Kapuso at Kasambuhay ng Kalikasan pushes green initiatives nationwide

MANILA, Philippines, October 8 ------ Life in the Philippines is entwined with the rhythm of nature — in rivers that rise and recede, in mountains that hold the weight of rain, in storms that hit our shores. Our islands breathe with the sea and yield to the wind, and each moment reminds us that we are part of something greater.

For 75 years, GMA Network has been telling stories about the Filipino — and we cannot tell those stories without the land, the seas, and the air that sustain us. Across every format and genre, one truth shines through: to be one with the Filipino is to be one with the ground and water that give us life.

Long before the words “climate change” entered daily speech, GMA Network already produced significant programs and movies tackling these serious concerns. “Signos” was already sounding the alarm. “Born to Be Wild” brought us face to face with fragile species. “Muro Ami” drew attention to illegal fishing in coral reefs, while “Planet Philippines” lifted us through forests and skies.

The journey went on: “i-Witness” with “Koronang Tinik,” which earned recognition abroad; “24 Oras” carved out space in primetime for “Banta ng Nagbabagong Klima”; “Biyahe ni Drew” reminded us that travel is respecting people and places; and “Amazing Earth” lifted our gaze to marvels beyond our own. Beyond the screen, in every Kapuso school and every bridge we built, native trees were planted.

At our headquarters, we’ve built greener systems into the way we operate — cutting waste, saving energy, rethinking processes. And outside, Kapuso employee volunteers carried that same spirit into the field through GMA GIVES — Give, Interact, Volunteer, Educate, Serve. They grew seedlings into hillsides, planted mangroves in watersheds and cleared rivers of debris.

GMA is also proud to be the first and only Philippine media company to join the UN Global Compact — because sustainability isn’t just a story we tell, it’s a commitment we keep. vAll of these efforts are part of Kapuso ng Kalikasan, GMA’s flagship environmental advocacy led by Corporate Affairs for 15 years. In 2022, it grew into Kapuso at Kasambuhay ng Kalikasan, a partnership with Nestlé Philippines. Nestlé is the first multinational consumer-goods company in the country to reach plastic neutrality — recovering as much plastic as it puts into the market. It also began shifting to mono-material packaging for select products to make them easier to recycle, replacing plastic straws with paper, and introducing regenerative agriculture to its coffee farmers.

Nestlé and GMA fused two strengths: sustainability and storytelling. Together, we created the Kalikasanovelas — short films told in four beloved genres: comedy, action, horror and love. Even the production itself lived by the same rules: zero-waste, refurbished sets, reused costumes, plants donated to schools. The advocacy was not only in the story. It was in the making.

To carry the message further, Nestlé also held learning sessions with GMA employees and Sparkle artists, helping them bring the advocacy into their own lives and circles. One of those artists is Shuvee Etrata — the Nation’s Darling and Nestlé Philippines’ Choose Good ambassador — whose story began long before cameras.

In her hometown of Bantayan Island Cebu, their family home faces the ocean; at high tide, crabs crawl right into the house. For her, the sea has never been a postcard. It has been  her neighbor. This closeness with nature explains her conviction. She swam in waters so clear the fish scattered like sparks of light around her. And once, a sheet of plastic clung to her face. She pulled it away, startled, and the question stayed with her: How could such a beautiful place carry this? That moment became her turning point. She made it her mission to help clean the shorelines and protect the environment however she can.

Today, as a Choose Good ambassador with Nestlé, she tells her fans that the smallest acts matter: recycling a bottle, conserving water, planting a seedling. Even her fans club, Pangkat Shuvee, has joined cleanups — proof that one person’s choices can ripple outward to many. That is the enduring promise of Kapuso at Kasambuhay ng Kalikasan: stories do not end when the credits roll, but they keep unfolding in the lives of those who hear it. In ecobags slung over shoulders. In lights turned off at night. In walks taken instead of rides. We only have one home. Sama-sama nating piliin ang kalikasan. Choose nature. Choose good.

Source: philstar.com