European firm confers Ecoswitch advocacy award on Planters Bank

MANILA, Philippines - Plantersbank, the country’s lead bank for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), was recently conferred the EcoSwitch Advocacy Award by Green Philippines Islands of Sustainability (GPIoS). The GPIoS is an initiative funded by the European Union’s SWITCH Asia Program, which aims to contribute to an improved environmental and sustainable industrial development in the Metro Manila and Calabarzon areas. The EcoSwitch Award for Impact and Dissemination was given to Planterbank for its “valuable contribution in the dissemination of the project to promote values for responsible stewardship and environmental care to a wider audience.” In photo are Plantersbank vice president and Green Council co-chairperson Victoria T. Alfonso (second from left) after receiving the award from EcoSwitch principals of Austrian environment management firm STENUM GmbH Dr. Thomas Dielacher (left) and Dr. Alena Labodova  (far right) of the Czech Republic’s Technical University of Ostrava. Joining Alfonso during the ceremonies were Plantersbank first vice president and Environment Office head Roberto F. Banaag (center) and Plantersbank environment officer Ned Liuag. The awarding ceremony was attended by 400 guests from 241 private companies, European Union diplomats, public officials, the media and the scientific community.