Freeman Cebu Business

Let’s all build a Sustainable Future

INTEGRITY BEAT - Henry J. Schumacher - The Freeman

October 2, 2026 | 12:00am

Business and government must understand how sustainability requirements filter down throughout companies and government operations. Please allow me to highlight a few areas for your considerations.

The quality of the environment

A sustainable community sees itself as existing within a physical environment and natural ecosystem and tries to find ways to co-exist with that environment. It does its part by avoiding unnecessary degradation of the air, oceans, fresh water, and other natural systems. It tries to replace detrimental practices with those that allow ecosystems to continuously renew themselves.

I was shocked to read that water wasted annually is equivalent to half of Angat Dam capacity. Around 488 million cubic meters of water a year are lost to waste, mainly in water districts outside Metro Manila, says the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA). Of course, the recent and present flooding in many parts of the country cannot be seen as reasons to neglect the water management. It is trusted that the LWUA finds partners in government and the private sector to see water management as part of disaster resilience. This is even more important due to the fact that we are soon heading into a long dry (El-Nino) season!

Disaster resilience and mitigation

We must understand that a community must be resilient in the face of inevitable natural disasters like typhoons, earthquakes, floods, and drought. The community must take steps to ensure that such events cause as little damage as possible, that productivity is only minimally interrupted, and that the quality of life remains at (or quickly returns to) high levels. A disaster-resilient community further takes responsibility for the risks it faces and tries to be self-reliant. Ensuring food sustainability and security remains a big task in the Philippines. It is a daunting endeavor, but not impossible. We have no choice but to realize that we cannot eat money; we need to prioritize agriculture and fisheries.

We have to say goodbye to plastic waste

According to environmental experts, the total clean-up of plastic pollution in seven major rivers across Southeast Asia will cost US$ 297 million. In addition, plastic pollution is costing these countries US$ 23,100 to $270,000 per square kilometer of coral reef. The proper management of plastic wastes must include plastic bags, sachets, labels, laminates, and both rigid and flexible plastic used for such products.

There is no question that we must get rid of single-use plastic!

Degradable plastic is another option that needs to be taken seriously. That’s why some companies already make all sorts of goods with plant-based biopolymer and fiber. Think trash bags, food storage containers, tableware, plates, and bowls. They should be sustainable ‘superheroes’ of communities that take plastic waste management seriously and

* Return valuable nutrients to the soil

* Reuse crop waste

* Are certified compostable.

A Sustainable Future can be created by integrating sustainable consumption and production principles into policymaking, business practices, and consumer behavior. Furthermore, investing in new technologies is crucial.

There is hope that government, non-government organizations, the private sector, and sustainability advocates will do their share to attain the dream of a Sustainable Future. The Nation’s commitment to maintain a delicate equilibrium between growth and sustainability on one side, and environmental stewardship on the other, is a holistic approach that encompasses people, planet, and prosperity!

In this context, I thoroughly enjoyed recent environment, social and governance (ESG) impact report, highlighting four pillars under its ESG commitment: empowering communities, a future-ready workforce, environmental stewardship, and effective governance.

Please realize that each of us is committed to contribute to ESG.