From left to right: Ces Rondario (Founder and President – ReCirCa): Hon. Councilor Ed Prado (Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Protection and Ecology – Taguig City ); Ligid Tipas Barangay Officials – Brgy. Captain John “Joy” Lontok, Bgy. Councilor Lorna Manosca and Brgy. Councilor Joseph Bilaw; Felix Catigay (Head, Environment and Natural Resources Office – Taguig City) and Wally Panganiban (Corporate Affairs Manager – Nutriasia).
PRESS RELEASE
TAGUIG CITY, PHILIPPINES — ReCirCa, a social enterprise dedicated to reuse and refill solutions, has turned over Refillka Kits to selected sari-sari store owners in three barangays of Taguig City — Napindan, Ligid Tipas, and Ibayo-Tipas. The turnover ceremony was held on March 27 at the Multipurpose Hall of Barangay Ligid Tipas.
The Refillka initiative is a community-driven refilling and reuse program that addresses the Filipino “tingi” culture’s heavy reliance on single-use plastics. By providing sari-sari stores with specialized refill kits for household essentials — dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent, and pet shampoo — ReCirCa aims to revive the practice of consumers bringing their own reusable containers, thereby reducing plastic waste at the source.
Ces Rondario, Founder and President of ReCirCa, said: “Refillka is more than just kits — it’s about bringing back the old Filipino habit of reusing containers while giving sari-sari stores a sustainable way to serve their communities. By reducing single-use plastics at the neighborhood level, we can make a real dent in the plastic pollution crisis, one refill at a time.”
The event highlighted strong collaboration among local government, barangay leaders, and the private sector. Hon. Councilor Ed Prado, Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Protection and Ecology, noted: “This initiative perfectly aligns with Taguig City’s vision of a greener and more sustainable future. By empowering our sari-sari stores to offer refills, we are not only reducing plastic waste but also creating a model that other cities can follow. We are proud to support ReCirCa and our barangay partners in this important effort.”
Felix Catigay, Head of the Taguig Environment and Natural Resources Office (ENRO), emphasized the need for preventive solutions: “We can no longer afford to only manage plastic waste after it’s been created — we must prevent it at the source. Programs like Refillka show that reuse is a practical solution. With our landfills quickly filling up, initiatives that promote bringing your own container and refilling are exactly the kind of innovation Taguig needs.”
Wally Panganiban, Corporate Affairs Manager of NutriAsia, represented the private sector’s commitment: “Today’s event is a small but meaningful step in our long journey toward sustainability and circularity. Through our Bring Your Own Bote (BYOB) initiative, NutriAsia is committed to supporting solutions like ReCirCa’s Refillka Kits. Together with the government and local communities, we can help shift consumer behavior from single-use plastics to a culture of reuse.”
Grassroots Leadership and Community Impact
The success of the Refillka program relies on the active support of local barangay officials who are championing the “refill, not replace” mindset. Barangay Captain John “Joy” Lontok, together with Councilors Lorna Manosca and Joseph Bilaw, engaged directly with store owners to ensure the program integrates smoothly into daily community life.
“As barangay leaders, we see every day how plastic sachets and bottles pile up in our streets and waterways. Refillka gives our sari-sari store owners the tools to offer a better, cleaner option to our residents. We are happy to champion this program and ensure it becomes part of daily life in Ligid Tipas, Napindan, and Ibayo-Tipas,” said Brgy. Captain John “Joy” Lontok.
Equipped with the new Refillka Kits, participating sari-sari stores are now positioned as frontline champions of Taguig’s sustainability movement — proving that environmental responsibility can go hand-in-hand with better business opportunities for small enterprises.
