The Iloilo provincial government, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Philippines, launched the Weave Out Waste (WOW) Limpyo Iloilo upcycling program that transformed post-election waste into marketable consumer goods.
This initiative is being implemented under UNDP’s PH Plastics Circularity Project which is supported by The Coca-Cola Foundation.
The WOW program paved the way for innovative solutions to plastic waste challenges, supporting the province of Iloilo’s vision of being a leader in the circular economy in Western Visayas.
During its launching on September 9, 2025 at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol lobby, Provincial Administrator Raul Banias underscored the importance of implementing policies to address the problem of solid waste.
“Solid waste management is a problem that we can address if we have the will and determination to put up local administration policies in our programs and projects in the city and municipalities,” Banias said in his message on behalf of Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
The launching was attended by representatives from the UNDP, The Coca-Cola Foundation, national government agencies, local government units, and private sector partners.
UNDP Philippines Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran lauded Governor Defensor for championing sustainable development and aligning his priorities with the Sustainable Development Goals of clean energy practices and responsible consumption and production.
“By transforming post-election plastic wastes collected through Limpyo Eleksyon 2025, Iloilo is demonstrating how waste can be given a second life and turned into marketable products,” Ramachandran said.
“Through the PH Plastics Circularity Project, UNDP will continue to work with Iloilo Province in engaging a sustainable enterprise to ensure that upcycled products from Limpyo Eleksyon are suitable to the target markets. More importantly, we set out to engage with the informal waste sector, women’s groups, and local organizations representing vulnerable and disadvantaged groups,” he added.
The WOW program took a step with the Executive Order No. 265 issued by Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. in 2022, and amended by Executive Order No. 42 series of 2025, implementing “Limpyo Eleksyon for MoRProGRes,” a province-wide post-election cleanup drive. The governor ordered the removal and proper disposal of all campaign waste materials.
Limpyo Eleksyon also complements Defensor’s Balik-Alat upcycling program which aims to eliminate single-use plastics by reviving the use of environment-friendly handwoven baskets.
The WOW program integrated circular economy practices by empowering the marginalized groups with skills in product design, prototyping, and upcycling techniques using recovered tarpaulins, wastes, and other locally sourced materials.
This three-year project is implemented in partnership with the Iloilo Provincial Government and the local government units of Banate, Dumangas, Iloilo City, Passi City, and Pototan. (Capitol news)
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𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭:
The PH Plastics Circularity Project is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in the Philippines (UNDP Philippines) with support from The Coca-Cola Foundation. It is part of a multi-country initiative that aims to tackle the growing challenge of plastic waste pollution and support the transition to a circular economy across nine countries in Asia.
By focusing on key interventions at the local level—strengthening sustainable plastic waste management and circular economy policies and systems, empowering the informal waste sector, promoting inclusive business models, and driving behavior change to reduce plastic waste— the project reduces plastic leakage into the environment while improving livelihoods and advancing circular economy practices in the Philippines.