SUSTAINARUMBLE!

Walkable cities. Comprehensive transport system. Dignified housing. Multi-purpose facilities. Less pollution. Iilan lang ‘yan sa mga aspeto na bumubuo sa isang sustainable and healthy city.

Gayunpaman, paano natin makakamit ang mga ito para sa Metro Manila at pati na rin sa mga malalaking mga lungsod tulad ng Cebu at Davao?

With the continuous growth of all the big cities in Asia, it is no doubt that Metro Manila is considered in this discussion as being the only commercial hub in the Philippines.

As this phenomenon continues to worsen, what now happens to Filipinos that kept on flocking to the Philippines’ capital region hoping for better opportunities for themselves and their families?

Climathon is a nonprofit based in the UK whose goal is to localize climate solutions for specific climate action kahit saan man sa mundo. Chances are, you might have at least seen Climathon Philippines on your social media feed, or maybe went the extra mile by joining in one of their events before. 

Pero, alam mo ba paano sila nag-umpisa sa Pilipinas? Alamin dito kasama si Carla Mumar!

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Ang culture at heritage ay napakahalaga hindi lang sa pagrerepresenta ng ating napakayamang kasaysayan pero pati na rin sa paniniguro na naiintindihan natin ang ating kasarinlan upang makamit ang totoong progress.

If we keep destroying historic buildings and natural environments, when will we finally stop and realize their importance to the sustainability of our nation? Kapag lahat ay giniba na? How can we then save a dwindling Filipino heritage?

Napakabilis ng paglago ng ekonomiya sa panahon ngayon, lalung-lalo na dahil sa teknolohiya na nagpapadali at nagpapaganda ng buhay para sa lahat.

However, the very things that made modernization abundant are also the same reasons why we are slowly neglecting the very foundation of our souls — our culture and heritage.

Nagmistulan nang lifeless ang mga lungsod at malimit nang makilala ang ating kasarinlan sa mga nagsisilakihang mga gusali.

Because of the Republic Act of 2008, Filipinos have the capability to make the choice of shifting to renewable energy as their power source. The Filipino society is potent in making energy production and usage sustainable.

Ano ba ang mga options? How can Filipinos unleash the green power potential?

When you are clean and everyone wants you... pero hindi ganoon ka-simple magpalit para sa'yo.

The trend is real: the world is shifting to renewable energy that is very environmentally friendly and will still keep our lights on at the same time. Solar panels are becoming cheaper and cheaper by the day. Wind is free. 0 emissions for the same services that conventional energy offers.

Pero bakit hindi basta basta magawa sa Pilipinas?

Ang pollution ay isa sa mga pangunahing dahilan ng lumalalang kalagayan ng mga tao, kalikasan, at ng buong mundo. This includes the dirty air that we breathe, the contaminated water that we drink, the plastics that kill fishes and clog our waterways, and the barren lands that lead to earthquakes and biodiversity loss.

Out of all possible solutions that include our participation as end-users, iisang aspeto ang makakapagdulot ng malaking pagbabago kung ito ay matutugunan: producer responsibility. Bakit producer responsibility ang sagot? Paano mapapanagot ang mga producer sa pagsasaayos ng kanilang mga proseso?

Sa panahon ngayon, hindi na sapat sa isang producer ang makapagproduce ng naaayon sa market demand. Kung dati ang progress ay nasusukat sa laki ng capital na nalilikom, ngayon ito na'y nasusukat sa pagbabalanse ng profit generation at environmental sustainability.

A profitable industry, or a progressive nation, is one that meets the demands of the present generation without compromising the demands of those in the future.

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Kahit anong clean-up drive ay wala nang maidudulot na magandang epekto sa kalikasan.

We have reached a point where vast development and commercialization have standardized processes na talagang iisa lang ang panig: Profit > Planet.

Ang lahat ng mga aktibidad across industries na kung pinagsama-sama ay magiging irreversible na within 10 years kung hindi aagapan hangga't sa puno't dulo. Milyun-milyon na ang namatay na mga tao dulot ng air pollution at maduming drinking water, at ang kalikasan ay lubos na ring na-contaminate at na-baog.

Ano nga ba ang sanhi ng mga ito? Find out in this episode.

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Thousands of families and children survive on the pennies they earn from waste picking and junk trading every day. It gives them food and water that to this day are still insufficient to fill their stomachs because despite discreetly doing more good in the community, waste picking remains an undignified profession.

How can we change this narrative and formalize this informal sector in waste management?

What will it take to normalize an approach that spells the possibility of eliminating residual wastes and gaining full control of the production to disposal process?

In this episode, the EPPIC finalists bares how their projects will support UNDP's mission of mainstreaming the circular economy.

In order to see different results, one must be willing to do things differently.

In this third episode of #SUSTAINARUMBLExUNDP #EPPIC2021 miniseries, let's find out how our ASEAN finalists aim to make a cleaner and greener world through innovation.

What was the most interesting founding story of an impactful company that you've ever encountered?

In this second episode of #SUSTAINARUMBLExUNDP EPPIC 2021 miniseries, meet 6 of the 8 ASEAN finalists and discover how they founded their initiatives! Note: it's not always what you expected. 

Based on a 2015 study, the Philippines is one of the top 5 countries contributing to marine plastic wastes. Another study states that, without action, we risk having more plastic than fishes in the ocean by 2050. 

To face this dilemma, we are in search for novel solutions! And in this episode, we explore UNDP's goal in addressing marine litter and achieving circularity through EPPIC, the Ending Plastic Pollution Innovation Challenge 2021!

Much like other social, environmental, and economic issues, the programs and policies set to completely manage waste generation and collection lack funding and thorough implementation. There is also a growing mentality where people believe that controlled dumpsites are necessary but just not in their neighborhood.

There is an informal waste ecosystem that could augment our efforts in waste collection. It has been there even before R.A. 9003 or the Solid Waste Management was put into law. But what can we do to make it both systematic and economically beneficial for the players involved?

Almost all things that approach their end-of-life go to landfills. From the tin cans and snack packaging to plastic bottles and styrofoams, objects end piling up on mountain-like dumpsites with no hope to be decomposed or reproduce in sight.

Cities and barangays in the Philippines were poised to put waste management under control especially with the comprehensive policies in place. Instead, local communities have been left compromising. Why is this happening?

Do we really need to widen roads even inner streets and secondary avenues to alleviate traffic? Do we really need to build elevated highways in order to "split" vehicles on the road and eventually accommodate faster travel?

If you look closely, the best question to ask is: are we moving more people and less cars through the new frameworks and policies we build? Think about it, 5-to-7-seaters dominate our road spaces and yet they carry about 1 or 2 people on a given day while 88% of the commuting population is left hanging with a public transit system that is yet to go fully modernized.

Metro Manila today appears like a carbon-copy of Utrecht in The Netherlands, Vienna in Austria, and Brussels in Belgium back in the 1980s. But what's interesting is, contrary to Western-style development economics of building more roads to "lighten" car throughput, these European countries stayed true to their culture and heritage. Instead of flyovers and highways, they gave spaces back to the people. 

But how? Can it be done in Metro Manila, too?

Picture yourself going to your workplace in Makati coming from your home in Quezon City. A one-way commute in the morning alone would take you 2 hours and a half, including boarding, alighting, and walking the last mile. But did you know that the average daily commute in Japan that includes going to and from work combined is almost 2 hours — imagine the difference!

Contrary to popular belief, transportation is only a part of this painful traffic issue, but NOT the main reason why the traveling situation within cities is worsening. So, what is?

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Farming... IN THE CITY? Is that even possible? But, what for?

This is the pilot episode of RUMBLE! Talks, a brand new series of special episodes where hosts Jonas, Shawntel, and CK openly talk about their personal thoughts on growing food in condo terraces, home backyards, and open lots in local communities.

Have you been thinking about creating your own beautiful garden or producing food at your backyard but do not know where to exactly start? 

There are six fundamentals of gardening that you must know to secure everything you need before you plant, and seven best and proven techniques to efficiently cultivate your plants and grow fresh and delicious food that your family will love.

Feeding a projected global population of NINE BILLION PEOPLE while minimizing humanity’s agricultural and carbon footprint is one of the most challenging problems that the world faces today. What more now, when, the COVID-19-induced lockdowns have limited the supply of fresh produce from rural farms into cities in Metro Manila?

What kind of city do we want?

It's such a bold thing to answer but maybe the answer is already innately present all along. As cities spread out even bigger than ever before, the segregation of services is ever-widening to a point that even the basic necessities are inaccessible for people. Just when progress is supposed to bring more opportunities to the people, it went the other direction.

What if we build a modern community where everyone has fair and equitable access to all goods and services at arms reach? What if everything you need is all found a few blocks away?

Warning: there are audio quality issues on certain parts that weren't resolved due to some recording errors and post-production limitations. Nevertheless, this is a very strong and informative episode that you will definitely enjoy!

The housing crisis kept ballooning over the years. Given that economic progress has been mainly concentrated on the Philippines' urban cities such as Metro Manila and Metro Cebu, a continuous uptick in migration of rural dwellers from the provinces to the cities has been taking place -- armed with the belief that their lives will transform due to the opportunities they will get.

Sadly, that is generally not the case. More and more Filipino families in the metros are either income-poor, are vulnerable to economic shocks, or lack livelihood security. By 2022, the country’s housing needs would amount to a staggering 15.08 million people and worsen each year if we do not start paying more attention to the housing crisis.

Remote working has long been a global working habit due to the increasing accessibility of Internet connection and software programs for work. People can just bring their devices and find a place to settle down, get a cup of coffee, and start working.

The Philippines' commercial sector -- especially the traditional companies and their employees -- were among those that are the least ready for this working setup. When a Covid-induced, region-wide lockdown was imposed in high-case cities and towns in the country, the commercial sector could not stand idle. Since then, it has been found that working from home has increased productivity -- a total opposite than what traditional managers and business leaders thought.

All the numbers aside, how is this working setup affecting the city life now and in the generations to come? Is this a net positive to people's well-being, too?

Metro Manila is now home to sixteen (16) cities and one (1) town, with close to thirteen (13) million residents residing within the 619.6 km squared land area -- making it one of the densest places in the world. The capital has gone through a number of phases being the center of trade and commerce since the foreign occupation in the 16th century.

With progress came migration. Changing times meant changes in sociocultural landscape, leadership, political will, economic, social, and environmental programs. Through these changing times, how did Metro Manila evolve into what it is now? How did the evolution in urbanization for 400 years led to the challenges that are present today, and what must be done to head to a sustainable and humanized direction?

We are exactly a decade away from the United Nations' goal of achieving a fully sustainable world, yet as the pandemic overtook the world in 2020, how did this mission progressed all year?

Sustainable Development, in and by itself, is a long and winding journey of both substantial and personal actions by all players in the society. As the world bounces back from the great setback named 2020, what is the outlook on Sustainable Development like coming leading to 2030?

In this special collaboration with another fantastic podcast on social innovation and climate action A Dose of Intensity with Carla Mumar, SUSTAINARUMBLE! team's own Jonas and Shawntel talked to Carla about some of the most pressing challenges in making real social impact, utilizing renewable energy for a climate resilient world, and of course some fun to make things interesting.

Do you find this discussion interesting? Check out A Dose of Intensity to get intensified even more through these links below!

Climate change is real - and it is drastic.

The effects of typhoons year after year on the Philippines are worsening as they come by.  Just in November 2020, two ravaging typhoons raged the lands, destroyed nature, submerged towns and cities, and left Filipinos in desperate need for help. 

Yet despite the cold hard truths and the science-backed proposed solutions, the misconceptions brought by either lack or wrong information on the issue continues to thrive. What are these common misconceptions in combatting climate change and why are they false?

What will transportation be like in the future?

In a world spun by technology and data, the incoming disruption including the transport sector is inevitable as needs continuously change.

With all the sustainability principles considered for today's transport system, how will the system further evolve into the future?

All the issues on the transport system now considered, what can be done to truly make a shift to a system that makes sense economically, socially, and environmentally?

Time is ticking. There is nothing to waste. The unsustainable transport system is like a boiling kettle that needs to cool down.

What is one word you can associate with the word "commute"?

When ideally it is supposed to be "convenient," it turned out to be a "headache" for Manilenyos - and even Cebuanos. Majority of the people residing in metro cities are people that do not own any private vehicle. Moreover, several households own more than one and yet in a vehicle that can sit 5-7 people, only 2 are boarded each day going to and from work. Others own bikes that they cannot safely use because of the lack of infrastructure.

There is a lot to say about the public transport system in Metro Manila - a lot of different things to work on too. But until we start rejecting the idea of a car-centric city, change will not happen.

Whatever you have been hearing about technology being only reserved for hackers and the techy is wrong.

Technology gets its value when it is used to bridge practical solutions to the most complex of problems, including mobility.  In the recent years, mass transport has been a huge problem in urban cities including those of first-world economies. Overpopulation and increase in buying power has worsen transport woes in developing countries, and policies on relevant industries for sustainability and quality living has failed to keep up.

But ingenuity and creativity never runs out. This is why we witness projects and startups on mobility introduce revolutionary solutions using technology. Some household names include Uber, Grab, Angkas, Lalamove, and Sakay.ph

It is leveraging artificial intelligence, data science, big data and analytics, and automation to run services that feed the emerging needs of people, and it has also recently been disrupting the transport industry.

The railway system in the Philippines has lagged so far behind, we are counting years of development and Filipinos' thousands of hours lost. 

Riding a train in Metro Manila whether on light or heavy rail has proven erratic - you're lucky when you use the train in window hours where it is not packed and the airconditioning is working well, but on rush hours and early morning travel to work you will find yourself queuing for at least half an hour and riding seem as if it is a battle for your life.

Yet with the ardent push of the Duterte administration to build infrastructure, what lies ahead for the metro's train network?

Roads have always been the main thoroughfares in moving people. All transport modes that run on roads therefore have proven to be the main options to get to places. Yet without a progressive framework that enables more accessible, convenient, and high-quality transport services, the most preferred becomes the most painful burden.

Transport issues on road is beyond just traffic congestion and a hellish riding experience. Find out more here.

Transportation has defined and shaped how cities have been built since the beginning of human civilization. It greatly contributed to how products and services flow in the value chain.

Metro Manila is the densest place in the world, with over 20 million residents and counting. This region is also ranked #2 most traffic-choked cities in the world which begs the question: how did we arrive at this point?

Aired live via Facebook Live on August 8, 2020. 

Here is a news flash: environmental conservation and eco-preservation is also a compensated, professional line of work! It is called *drum roll* Green Jobs!

Millions of workers from all over the world are academically and vocationally trained to ensure that 1) nature is taken care of, and 2) that economic practices are not destructive to the environment. Find out more on this topic in this episode.

Have you ever been in a situation where you advocate about something you find important and it falls on deaf ears?

Were you at a point where you feel something strong about one thing that you want to influence your peers to it but it gets ignored due to the fact that it's difficult to comprehend, among other reasons?

Sustainability is an idea that looks out for the betterment of all people and the planet but still rings abstract to nearly every person. For an average person, it seems like an ideal way of thinking but it affects them in more ways than they could know.

How can we then effectively unpack an idea that is critical to the lives of the people in a way that is relatable and comprehensible?

The Sachet Economy has brought flexibility, convenience, and affordability in the market through goods produced in smaller quantities. Finally, even the poorest and most disadvantaged can fulfill their needs. But at what cost?