Dignity Lagunay, a fourth-year marketing student from Silliman University and a proud Boholano, alongside his teammate John Edison Tubil, clinched the top prize in the prestigious “Go Green with Taiwan” competition. Organized by the Taiwan International Trade Administration (TITA) and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the contest received 396 proposals from 45 countries worldwide.
The competition culminated in a presentation at the Taipei International Convention Center on December 10, 2024, where Lagunay and Tubil, joined by their adviser Assistant Professor Lou Shien Ban Granaderos, presented their project, “Sweet Solutions to the Plastic Crisis: Compostable Sugarcane-based Alternatives.” The proposal, which addresses the Philippines’ plastic waste crisis, stood out for its potential to foster technological cooperation between Taiwan and the Philippines.
As part of the competition, the Top 5 finalists, including the Philippine team, were invited on an all-expenses-paid trip to Taiwan, where they presented their innovative ideas to a distinguished panel of judges. The judges were impressed with the team’s approach, which demonstrated its potential to advance environmental and economic sustainability.
On December 11, 2024, it was announced that the Philippine entry won alongside projects from Hungary and the United Kingdom. The Hungarian project focused on evaporative cooling technology, while the UK entry addressed sustainable digital fashion. Each of the Top 3 proposals were awarded the top prize of US$20,000.
The team’s proposal focuses on utilizing sugarcane bagasse, a fibrous byproduct of sugar production, to create compostable alternatives to single-use plastics. They are collaborating with JuTien Cleantech Co., Ltd., a Taiwan Excellence Award-winning company specializing in eco-friendly packaging. By transforming agricultural waste into sustainable products like cups, straws, and bags, the project aims to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainability.
“Taiwan has the technology, and we have the raw materials. Fostering technological cooperation between the two countries would make eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastics more accessible to the market,” the team explained.
The urgency of their proposal is underscored by the Philippines’ plastic pollution crisis. A World Bank report estimates that the country generates 2.7 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with 1.8 million tonnes leaking into the oceans, making the Philippines the world’s largest source of plastic pollution.
Lagunay’s achievement highlights Bohol’s commitment to sustainability as a UNESCO Global Geopark. The son of PLO Atty. Handel Lagunay and Board Member Lucille Lagunay, he has brought pride to both Bohol and the Philippines, inspiring future innovators to champion environmental sustainability.
By: Mary Lou Regis/ The Provincial Information and Media Office