SU students win in global competition
Dignity Y. Lagunay and John Edison C. Tubil receive their award from TITA Director General Cynthia Wang.
Two Silliman University (SU) students won in the Go Green with Taiwan competition for their groundbreaking proposal, “Sweet Solutions to the Plastic Crisis: Compostable Sugarcane-Based Alternatives.”
Dignity Y. Lagunay, a 4th-year marketing student, and John Edison C. Tubil, a 3rd-year marketing student from SU’s College of Business Administration, received their award on December 11, 2024, at the 1915 Nizukuriba. The trophies were presented by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) President Simon Wang and Taiwan International Trade Administration (TITA) Director General Cynthia Wang.
The day before the awarding ceremony, Lagunay and Tubil, accompanied by their adviser, Asst. Prof. Lou Shien Ban Granaderos, presented their entry before a panel of judges in the final round at the Taipei International Convention Center on December 10, 2024.
The students’ entry was prompted by the severe plastic crisis the Philippines is facing. According to the World Bank, the country generates 2.7 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with 1.8 million tonnes leaking into the oceans. This alarming figure makes the Philippines the world’s largest source of plastic pollution. The SU team noted that a substantial portion of this waste comes from single-use plastics like cups, straws, stirrers, and lids.
Lagunay said that the impact and potential for technological cooperation made their proposal striking. “We proposed leveraging Negros’ abundant sugarcane bagasse – a byproduct of the sugar industry – and Taiwan’s technology that can convert it into a 100% compostable alternatives. This emphasis on compatibility and collaboration between the two nations was instrumental in making our proposal stand out to the judges,” he said.
Tubil admitted that developing the proposal for the competition was challenging. He said, “When we decided to create a proposal for this competition, we had to select the Taiwan Excellence solution that would best suit our locality in Negros. We explored hundreds of companies, reflecting on whether their solutions aligned with the realities of our island and the potential impact they could have on the people. That’s when we came across Jutian, and it immediately caught our interest.”
JuTien Cleantech Co., Ltd. is a Taiwan Excellence Award-winning company specializing in 100% compostable packaging made from sugarcane bagasse. Using their patented technology, JuTien transforms agricultural waste, such as sugarcane bagasse—a fibrous byproduct of sugar production—into processable particle materials that can be used to manufacture compostable, non-toxic bagasse cups, straws, lids, and bags.
“We realized their technology was a perfect fit for Negros and had the potential to be a game-changer in addressing the plastic crisis our country is currently facing,” Tubil added.
The competition, organized by the TAITRA, TITA, and Taiwan Excellence, is a global initiative promoting sustainability and environmental innovation. This campaign seeks proposals that focus on using Taiwan’s green products and solutions to foster technological cooperation to achieve environmental and economic sustainability.
Lagunay and Tubil, who are members of the Silliman University Junior Marketing Association, were the sole representatives from the Philippines. Their entry was selected from among 396 proposals from 45 countries.
Seventeen entries were selected in the semi-final round, and six entries coming from Ukraine, Canada, Hungary, United Kingdom, and the Philippines were shortlisted for the finals from which the top 3 would be declared global winners.
Apart from the Philippines, two other contenders secured spots in the top three: MG Epitesz Ltd. from Hungary was recognized for its innovative application of evaporative cooling using porous materials, and Hanon Studio Ltd. from the United Kingdom was lauded for its work in digital fashion, transforming the industry towards a sustainable future.
Lagunay and Tubil are determined to bring their proposal to life. “We plan to establish a startup…. Our first step will be connecting with Jutian to initiate the technology transfer and assess the project’s feasibility. The prize money we won will be used to kickstart the process, as well as to meet with investors and potential partners,” Lagunay said.
