TWO students from the Silliman University triumphed in the Go Green with Taiwan competition with their innovative proposal to address severe plastic crisis in the Philippines.

Dignity Lagunay and John Edison Tubil were recognized for their entry “Sweet Solutions to the Plastic Crisis: Compostable Sugarcane-Based Alternatives.”

Lagunay and Tubil presented their entry in the final round at the Taipei International Convention Center earlier this month. They were accompanied by their adviser Asst. Prof. Lou Shien Ban Granaderos.

According to the World Bank, the country generates 2.7 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with 1.8 million tonnes leaking into oceans.

The students proposed using sugarcane bagasse, a byproduct of Negros’ sugar industry, to create compostable alternatives to single-use plastics like cups, straws, and lids.

“We proposed leveraging Negros’ abundant sugarcane bagasse – a byproduct of the sugar industry – and Taiwan’s technology that can convert it into 100% compostable alternatives. This emphasis on compatibility and collaboration between the two nations was instrumental in making our proposal stand out to the judges,” Lagunay 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,” Tubil added.

The SU team emerged as one of six finalists and secured a top three spot alongside Hungary’s MG Epitesz Ltd. and the United Kingdom’s Hanon Studio Ltd.

The trophies were presented by Taiwan External Trade Development Council President Simon Wang and Taiwan International Trade Administration Director General Cynthia Wang.

The Go Green with Taiwan competition, organized by TAITRA, TITA, and Taiwan Excellence, attracted 396 proposals from 45 countries.