcoWaste and CGC urge other LGUs to follow suit to curb the illegal trade of mercury-added cosmetics in their areas)

11 April 2026, Quezon City. Environmental health groups EcoWaste Coalition and Cavite Green Coalition (CGC) commended three local government units (LGUs) for taking actions to protect their constituents, women and their families in particular, from the adverse effects of mercury-laden skin lightening products illegally sold in their respective areas.

The groups gave Bacoor City, Imus City, and Quezon City a huge pat on the back for responding to the market monitoring reports they submitted, notifying the LGUs about the unlawful sale of contraband mercury cosmetics in retail stores operating within their territories.

“We applaud Bacoor City, Imus City, and Quezon City for moving swiftly to curb the sale of illegal, mercury-tainted cosmetics. By tackling this threat to public health and the environment, they are upholding the ASEAN and global ban on these toxic skin lightening and anti-aging facial creams with secret mercury additives,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition. “We urge them to stay vigilant by regularly checking retail stores and home-based online sellers of beauty products within their jurisdictions.”

Mercury, a highly toxic chemical, is prohibited as an ingredient in cosmetics as per the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive and the Minamata Convention on Mercury. To protect public health from mercury exposure, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been issuing advisories warning consumers against the purchase and use of cosmetics containing mercury and/or lacking the required market authorization.

Nonetheless, the illicit importation, distribution, and sale of these dangerous goods persist, despite FDA oversight and a global prohibition on the production and trade of mercury-added cosmetics, as evidenced by the groups' reports to various LGUs.

While the groups have yet to hear from other LGUs, Bacoor, Imus, and Quezon Cities wasted no time in addressing this threat to public health.

The Business Permits and Licensing Department (BPLD) of Bacoor City, headed by Lawrence San Jose, acting on the prompt referral made by OIC City Administrator Joanne Carla Catalla, conducted inspections in six stores, which resulted in the issuance of notices of violation and the immediate removal of the FDA-flagged products. The inspections were documented through photographs, and the errant stores were duly instructed to comply. The stores were further directed to report to the BPLD for counseling.

Following the referral from Atty. Tricia Marie Villaluz-Barzaga, Chief of Staff for the Imus City Mayor, Business Permits and Licensing Officer Jasmin Ramos dispatched a team to inspect five retail stores for FDA-flagged mercury cosmetics. Personnel verified the presence of these items and directed vendors to immediately halt sales and remove products from their shelves.

In Quezon City, the Food-Drug Regulation Officers (FDROs) of the Quezon City Health Department (QCHD), led by City Health Officer Dr. Ramona Asuncion Abarquez, inspected the eight stores reported by the EcoWaste Coalition as selling mercury-laced cosmetics in violation of City Ordinance No. 2767, series of 2018, which prohibits the manufacture, distribution, and sale of mercury-containing skin whitening cosmetics. The inspection summary was prepared by four FDROs and duly noted by pharmacist Jeanette Dacanay, Chief, Food-Drug Regulation Office, and Dr. Laarni Malapit, Head, Special Services Division.

The stores were told to abide by the city ordinance and Republic Act No. 9711, or the Food and Drug Administration Act, by verifying product notification or registration through the FDA portal before sale. Banned products were removed from the shelves, packed, sealed, labeled, and countersigned by the FDROs to avoid further sales. Additionally, some stores were also warned of legal repercussions if further violations were committed and reported to the QCHD.

“We urge other LGUs to emulate Bacoor City, Imus City, and Quezon City by conducting store inspections and enforcing other measures to eliminate the local sale of FDA-banned products such as Goree Beauty Cream, 88 Total White Underarm Cream, and other skin lightening cosmetics flagged for lack of authorization and/or mercury adulteration,” the EcoWaste Coalition and the CGC said.