In the Philippines, where the population is growing rapidly, the standard of living is improving, and the economy is developing at a dizzying pace, the amount of garbage being disposed of continues to increase year by year. The amount of waste generated has become a major social problem, as it pollutes the marine environment and clogs drains, causing increased flood damage. Lorileen Dacioag has launched Waste4Good, a start-up company that converts biodegradable waste into organic fertilizer. We spoke with her about why she launched her business and what goals she has in mind.

Waste4Good CEO
Lorileen Dacioag. three
Lorilyn Daquioag

After working for several companies and as a university lecturer, he founded Waste4Good, a startup that provides solutions to break down organic waste, and Sultan Kudarat Beans, which supports coffee farming in Mindanao, Philippines. In parallel, he is also involved in satellite technology development as a researcher at the University of the Philippines.

I want to do something about the garbage that has always been around.

　According to a previous study by the National Solid Waste Management Commission in the Philippine Environmental Authority, 400,000 tons of garbage were generated per day in 2016. Garbage was all around people's daily lives. A researcher, student, and mother, Lorileen's specialty is engineering. Ever since she was a child, she wanted to create something that would help people and benefit society. One day, she noticed that about half of the 400,000 tons of garbage was biodegradable, such as food and plants, and developed a solution that contains microorganisms that turn it into fertilizer. Now, as president of Waste4Good, she is working hard to solve the Philippines' garbage problem.

Why start a start-up company?

In many countries, including Japan, the national and local governments are responsible for the garbage disposal function. On the other hand, why is Lorelene trying to solve the garbage problem in the Philippines by starting her own start-up company? Lorelene answers, "Starting a start-up company is a great way to solve the garbage problem in the Philippines. There are two advantages to starting a start-up company. One is that it speeds up the process of taking action to solve the problem. Lobbying the government is not easy, but it is not impossible. It also takes a long time in many cases. The second is the employment opportunities that can be created by setting up a company in the Philippines. In the Philippines, many talented people are leaving the country to work. I want as many good people as possible to have the opportunity to work in their home country.

A group of people with a shared vision and different skills.

At its inception, Waste4Good had four members. The requirements for a good team are a shared vision and purpose, and the ability to draw on the different skills and expertise of each member. And each of us should be able to utilize our different skills and expertise," he said. And recently, Waste4Good has welcomed two new members, one with expertise in business administration and the other in soil science and organic farming, who have never met in person as the COVID-19 outbreak expands, but who are very sympathetic to the issues and solutions. COVID-19 is a new team that will be working to solve more complex social issues in the future. In order for teams to solve increasingly complex social issues in the future, it will be very important to bring together people with a shared vision and a variety of expertise.

Passing on to the Next Generation

Entrepreneurship for the betterment of the country is still not something that many people in the Philippines can practice. Many children grow up being taught at home that it is good to study hard, go to a good university, and get a good job at a good company. And the younger generation of passionate, talented Filipinos are leaving the country for better opportunities," says Lorileen. But at the same time, she strongly believes that this situation can be changed. One way to do that is to start a company in the country and create employment opportunities," she said. While working hard to get her company off the ground, Lorelene also wants to get involved in the training of the young people who will be responsible for the country's future, and is working to establish an entrepreneurship course at a university. In order to solve the garbage problem in front of her own eyes and to nurture the next generation that will follow in her footsteps, Lorileen will continue to take on new challenges.

Related Articles

'TheEducation Support Vol. 49From "The