NELP confers Green Choice Seal to Fujimoto LED downlight

The National Ecolabelling Program – Green Choice Philippines (NELP-GCP) awarded Fujimoto International Technology Corporation’s (FITC) LED downlight the Green Choice Philippines Seal of Approval last April 26 at the Cavite Economic Zone, Rosario, Cavite. Receiving the seal from National Solid Waste Management Commission Executive Director Emelita Aguinaldo was FITC president Kazushi Fujimoto.

Pushing for a greener economic zone, Mr. Wilson Henson, programme manager of Green Choice Philippines discussed GCP, a voluntary third party ecolabel declaration, to FITC suppliers and costumers. GCP seal is given to products and services that exemplify environmental excellence in their production practices based on set standards. Guided by ISO 14024, GCP aims to green the consumption and production of consumers and manufacturers respectively.

FITC, being a multinational company manufacturing and distributing electronic and semi-conducting materials, expressed confidence to Green Choice Philippines as a business partner that will help them strengthen not only their economic status but also support their environmental advocacies and practices.

In the same way, Mr. Fujimoto affirmed that FITC will continue to support the programs of NELP-GCP by complying with the environmental standards as well as encouraging other business organizations to apply for the GCP seal. Moreover, FITC expressed their intent to apply their other products for the Green Choice seal including their LED kitchen light, fire light, and dome light.

Although FITC is a Japanese-owned company, Mr. Fujimoto expressed, “since Fujimoto is established in the Philippines, it is for the Filipino people.”


As of press time, NELP- GCP has awarded the GCP Seal of Approval to 20 products that show environmental leadership. Philippine Economic Zone Authority director Mrs. Lilia de Lima said in a speech delivered by Atty. Norma Cajulis, administrator of the Cavite Economic Zone said “the 20 products awarded with Green Choice Seal are quite diverse but what is common among the awardees is their strong commitment of reducing the environmental impacts of their manufacturing operations.”

Furthermore, Director Aguinaldo, whose agency sits as a member of NELP-GCP board, encourages manufacturers to apply for the Green Choice Philippines Seal. She added that with GCP seal, consumers can be guided and consequently make informed decisions on purchasing certified true environmentally-sound products and services.

ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL ECO-LABELLING PROGRAM (NELP) IN THE PHILIPPINES, 2001-2011

by: Richard Bryan G. Bugarin, Julliane Magdalene Z. Lallana,** Ralph Christian C. Mancenido,* Karen D. Nogaliza,*** and Jose Emmanuel M. Pagkanlungan***

An undegraduate research paper submitted to to the University of the Philippines-National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG), March 2011

Adviser: Prof. Ebinezer R. Florano, Ph.D.

(To be published as Occassional Paper by UP-NCPAG's Publication Office. Advance copy of this paper can be obtained by contacting Mr. Ralph Mancenido via e-mail at ralph11_neo@yahoo.com)

ABSTRACT

The past twenty years saw the rapid upsurge of eco-labelling programs envisioned to address extensive ecological trepidations. European eco-labels led implementation of such scheme to help consumers make good purchasing choices in terms of which among the products in the market have the least negative environmental effects. In the Philippines, the National Eco-labelling Program (NELP) or Green Choice Philippines (GCP) became the government’s response apropos the call for environmental protection. Nevertheless, there exists an indistinct understanding of the effectiveness of eco-labelling on consumers’ consumption activities in the country. This paper assesses the effectiveness of the NELP in terms of achieving the goals and functions for which it has been created. It shows an assessment of the effects and impacts of the program from the years 2001 to 2011 and how these are influenced by the content of the eco-labelling policy and its context of implementation. Significant influences to the implementing activities of the program such as the: (1) program implementers, (2) resources committed, (3) power, interests and strategies of actors involved and (4) institution and regime characteristics have been taken into account to determine their effects on the output and outcome of the program. Industry participation, consumer recognition and demand and environmental quality of certified products were used as indicators to measure the effectiveness of the NELP for this particular study. A qualitative design which involves data gathering and the conduct of interviews with primary stakeholders as well as the collection secondary data was employed in deriving the recommendations that can be used by the NELP in order to improve its implementation of the eco-labelling program. Further, a case study and historical approach was used to arrive at a pattern of data and to analyze the influences to the implementing activities of the program. The results of study showed that the lack of appropriate, clear and comprehensive legal footing and the limited financial resources, both ominously influenced by the content of eco-labelling policy and implementation, are the primary reasons that caused the ineffectiveness of the program. Government intervention, through policy support, is deemed to be necessary to strengthen the implementation of the NELP and further its positive effects to the society. Congress may also look into the integration of the green procurement with that of the public fund-saving policy in procuring products that offer the lowest prices during government biddings. Finally, good governance in its truest sense should be upheld to avoid the added burden, from corruption, to manufacturers.

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*Graduated Summa Cum Laude, 2nd Semester, Academic Year 2010-2011.
**Graduated Magna Cum Laude, 2nd Semester, Academic Year 2010-2011.
***Graduated Cum Laude, 2nd Semester, Academic Year 2010-2011.

REDEFINING RESPONSIBLE BUYING

Registration is Open for the Philippine Green Pages

Energy saving appliances, office equipment made out of recycled materials, stores using eco-bags, business solutions to save on electricity and water consumption. A lot of talks have been made to promote these eco-friendly products and services. Conferences, exhibits, news articles on new technologies have been a staple venue to highlight the same. It is time to go beyond talking about it and start acting upon it.

The Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. (PCEPSDI), the administrator of the National Ecolabelling Programme – Green Choice Philippines (NELP-GCP) is advocating sustainable consumption and production. Redefining the boundaries of responsibilities, protecting the environment not only lies on how the industry operates, but also, on how we decide what to purchase and consume.

Together with the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), PCEPSDI will publish the first-ever directory listing of ecolabelled products (Green Choice Philippines Certified), green products, green materials, green components, and green services. Fittingly titled, Philippine Green Pages (PGP), aims to be the primary reference of all suppliers and providers to be used by institutional buyers including the Green Purchasing Alliance Movement (GPAM) and individual consumers in making purchasing decisions.

The tools to go green are available. The challenge now is to change our consumption patterns and make green products and services accessible. It’s a matter of bridging the gap between consumers and green providers, and that is what PGP will address.

For more details on how to register your green product and service, you may call the secretariat at 631-2151 or visit their website at http://pcepsdi.org/philgreenpages. You may also email them at greenchoicephilippines@pcepsdi.org.ph and philippinegreenpages@pcepsdi.org.ph.

* PCEPSDI is a non-stock, non-profit and non-government organization duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It is an affiliate organization of the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) with Ms. Elisea “Bebet” Gozun, former DENR secretary as the chairperson. PCEPSDI is also the administrator of the National Ecolabelling Programme – Green Choice Philippines (NELP-GCP), a project under the auspices of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

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If you’d like more information about this, or to schedule an interview with Mr. June M. Alvarez, please call Grace Lebria at 631-2151 or email at philippinegreenpages@gmail.com or greenchoicephilippines@gmail.com.