QUEZON CITY, Philippines — September 30, 2026 — Every day, households make countless small decisions about what to keep, reuse, recycle—or simply throw away. But what if some of the things we consider “trash” could still have value?

That is the idea behind Trash-to-Cashback, a Quezon City initiative that has been encouraging residents to rethink waste and see recycling not just as an environmental responsibility, but as an opportunity to create value for their families and communities.

Today, that idea came closer to the everyday lives of QCitizens as MR.DIY Philippines, the Quezon City Local Government Unit’s Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department (CCESD) and Business Permits and Licensing Department (BPLD), and BEST Total Waste Solutions officially launched their partnership through a new permanent Trash-to-Cashback Hub at the MR.DIY Kamuning store.

Marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the launch brings together the public and private sectors in a shared effort to encourage proper waste segregation and recycling, recover recyclable waste from communities, and promote sustainable practices through rewards.

Launched by the Quezon City Government in March 2021 in partnership with BEST, Trash-to-Cashback was created to promote proper waste segregation at source, empowering residents to turn household waste into real economic value while supporting the city's circular economy efforts. Through the program, recyclable materials and single-use plastics can be traded for Environmental Points, which can then be redeemed for grocery items, food delivery service and pay for utility bills.

Five years later, the program has grown considerably. As of July 2026, Trash-to-Cashback had collected 1,042,450.67 kilograms of recyclables and single-use plastics through 94,080 transactions, generating more than 3.2 million pesos worth of Environmental Points.

The program’s continued growth was further recognized in 2025, when it was named a Sustainable Waste Solutions Winner under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Local Climate Leaders Awards. In 2026, it was also recognized by Manila Bulletin as its Newsmaker of the Year.

The new partnership with MR.DIY builds on that momentum by providing another accessible venue where people can turn responsible waste practices into something tangible.

For residents, the message is simple: segregate properly, bring your recyclables, and give them another chance to create value.

To make the launch even more meaningful, the first 50 participants who earn 20 Environmental Points will receive a free STEM Kit plus MR.DIY products—turning an environmental action into an opportunity to learn, create and enjoy something useful in return.

For MR.DIY Philippines, the initiative reflects its commitment to being part of the communities where its stores operate. By working alongside the QC LGU and BEST, the company is helping make sustainability more visible and accessible—connecting an environmental program with a familiar neighborhood destination.

For the QC LGU and BEST, the partnership opens another avenue to engage residents and encourage more people to participate in the city's continuing efforts to divert wastes away from landfills and strengthen a culture of segregation, recycling and resource recovery.

Ultimately, the Trash-to-Cashback Hub is built on a simple thought: small actions can create meaningful change when people have the opportunity and the incentive to take part.

A bottle, a piece of paper, a plastic package—what may look like waste at first can become a point, a product, a learning opportunity, or simply one less piece of material ending up in the wrong place.

And at MR.DIY Kamuning, that journey begins with one simple act: choosing to give waste another value.

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