First Balfour, Inc., the Lopez Group’s construction and engineering arm, has reached a new milestone in its partnership with The Plastic Flamingo Philippines (PLAF), a pro-environment social enterprise and recycler, by collecting for PLAF more than 6 tons of reusable plastic waste since the start of their cooperation in 2022.
First Balfour, particularly its head office in Paranaque City and the FPIP Plaza construction site in Santo Tomas, Batangas, collected the plastic waste not only from company operations but also from supportive employees.
“As a committed PLAF partner, First Balfour has collected and delivered the plastic waste to PLAF’s facility in Muntinlupa. So, instead of sending the waste to landfills, these materials were transformed into sustainable construction products,” said Vicente M. De Lima II, First Balfour head of strategic business planning and corporate sustainability.
PLAF collects and transforms plastic waste into eco-boards and eco-products. These eco-boards are then used to build new schools, homes, and shelters, helping communities manage plastic pollution while strengthening resilience against the country’s many natural hazards.
With these eco-boards, PLAF also manufactures 100-percent recycled plastic products such as sorting bins, desks, counters, and other custom-made furniture, as well as school chairs for under-resourced schools in the Philippines.
First Balfour carefully records all the plastic waste it collects and donates to PLAF. The volume, in kilograms, amounted to 451.3 in 2022; 2,163.42 in 2023; 2,037.14 in 2024; and 1,632.14 as of October 2025.
“It is a true honor to partner with First Balfour in plastic collection. Together, we have reached significant collection milestones of 6,000 kilograms, and we cannot wait to reach the next ones over the coming years,” said Krisha Rubia, PLAF senior partnerships and operations manager. “This could not have been achieved without the strong commitment of First Balfour’s employees, who consistently do their part to make the world a better place. Thank you for your constant support of such a great cause.”
De Lima also disclosed that other First Balfour project sites now also implement various plastic reduction initiatives to divert more waste away from landfills. These initiatives include upcycling plastics into usable site materials, such as trash bins and simple recycled fixtures.
Several First Balfour construction sites, along with the head office, have likewise phased out plastic utensils, cups, and straws, particularly in cafeterias, and have transitioned to reusable or eco-friendly alternatives as they implement single-use plastic programs.
“Our partnership with PLAF is anchored on First Balfour’s commitment to supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production,” de Lima explained.
A subsidiary of Lopez-led First Philippine Holdings Corporation (FPH), First Balfour has participated in constructing some of the country’s biggest infrastructure projects since it was organized in 1969. These projects included Manila Water Company’s water service improvement project, the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway, the North Luzon Expressway, and the Light Rail Transit Line 1 Cavite Extension, to name a few.
“Through responsible waste management practices and meaningful collaborations, First Balfour advances FPH’s mission of forging collaborative pathways toward a decarbonized and regenerative future,” de Lima said.
