NZCA executive director Atty. Allan Barcena (3rd from left), OML Center executive director Dr. Rodel Lasco (partly hidden, 6th from left) and First Balfour’s Macky de Lima (in green shirt) with the representatives of other NZCA member companiesRepresentatives from the members of the Net Zero Carbon Alliance (NZCA) gathered at the First Balfour headquarters in Parañaque for NZCA’s general assembly on May 31. The event was the group’s second in-person gathering for the year following its first-quarter assembly hosted by Unilever Philippines in its office in Taguig.

Opening the event was NZCA executive director Atty. Allan Barcena who also welcomed NZCA’s newest partners EV Mobility and People360. Following his welcome message was OML Center executive director Dr. Rodel Lasco who discussed relevant updates from the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Energy Development Corporation (EDC) environmental specialist Paulo Gooco taught the attendees about developing science-based targets and other carbon reduction strategies, the learnings from which were used by attendees during a collective accomplishments workshop.

Afterwards, First Balfour’s representative to NZCA, Macky de Lima, gave a quick presentation on the company’s decarbonization efforts and toured the guests around the company’s simulator room.

Attending the assembly in person were representatives from Arthaland Corporation (head of sustainability Sam Pobre), Cemex Holdings Philippines (sustainability officer Bea Briñas), Drink Sustainability Communications (president and CEO Harris Guevarra), EDC, INAEC (quality and safety head Glenn Perez), Monde Nissin (marketing director Rizza Uy) and Unilever (sustainability lead Rondell Torres). Meanwhile, joining online were representatives from Converge ICT Solutions, Ecolab, Knowles Electronics, Menarco Development Corporation, SGV & Co. and Silliman University.

Launched by EDC in 2021, NZCA is a multisectoral initiative aimed at achieving net zero carbon emissions among enterprises in the Philippines.

(Story/Photos by:Dolly Pasia-Ramos)