Batangas City, 4 February 2026 — Discarded plastic found new life beneath the footsteps of children, transforming waste into safer spaces for learning and play.
Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), together with Shell Business Operations (SBO) and Shell Import Facility Tabangao (SHIFT), led an Ecobrick Laying Activity at Tabangao Ambulong Elementary School and San Isidro Day Care Center in Batangas City.
With the support of the Trading and Supply (T&S) Credit Risk Team in Manila and the United Kingdom, 5,000 ecobricks were turned over, 2,500 pieces for each school. What once contributed to plastic waste is now part of sturdy walkways and improved play areas that children can safely use every day.
A total of 57 Shell ACTS volunteers worked side by side, carefully laying each ecobrick to complete pathways within the school grounds. Beyond infrastructure improvements, the activity reflected a deeper commitment to sustainability and shared responsibility.
Ms. Shella San Juan, Principal of Tabangao Ambulong Elementary School, welcomed the volunteers and expressed her appreciation for the support extended to their learners. Representing the T&S Credit Risk Team, David Fisher emphasized how initiatives like the ecobrick project translate sustainability commitments into tangible community outcomes.
The activity was spearheaded by Carmela Figuracion, PSFI Program Officer, and Ryle Banog, Luzon Program Coordinator, alongside Elijah Silverio, SHIFT Operations Manager, and Karla Aquino, SBO Lead—demonstrating cross-functional collaboration anchored on community impact.
“Ang laking tulong para sa mga bata dahil hindi na mapuputikan ang kanilang paa,” shared Ms. Arcelli Esmedilla, Child Development Worker at San Isidro Day Care Center.
With cleaner, sturdier pathways in place, children can now move confidently around their school grounds, rain or shine. For teachers and parents, the difference is practical and immediate. For students, it means safer spaces to learn and play.
Robin Evora, SHIFT Team Lead, closed the activity by reaffirming the group’s shared purpose and encouraging continued volunteer engagement in community initiatives.
Part of a Broader Commitment: Community Activity Support (CAS)
The ecobrick laying activity forms part of PSFI’s Community Activity Support (CAS) program. CAS supports Brigada Eskwela initiatives, medical missions, environmental activities, and community engagement efforts across multiple sites nationwide.
Since 2023, CAS has reached 30,114 individuals across its sites nationwide.
In 2025 alone, the program reached 20,553 individuals, significantly exceeding its annual target. Education initiatives supported 36 schools through Brigada Eskwela, benefiting 19,161 individuals.
Environmental efforts included coastal clean-up activities and mangrove planting initiatives, with 7,360 trees planted in 2025. Health-related interventions reached 1,392 individuals across six barangays, improving access to essential healthcare services.
Implemented across Batangas, La Union, Calapan, Palawan, Pasacao, Bacolod, Iloilo, Tagbilaran, Tacloban, and Cagayan de Oro, CAS continues to strengthen partnerships with LGUs, schools, civil society organizations, and host communities.
Through CAS, the ecobrick initiative in Batangas becomes part of a larger system of sustained engagement. It reflects how environmental stewardship, volunteerism, and local partnerships converge into measurable impact.
From healthcare access and strengthened schools to environmental restoration and safer pathways, the results are both immediate and long term.
In Batangas, that impact now includes walkways built from reclaimed plastic—proof that sustainability is not only about reducing waste, but about building environments where children can move forward safely, confidently, and with dignity.
