AN ALUMNUS of Silliman University bagged the 2023 Sustainability Leadership Award during the ceremony organized by Sustainable PH in collaboration with Union Bank and JCI Quezon City Capitol.

Mac Edsel Florendo received the award under the category of Non-profit Sustainable Development Leadership.

Florendo was recognized for his exceptional work advancing sustainability and tackling pressing problems like poverty and food waste.

He was the founder of Food Rescue Philippines and Food Rescue Supervisor of Scholars of Sustenance Philippines, an organization well-known for its efforts in rescuing surplus food and distributing it to those in need.

“Florendo’s passion for environmental advocacy and sustainable development was stoked during his time with the Cuernos de Negros Mountaineers Club at SU. His experience with the club would set the stage for a journey of environmental advocacy,” the school said.

“In 2015, Florendo was a recipient of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, which allowed him to study environmental issues at the East-West Center Hawaii. There he discovered Boulder Food Rescue in Colorado, which gave him the idea to introduce food rescue to the Philippines. He then founded Food Rescue Philippines, which was initially known as Food Rescue ASEAN,” it added.

The Sustainability Leadership Awards honors emerging Filipino leaders under 40 who have made a substantial contribution toward creating a more sustainable and equitable future.