Environmental and climate issues are no longer foreign concepts to many Kapamilya. It’s in the typhoons that hit our communities, the floods that reach our doorsteps, the heat that disrupts classes, the thinning forests and the bodies of water that no longer run the way they used to. And the more these issues get personal, the more powerful the stories behind them become.
This is the inspiration behind “Kwentong Kalikasan, Likas sa Kapamilya,” a storytelling initiative launched by Oscar M. Lopez (OML) Center as part of the celebration of the Lopez Envi Festival 2025. The goal is simple: encourage employees across the Lopez Group to share their personal reflections on how environmental and climate stories impact them and how they can be part of the solution.
Grounded in experience
Using short video messages and written narratives, participants were asked to respond using these prompts: In your community, what do climate and environmental issues look like? What do you hope for? And how do you act? The result is a rich collection of stories grounded in experience and commitment, as expected from Kapamilya.
Dr. Rodel Lasco, executive director of OML Center, starts with a clear and urgent reflection. “In my community, we experience strong typhoons, even flooding, and all of these are signs of a changing climate.”
As a scientist, Lasco knows the climate trends; as a citizen, he composts in his backyard and cuts down his carbon footprint. He hopes that “all sectors of society, scientific, civil society, the private sector and the government sector, will work together to address the issue of climate change.”
In another sharing, Seal Patiño from First Gen Corporation reminds us that one of the biggest challenges is that “different sectors of society [do not have] a clear understanding of what climate change is.” He hopes that more people will be more aware of what’s happening “so that they’ll be able to do more action, whether in their own little ways or through working together in their communities and in their schools [for a] climate-resilient nation.”
Edric Calma, vice president of Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI), shares how education fuels their work. “[We] produce videos for different grade levels, for different subjects, and training programs for teachers so that they could teach environmental concerns better to kids.”
Angelo Martinez, a volunteer from KCFI, reveals how waste remains a visible issue in his community. His personal response is doing the three Rs—reducing, reusing and recycling.
Atty. Allan Barcena, assistant vice president and head of the corporate support functions group of Energy Development Corporation, offers a hopeful message with specific focus on nurturing our forests. “We hope that there will be more tree growing [activities] in the country as well as in our local communities to help our ecosystems and to protect the planet.”
From forest to city living, Tanya Flores of Pi Energy highlights how food waste is a growing problem in condominiums. “Normally, food waste would be mixed with plastics. My hope [is for] composting [to become] a daily habit,” she says.
Single-use plastics
Underwater, the reality is just as urgent. Javi Vargas from InfoPro Business Solutions Inc. discloses the state of our oceans. “There’s so much marine pollution. As a scuba diver, it’s very sad to see those things, especially because it affects marine life,” he points out.
Because he has seen firsthand how wastes end up in the ocean, Vargas avoids single-use plastics (SUPs) and hopes others become more mindful of their trash.
For Judy Ann Santos-Empeño of First Philippine Realty Corporation, the change starts with grocery bags: “[I use ecobags] whenever I do groceries.” A proud “plantita,” she asks for potted plants instead of flower bouquets and, as a food and beverage manager, she encourages her team to avoid SUPs.
Faith Bacon from Lopez Group Foundation Inc. brings it back to the community level. Living in Taytay, Rizal, she has seen the effects of deforestation and kaingin. But she believes that small acts matter. “I use a tumbler, and teach my kids to keep their trash in their pockets and throw it at home. I also segregate waste,” she states.
MJ Hermoso from HMR Envirocycle works on electronic waste and leaves a very practical message: “I think we need to improve in terms of recycling and veer away from just throwing things away. I hope everyone will recycle as much as they can so that our landfills won’t fill up.” HMR Envirocycle was one of the exhibitors during the Lopez Envi Festival 2025 kickoff.
The compiled video entries during the festival’s kickoff were shown during Walk the Talk and available on OML Center’s Vimeo account: https:// vimeo.com/1096792729/ 8522bf6e9d?share=copy.
Additional stories were received from those working in the often-unseen water and utility services–from the water resource management group of FPIP Utilities Inc. and FIT Water Inc.—on how sustainability can begin with the everyday tasks we often take for granted.
Nelson Lontok notes how power-intensive water facilities can be. He emphasizes how the company has been doing its contributions “by installing solar panels across our water distribution and wastewater treatment sites” to reduce its carbon emissions. He hopes that “more communities and industries [will] shift toward renewable energy.”
‘Information into action’
Edwin de Chavez reminisces about reviving a once-polluted river. “Through water quality monitoring, we were able to turn information into action…
Today, we’re seeing fish return,” he underscores. He hopes that “development does not come at the cost of ecosystems, and every individual feels a sense of responsibility.”
On a site visit, John Pol Orina saw a river turn brown due to erosion and dumping; that moment stuck with him. “I dream of communities where conserving water, reducing waste and protecting green spaces are second nature. With the right knowledge and values, we can create a future where nature thrives alongside progress,” he notes.
Mica Jane Malenab also speaks about the importance of water. “Every shift reminds me—water is not just a resource, it’s life. And caring for it is a responsibility I carry with pride,” she affirms. Her hope is for a future where water is treated not just as a resource but as something we all must protect.
Bonifacio Torres shares that he’s handling things most people don’t want to think about—used oil, oily rags and contaminated materials. They may be deemed as small things but if left unmanaged, they can cause real harm to soil, rivers and the life around us. His hope is “for people to learn to see the value in responsible action.”
Finally, Charmaine Vitan from OML Center observes that in her neighborhood, heavy rains always bring floods, mostly because of clogged drains and poor waste management. With few trees, they are also exposed to urban heat.
“My hope for the environment and climate is for more people to recognize that climate change is real and that it’s a direct result of human actions,” she says, emphasizing the urgency of greater awareness and accountability.
With all these stories, what makes “Kwentong Kalikasan, Likas sa Kapamilya” so powerful is its honesty and sincerity. These are not corporate statements or press releases, but stories from real members of the larger Lopez community expressing their frustrations, hopes and their actions to contribute to a greater cause.
Just like the Lopez Envi Festival itself, “Kwentong Kalikasan” is rooted in the belief that change starts with awareness and grows through our collective action, especially when nurtured in a community like ours.
So, now we ask: What is your “Kwentong Kalikasan”?
(Story by: Mae Anne Mangubos)
