Impressing a diverse panel of judges and competing against 54 teams and over 600 participants from various countries including Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, China, Myanmar, and Australia, a group of students from UP Manila and UP Los Banos secured an impressive third-place finish for their groundbreaking waste management project, SustainaPLAST, at the 2023 Leaders Conference held in Thailand’s Thammasat University from June 14 to 18.

SustainaPLAST, which stands for Sustainable Plastic Litter Application and Segregation Technology, is a unique depository-type machine and application that encourages individuals to responsibly dispose plastic waste by offering an incentive-based system. The project aims to promote proper waste management practices through a user-friendly application interface that rewards users for recycling plastic.

The joint UPM-UPLB team, known as LC34, consisted of BA Social Sciences (Area Studies Major) students from UPM, namely: Ma. Llawevette Reine J. Callanta, Matt Lawrence S. Najarro, Hanel M. Jeong, Eione Zangel P. Zapata, and Josh Micole DG. Virata; along with BS Electrical Engineering student Chrizelle Alexis K. Amiyan from UPLB.

Thai students Photsawee Vootidetgumjorn, Faaik Konrasee, Affan Phattanawiwat, and Chatchai Keawphompeung also contributed to the team’s efforts. Their collaboration resulted in the presentation of an innovative project that addresses the pressing issue of plastic waste management.

The team was guided and mentored by Maria Lynette J. Callanta, a coach and UPM alumna with a Master of International Studies (International Area Studies) from Seoul National University; and Christine Joy K. Amiyan, another coach and UPM alumna with a background in BA Social Sciences (Area Studies Major) and a BS Geology degree from UP Diliman. Their invaluable guidance and mentorship played a crucial role in the success of the talented team throughout the competition.

The UPM-UPLB team’s success at the 2023 Leaders Conference highlights the immense potential of Filipino students and their ability to develop innovative solutions to pressing global issues. SustainaPLAST holds great promise in tackling environmental challenges and offers a potential model for other nations seeking effective plastic waste management strategies.

I Charmaine A. Lingdas