The Situation
Filipinos waste up to 308,000 tons of rice every year. In Metro Manila alone, 2,175 tons of food waste reach landfills daily, generating methane emissions that contribute directly to global warming. At the same time, 13.5 million Filipinos cannot afford to eat three times a day. The food waste crisis sits alongside food poverty, and improper disposal compounds both problems.
WWF Philippines, in partnership with food waste composting NGO GreenSpace, needed to make composting accessible to everyday Filipinos. The original plan was a translated version of the international Compost Story inspired by Kiss the Ground. But a direct translation would have missed the cultural connection. The 2019 Global Emotion Report ranked the Philippines as one of the world’s most emotional countries. The video needed to start with Filipino food values, not composting instructions.
The Approach
Phase 1: Original Filipino Concept Instead of Translation
Rejected the original brief to translate the international Compost Story and proposed an entirely new concept for Filipino audiences. Kwentong Kompost was built around the insight that emotional content tied to shared Filipino food values outperforms instructional content in the Philippine market.
Phase 2: Ambassador-Led Personal Storytelling
Featured six WWF Philippines ambassadors including actress Janine Gutierrez, Composting Revolution PH organizer Faye Manlosa, and actor and sustainability advocate Pepe Herrera. Each ambassador shared personal stories about the role of food in their life before transitioning into the composting conversation. The personal anecdotes created the emotional entry point that made the instructional content feel relevant rather than preachy.
Phase 3: Bokashi Composting Tutorial With GreenSpace Partnership
Demonstrated the bokashi composting method step by step using GreenSpace buckets and SoilMate’s composting plan. The tutorial was filmed with an upbeat, inviting tone and supported by dynamic animations and vibrant graphics. The #FromLandFillersToLandHealers hashtag framed composting as a movement viewers could join, not a chore they should do.
The Results
- Barangay adoption Video used as an educational resource for urban composting in Barangay Tatalon
- Climate Change Commission Partnered to promote composting among Filipino youth sectors using the video
- Ongoing seminar use WWF Philippines adopted the video for seminars and GreenSpace-partnered events
Campaign Highlights:
- Original Filipino concept replaced the planned international translation, earning stronger cultural resonance
- Six WWF Philippines ambassadors including Janine Gutierrez and Pepe Herrera anchored the narrative
- Personal food anecdotes created an emotional bridge to the composting conversation
- Step-by-step bokashi composting tutorial made the practice feel accessible and doable
- #FromLandFillersToLandHealers hashtag framed composting as a participatory movement
The explainer video was uploaded to WWF PH’s YouTube and Facebook pages. Moving forward, WWF PH will use this video in seminars as well as GreenSpace-partnered events.
Moreover, the video already has real-life applications. The video is currently being used as an educational resource for Barangay Tatalon in efforts to incorporate sustainable farming and bokashi composting in urban cities. In partnership with the Climate Change Commission, the video has also been used to promote composting among youth sectors in the country.
Beyond video metrics, the end goal of this video was to divert hundreds of thousands of food waste from landfills to sustainable composting methods and ultimately mitigate the effects of global warming. While this goal isn’t exactly measurable, we hope the video continues to be used as a key resource in ending the food waste crisis in the Philippines.
The Takeaway
Environmental advocacy content works when it starts with what people love, not what they waste. Kwentong Kompost was adopted by barangays and the Climate Change Commission because it made composting feel like a continuation of Filipino food culture, not a lecture about landfills.
- Industry: Public Sector, Energy
- Service: Creative Services
- Solution: For Enterprise
Frequently Asked Questions
Why create an original video instead of translating an existing international asset?
Because a translated video misses the cultural connection. Filipinos respond to emotional, personal content tied to shared values like food, family, and celebration. The international Compost Story was built for a global audience. Kwentong Kompost was built for a Filipino audience, starting with the role food plays in their lives before asking them to change how they dispose of it.
How do you make a composting video that people actually watch?
By leading with emotion instead of instruction. Personal stories about food from recognizable ambassadors create the connection that holds attention. The composting tutorial comes after the viewer already cares about the issue. An instructional video about waste management gets skipped. A story about food and family gets watched.
What makes Kwentong Kompost an ongoing resource instead of a one-time campaign?
Because it was designed for reuse. The video is structured as a self-contained educational tool that works in seminar settings, barangay meetings, and youth programs. Barangay Tatalon and the Climate Change Commission adopted it independently because the content doesn’t expire. A composting tutorial that’s both emotionally engaging and practically instructive stays useful for years.
Why use celebrity ambassadors for an environmental advocacy video?
To reach beyond the audience that already cares about composting. Janine Gutierrez and Pepe Herrera attract viewers who follow them for entertainment, not environmentalism. When those viewers hear personal food stories that lead into composting, the message reaches a demographic that an NGO’s own channels would never touch.
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