Palawan students bag top prize in 'Shell Pilipinas' NXplorers: The Bright Ideas Challenge' for agri innovation idea

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Team FarmHer Innovators from Palawan National High School (Palawan)

Team FarmHer Innovators, a student team from Palawan brought home the grand prize in the recently concluded Shell NXplorers: The Bright Ideas Challenge (TBIC) for their revolutionary agricultural innovation concept which seeks to address the three problems in agriculture – surplus, shortage, and supply of produce.

“Our project aims to solve three problems that we have identified through our ocular surveys and observations in our community” said Anna Leonora Rodriguez, a member of the all-women team FarmHer Innovators.

Team FarmHer Innovators’ project consists of the Veggie Crate Tracker that measures the weight and freshness of produce and the Mark-It App that notifies the market vendors about the description of the harvests and tracks the surplus and shortage in each cluster.

Shell NXplorers TBIC - Photo Op

Shell NXplorers 2023, a platform for young talents to be positive agents of change, gathered ten teams that were identified as finalists out of the 30 teams that sent their proposals. Each team is focused on solving food, water, and energy problems through innovative projects that are made sustainably. The top five student teams who proposed the most innovative projects that can help solve the country’s issues were also recognized in the culmination activity last May 12 at Makati City.

Shell NXplorers TBIC - Conversations With CCT

Among the panel of judges were Business Advisor for the Office of the Country Chair of Shell companies in the Philippines, Paulo Gavino, Sustainability Manager for Shell Pilipinas Corporation, Stanley Siahetiong, Senior Education Program Specialist of the Department of Education (DepEd), Eliza Peralta, Program Director of the Philippine Development Foundation (PhilDev), Zen Dimalanta, and the Senior Science Research Specialist of Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Engr. Marvin Dela Cruz.

“To our participants today, you are this country’s next generation of scientists and engineers. Equipping yourselves with strength in these subjects is tantamount to possessing the power to change the world. Serge Bernal, Vice President for Corporate Relations of Shell Pilipinas Corporation said. “I look to you to use that strength to become changemakers that help the Philippines and the world move forward.”

For this year, the grand winner of The Bright Ideas Challenge (TBIC) Team FarmHer Innovators, won Php 100,000 and their school also received Php 50,000 for the improvement of the institution’s STEM program.

The other winning teams

The first runner-up, Team Maomag from Tagbilaran City Science High School in Bohol won Php 70,000 and their school also received Php 35,000.

Team Maomag from Tagbilaran City Science High School (Bohol)

Team Maomag’s Project Sawod-Lawod converts seawater into drinking water through a solar-and-wind-powered desalination technique. This prototype incorporates rotating mesh panels inside the container to increase the rate of condensation from the water vapor, providing the residents of Batasan Island with clean, safe drinking water.

The second runner-up team, Team Portabio from Gusa Regional Science High School in Cagayan de Oro took home Php 50,000 and their school also received Php 25,000.

Team Portabio from Gusa Regional Science High School (Cagayan de Oro)

The team’s project Portabio aims to provide renewable energy on the go. Through this project, wasted food is utilized to become the energy source for portable power banks.

One of the teams that received the Merit Award who received Php 20,000 are Team Intellihenyo from Philippine Science High School- Cagayan Valley Campus in Nueva Vizcaya.

Team Intellihenyo’s IntelliOutlet is a device that can be used to remotely control electrical appliances at home, anywhere and using any gadget with Internet access. The project can measure how much electricity is being used by an appliance and can turn it on or off remotely using a messaging app called Telegram.

Another team given the Merit Award is from the province of Palawan, Team Thinkerbells from Puerto Princesa City National Science High School.

                 Team Thinkerbells from Puerto Princesa City National Science High School (Palawan)

Team Thinkerbells’ Seament: Seashells as Cement Powder aims to help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills by utilizing seashells.

The product Seament involves crushing discarded seashells and using them as replacements for the raw materials, such as limestone, used in traditional cement production.

On an international platform

Shell NXplorers also opened opportunities to winning student teams to present and be part of the Shell NXplorers Student Carnival, the international platform where Filipino STEM students can stand side-by-side with their global counterparts.

The 2022 Student Carnival, held last November 17, marked the first time that international Shell NXplorers student groups from six countries and from the previous workshops came together to showcase their projects to create a long-term impact on industries like agriculture, energy, and sustainability.

The two Philippine representatives were both from Philippine Science High School - Cagayan Valley Campus” Team Agriserve, the grand winner of the 2021 Philippine Shell NXplorers; and Team El Terratix, the second-place winner who also received an Award of Excellence in the Global Bright Ideas Challenge.

Since its inception in 2019, Shell NXplorers has trained 1839 high school students and 269 teachers from 75 schools. To learn more, click here: https://www.shell.com.ph/energy-and-innovation/make-the-future/what-is-nxplorers.html

Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. recognized as PH champion of sustainability

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Received prestigious 2021 ECCP Europa award for clean and efficient energy

As an innovator of sustainable energy solutions, Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX) was recently conferred the 2021 Europa Award for Clean and Efficient Energy by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP). The special award recognizes the sustainability business leader who had best incorporated the use of clean and efficient energy practices in its day-to-day operations while at the same time supporting the government’s thrust to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030 to help in climate change mitigation as stipulated in the Paris Agreement of 2016.

“This is another feather in our cap, and we extend our utmost gratitude to the ECCP for recognizing SPEX as a champion of sustainability in the Philippines,” SPEX Engineering and Projects Manager Rhea Abigail Navarro said during the virtual awarding ceremony held recently. “We remain committed to our vision of providing the Philippines clean and efficient energy sources that will help the planet, power the nation, and empower our people.”

According to one of the award jurors, Ambassador H. E. Luc Veron, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines, “The Europa awards exist to recognize Filipino companies with exceptional contributions to sustainability in line with the Philippine Development Plan and global standards. Sustainability requires a whole-of-society approach. We all must act now to protect the environment and to boost the green economy.”

PH natural gas industry pioneer

The Malampaya Deepwater Gas-to-Power Project (Malampaya), operated by SPEX, signaled the birth of the Philippine natural gas industry, ultimately becoming a symbol of the country’s journey towards energy self-sufficiency. As the longest-running energy company in the Philippines, the Malampaya harnessed indigenous natural gas to reduce oil imports, contribute to better air quality, and generate significant revenues for the local government amounting to US$B12 or over PHP 1 trillion.

Since October 2001, Malampaya continues to power up to 20% of the country’s electricity. It has also made Luzon’s air cleaner since natural gas emits 30-50% less air emissions compared to coal, fuel oil, or diesel in electricity generation. All these legacy and contributions make it one of the country’s most successful Public-Private Partnerships.

Champion of sustainability

Sustainability efforts have greatly enhanced the social and environmental impact of Shell through Malampaya. Aside from generating excellent shareholder value, Malampaya has also positively and significantly impacted many communities in the Philippines by staying true to its core values of empowering people and taking care of the environment. It has established and is conducting various conservation efforts through its social development arms, the Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. (PSFI), Malampaya Foundation Inc. (MFI), and Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Inc. (MBCFI).

“Sustainability has always been at the core of Shell. It is ingrained in our operations and business framework. We have always seen to it that sustainability is part of our planning process and not just something to do midway or as an afterthought,” Navarro said.

This business approach was affirmed by ECCP Vice President Lars Wittig who said, “It is no longer business as usual. Sustainability cannot just be a slogan; rather it should be the standard. There is a paradigm shift taking place. Our current expectation of sustainable corporate practices is transitioning from the sole responsibility of CSR teams to that of the entire organization.”

Shell has been championing sustainable energy through its Access to Energy (A2E) initiative, which helped bring power to communities in Northern Palawan, including the Batak tribe, Sitio Binaluan in Taytay, and El Nido. It installed renewable energy systems through the use of local natural resources such as solar and hydro. A2E connected homes in far-flung villages to microgrids. Before this, residents relied on candles to keep their homes lit. Today, 70 members of the community have been trained in solar lamp assembly and basic electrical installation; and 878 individuals now enjoy 24/7 power in five remote indigenous areas.

Malampaya also led the fight against malaria in Palawan through the Movement Against Malaria campaign. In 1999, there were 54,000 cases and 99 deaths. By 2018, there was a 92% decrease in cases and 99% decrease in deaths. To date, over 12 million Filipinos have benefitted from this program. Additionally, Malampaya helped 1,600 unemployed individuals and out-of-school youths from Palawan, Mindoro, Subic, and Batangas through the Bridging Employment through Skills Training (BEST) program by providing them with opportunities to learn vocational skills. Shell also advocated for sustainable farming in El Nido through the Palawan Eco Agro Park.

By Filipinos, for Filipinos

In 2015, Malampaya made another first for the Philippines. Harnessing local pride, talent and passion, it mobilized over 1,500 Filipino workers to design, build, and construct its second offshore platform. This approach further emphasized Malampaya as “by Filipinos, for Filipinos.”

Fast forward to the present. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Malampaya continues to power the country 24/7 and provide humanitarian assistance during this crisis through a program called Para sa Bayani: a 3-pronged approach that empowered 4,000 farmers to sell their produce which otherwise would have been stranded due to the community lockdowns; fed 500,000 frontliners and vulnerable members of the community; and provided much-needed PPEs for medical frontliners.

This latest recognition from the ECCP is a testament to SPEX’s unwavering commitment to sustainability and its innovative and pioneering spirit serving the Filipino nation.

“Malampaya may be an energy company, but what it really does is power a country and its people towards progress. A company by Filipinos and for Filipinos is definitely here to stay,” SPEX External Relations Manager Paulo Gavino said.

Navarro added, “May we all strive to create a better world anchored on best practices in sustainability and leave a legacy for the next generation.”

Shell Philippines' Project Shelter for health and safety of people and to #FlattenTheCurve amidst Covid-19

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Amidst this pandemic situation in the world, we all must think of how can we help, with managing fear and allows us to do our part in helping to contain the spread of the virus.

It’s not just about for few, but about all of our fellow citizens.

As the spread of COVID-19 continues to affect everyone in the country, Shell puts top priority on the health and safety of our people, customers and the community, along with the safe operations of all our businesses. We continue to monitor the situation closely and respond to the needs of our kababayans.

For our people

The safety and well-being of our employees matter to us. As such, Shell has made 

available the following services to its employees:

- Flexible working arrangements

          - Financial assistance such as access to emergency loans

- 24x7 Tele-Medicine medical service to minimize staff exposure to hospitals and clinics. 

- Virtual counseling services  

- Temporary accommodation and transportation support needed for business continuity.

For our customers

Amidst the challenges, we strive to continue providing vital energy products to our 

customers and communities and have business continuity plans in place to sustain our operations. Malampaya continues to operate to provide 30% of Luzon’s power needs and our Shell stations will remain open to serve motorists and provide basic services.

For the community

Shell salutes the frontliners who have been tirelessly working to #FlattenTheCurve. To support the medical and government frontliners, Shell is extending help as follows:

- Donation of N95 face masks to the Department of Health and the Philippine General Hospital 

- Donation of Select Water to 7 Hospitals. 

- Through our Shell retailers, we are giving food packs, biscuits and water for medical workers, police force and military personnel and logistics drivers 

- Donation to the Municipality of Pasacao, Camarines Sur for the purchase of relief goods for indigent families 

- We are also a partner of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation in COVID-19 response.

Our own forecourt staff  are frontliners too, as they continue to serve the needs of our motorists.

To support our Shell forecourt staff, we are providing the following:

- Accommodation in our stations with transportation to and from work 

- Meals for staff while on duty 

- Face masks and alcohol for when they are on duty and when they travel to and from our stations. 

- Financial support for staff grounded by the enhanced community quarantine.

Shell donates N95 face masks to DoH. Shell Country Health Advisor Dra. Rose Rivera (3rd from right) leads Shell officials in turning over 3,000 pieces of N95 face masks to Department of Health (DoH) Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje. Also in photo are (left to right) Shell Country Occupational Health Nurse Patrick Jeremillos and DoH Director Gloria Balboa, Assistant Secretary (Asec.) Kenneth Ronquillo, Usecs Gerry Bayugo and Rosette Vergeire and Asec. Nestor Santiago.

At dawn today (March 27) in NAIA, Ops Mgr Monette Soriao sends off
her incoming crew to the shore platform

Disinfection of Shell Select Stores

Providing assistance to our frontliners at Shell Select stores

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and follow advice from public health authorities to help ensure the well-being of our employees, customers and local communities.