PHILIPPINES
Clean Pampanga
Pampanga is a province in the Philippines, located northwest of Manila. Known for its rich history, vibrant culture, and friendly communities, this region is often regarded as the country's culinary capital.
PHILIPPINES
Clean Pampanga
Pampanga is a province in the Philippines, located northwest of Manila. Known for its rich history, vibrant culture, and friendly communities, this region is often regarded as the country's culinary capital.
The story
The Philippines had the largest share of global plastic waste discarded in the ocean in 2019, with the country responsible for over a third (36.38%) of global oceanic plastic waste.
The key reason behind this? A lack of proper waste management infrastructure. That’s why we set up our Clean Pampanga project in June 2024.
Although Pampanga is only about two hours away from the country’s capital, Manila, locals here typically have two options when it comes to waste: throw it in the trash, which will get sent to landfill, or dump it in nature.
To tackle this issue, we partnered with local organization HOPE to fund the collection of non-recyclable plastic.
The project
In 2020, HOPE launched a waste-to-cash program called the ‘Aling Tindera’, which roughly translates to respected women or “auntie” vendors.
This system not only helps keep Pamanga and other areas of the Philippines clean, but also encourages women to become micro-entrepreneurs and serve as sustainability champions of their communities.
So, where does CleanHub come into the equation?
Well, HOPE recovers recyclable plastic, whereas we fund the collection of non-recyclable plastic — together, we’re a match made in heaven.
Non-recyclable plastic (such as sachets and wrappers) is a particular challenge in the Philippines. Much of it ends up in landfill — and ultimately, nature — so CleanHub’s collection efforts focus solely on this type of material.
The Aling Tinderas
HOPE has connected us to three Aling Tindera stores, where people in the community can bring waste to be either recycled or repurposed, while being compensated for doing so.
This way, non-recyclable plastic is collected and processed, the streets of Pampanga are kept clean, and the community is rewarded in return — everyone wins.
Affectionately known as ‘Auntie’s Shop’, the Aling Tindera is the heart of every community. Wondering how someone becomes an Aling Tindera? Any woman in the community can qualify for this role, as long as they’re located near a proposed site, can read and write, and can be trained. Above all, an Aling Tindera will have a passion for caring for the environment.
The partnership between HOPE and CleanHub is paving the way to a brighter, cleaner future for Pampanga. Not only are we helping the environment by funding the collection of non-recyclables, but we’re also empowering women to become waste entrepreneurs.
Aling Tindera partners serve as our sustainability champions in their communities. Through their roles, they’re educating people on the importance of responsible plastic waste management.
Let's make a difference in Pampanga
Your brand can support our impact and help to expand our operations in the Philippines.
Our impact
Clean Nature
We’re connecting people in Pampanga with a proper way to manage their waste, preventing it from being dumped in landfills or nature. On average, we collect between 8–10 tonnes of non-recyclable waste each month.
Clean Communities
The Aling Tindera program not only encourages behavior change in the community, but it also educates the public about responsible plastic waste management — not to mention people are paid for the waste they drop off. Each Aling Tindera collects plastic from between 15-20 local households.
Clean Jobs
By partnering with HOPE, we’re creating job opportunities for women in the community. All collection points are 100% women-run, with each shop owner seeing an average increase of 48% in monthly income. The women are also trained to keep track of the amount of waste recorded using the CleanHub app, so they can manage collections better.
Clean Oceans
Pampanga is on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, which is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. By funding the collection of plastic waste in this region, we’re preventing the oceans from being polluted, and precious ecosystems from being destroyed.
Collection operator: HOPE
This project wouldn’t be possible without our collection operator HOPE, which has set up waste collection points throughout the Philippines.
The organization also donates 100% of profits towards improving public school infrastructure, increasing livelihood opportunities, and enabling efforts that conserve our environment.
HOPE is the first certified B Corp in the Philippines and focuses on supporting communities in a variety of ways. The organization builds classrooms across the country, partners with thousands of retail outlets, and even created the country’s first-ever boxed water to reduce plastic usage.
And in 2020, HOPE launched Aling Tindera — its waste-to-cash program that reduces plastic pollution, creates job opportunities for women, and keeps Pampanga clean.
Let's make a difference in Pampanga
Your brand can support our impact and help to expand our operations in the Philippines.
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