MANILA, Philippines – Three students from De La Salle University Manila (DLSU) won a P1-million grant after topping a competition for innovative solutions to curb campus emissions, sponsored by Lopez-owned First Gen Corporation.

Engineering student Fernando Magallanes, organizational communication student Alexia Roman, and economics student Ralph Stephen Saavedra designed a compact anaerobic digester system that will convert cafeteria food waste to biogas.

Saavedra said their team was inspired by existing anaerobic digestion tanks used in large farms. “We tried to create a scaled-down version of it with numerous key modifications to make it indoor-compatible, safe, and reliable,” told Rappler in a message.

He said the team is also working on a variant of the design that can be used in hospitality establishments and restaurants.

The million-peso grant will be used to install digesters in three cafeterias of the Manila campus, as well as in the Laguna campus, according to Roman. Each student is also set to receive P100,000 individually.

Every year, DLSU’s cafeterias produce over 28,000 kilograms of kitchen waste, and are responsible for 480,000 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions, according to a release from First Gen.

The technology is both an economic and environmental solution, as waste increases over time, and poor waste management causes pollution and contaminates the environment. Food loss and waste account for 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to research by the lntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

“The technology to utilize organic waste as a source of flammable cooking fuel, electricity, and compost already exists, but is yet to be thoroughly explored and implemented here in the Philippines,” said Saavedra.

Through anaerobic digestion, bacteria breaks down organic matter like food waste to produce biogas, a type of renewable fuel.

Over 50 teams from 29 universities and colleges across the Philippines joined the competition launched in February 2024.

“We are hoping that the search for real solutions to the climate crisis does not end with today’s final,” Jerome Cainglet, president of First Gen, said during the awarding ceremony on March 16.

“We need to continue this effort – competition or not, P1 million or not – to gain traction in other schools and establishments and inspire many others to address the climate crisis,” he said.

Other students from Ateneo de Manila University, FEU Institute of Technology, Siliman University, and Technological Institute of the Philippines ended as runner-ups. – Rappler.com