By Nathaniel Carampatana | November 23, 2023
Silliman University (SU) alumnus Mac Edsel Florendo bagged the 2023 Sustainability Leadership Award in the Non-Profit Sustainable Development Leadership category during the Sustainability Leadership Awards Night of Sustainability PH last Nov. 18.
As an awardee, Florendo is known for founding Food Rescue Philippines. He is also the Food Rescue Supervisor of Scholars of Sustenance (SOS) Philippines.
His initiative was inspired by Boulder Food Rescue when he attended the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative in 2015 while he was a senior student at SU College of Mass Communication.
When it was first initiated in Dumaguete City, the project was described as one that, “‘rescues’ food, especially excess food in the market, and distributes it to homeless and low-income individuals. If the food is cooked, project volunteers give it to the poor on the streets.”
During that time, volunteers also used zero-emission vehicles like bicycles, longboards, and skates to promote environmental protection.
Florendo thanked his co-awardees for all their work to achieve a sustainable Philippines.
“For me, it’s never about getting awards— it’s the opportunity to send a message that we can do something about our food waste and hunger problem. I don’t have all the solutions, but we can do more if we all work together,” he said.
Florendo and the other awardees received a trophy made from scrap metals forming a paraw, a Philippine sailboat, resting on top of a rock.
The Sustainability Leadership Awards highlights the importance of acknowledging and celebrating emerging Filipino leaders under 40 who actively contribute to building a more sustainable and equitable Philippine future.
The awards were organized by Sustainable PH, in collaboration with Union Bank and JCI Quezon City Capitol, at the Changemaker 2040, Parañaque.
