MANILA, Philippines - Former United States Vice President and Nobel Prize laureate Al Gore recently flew in to Manila to deliver a talk on climate change at the SMX Convention Center at the SM Mall of Asia Complex.
Hosted by SM Prime Holdings, the country’s leading shopping mall developer, the event gathered together government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, business executives, artists, environmental advocates and members of the media. They were all ears as Gore presented the updated version of An Inconvenient Truth, the provocative multi-media presentation on the threat of climate change and solutions to global warming.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was among the attendees, along with other government officials like Senators Loren Legarda and Miguel Zubiri, and Secretary Jose Ibazeta of the Department of Energy. Former First Lady Ming Ramos also attended the event, as did Palawan Mayor Edgardo Hagedorn, Mandaluyong Mayor Ben-Hur Abalos, and Taguig Mayor Freddie Tinga.
American Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr., British Ambassador Stephen Lillie, Belgian Ambassador Christian Meerschman, and Australian Ambassador Rod Smith were among the diplomatic corps present.
Other guests included First Gen Corporation president Oscar Lopez, Unilever Philippines chairman and CEO Fernando T. Fernandez, Meralco president and COO Jose P. de Jesus, World Bank country director Bert Hofman, IRRI’s Dr. Robert Ziegler, Pepsi-Cola Philippines director Dr. Robert Ziegler, and Firefly director Yu An G Log.
Environmental advocates Atty. Antonio O. Oposa Jr., chairman of the Global Legal Action on Climate Change, Commission of Climate Change Secretary Heherson Alvarez, and National Geographic SVP Marketing and general manager for the Philippines and Hong Kong Sonia Christine S. Jackson were also present.
SM officials led by SM Prime Holdings president Hans T. Sy, SM Investments Corporation vice chairman Henry Sy Jr., SM Prime Holdings senior vice president for marketing Elizabeth Sy, and Felicidad Sy welcomed them.
The event’s environmental theme was carried through the invitations, which were made from recycled materials to the sustainability-inspired cocktail menu prepared by Makati Shangri-La. The latter included seared yellow-fin tuna with wasabi mayonnaise of Japanese cucumber sourced from the fishermen of Mindoro using traditional hand-line fishing; kesong puti with tomato salsa sourced from organically fed water buffalo in the province of Laguna; blue cheese flan with caramelized onion and candied walnut with low-emission cheese; shredded pork adobo puff sourced from a local piggery farm in Rizal; and strawberry tartlets, calamansi Sacher lollipop, tres leches, and banana crumble stew made from organically grown ingredients.
“Face the Inconvenient Truth: Al Gore Live in Manila” is part of SM Prime Holdings’ commitment to do its share for the environment. Long before it was considered environmentally correct to go green, SM Prime Holdings and the SM Supermalls began numerous programs and projects that SM Prime president Hans T. Sy says were “aimed at ensuring that our malls will have an impact on two of our most important fronts — the environment and the public.”
In 1997, SM began its waste-management program with sewage treatment plants. It also launched solid waste management initiatives, teaching its maintenance staff, mall tenants, and retailers to segregate their trash, significantly reducing the trash in the mall’s garbage depots.
In 1999, it launched energy efficiency programs and today has a Focus Enterprise Building Management System, which uses smart electronic climate control to manage the malls’ fluctuating energy demands during the day. Using this new system has allowed SM to save up to 50 million kilowatt hours a day. As new malls were built, green design initiatives were incorporated into their structure.
Today, SM Supermalls has a holistic, four-point approach to sustainability tackling energy, air, water, and solid waste. This multi-dimensional approach has allowed SM to closely monitor day-to-day green initiatives in the mall.
The Environmental Committee has also launched programs to create more awareness among its employees, tenants, and customers. These include Trash to Cash, a monthly recycling market fair; the Green Bag movement; the Green Retail Agenda, which creates awareness about environmentally friendly architecture; and the Green Film Festival, which screens movies focused on the environment.
SM’s commitment to sustainability is a work in progress. “Challenges will be ever-present,” says Sy, “but we assure our valued customers, business partners, shareholders and our communities that we will face these with commitment, determination, and focus.” And as he mentioned in the private dinner that followed the talk, “This is only the beginning.”