April 23, 2026
Tzu Chi uses fun, fashionable ways to protect the environment
By Joy Rojas
In its three years as advocacy partner of Runrio’s Earth Day Run, the Tzu Chi Foundation has introduced thousands of runners to practical, easy, and sustainable ways to protect the Earth and its natural resources.
In the past, volunteers have sold plant-based sandwiches and snacks, durable floor mats woven from the excess material of sports socks, and all-purpose cleaners made with fermented fruit and vegetable peels. Through its Charity Run for Education, it debuted Earth-friendly innovations like the reusable collapsible hydration cup and race shirts using material processed from single-use PET bottles.
More importantly, the tireless efforts of volunteers constantly clearing the grounds of trash and segregating them in marked bins has made runners conscious about keeping the post-race area clean and litter-free.
For Tzu Chi Deputy CEO Woon Ng, raising awareness about the need to take better care of our environment is critical. The cumulative effects of cutting down trees, using fossil fuels for transportation and energy, raising methane-producing livestock, and discarding trash and toxic substances in landfills and seas has caused temperatures to rise to dangerous levels and weather disturbances to intensify.
Thus, simply knowing that nature needs protecting is not enough. “We encourage people to do it. It has to be Do-It-Yourself. It has to be hands-on,” says Ng. “We’re trying to pave the way for the next generation. This is for their future.”
Appropriately, members of Tzu Chi Youth (TCY) took an active role in Runrio’s TECNO CAMON 50 Series Earth Day Run held on April 19 at the SM Mall of Asia grounds.
At the Tzu Chi Booth in the race village, they drew eager participants to a game of shooting ping-pong balls into cups. Each cup contained a drawing of “essentials” and “threats” to making a mangrove seedling thrive. The object of the game was to shoot as many balls into cups with “essentials.”
The game is a nod to TCY’s upcoming mangrove-planting project. “Mangroves are warriors of our coastal lines,” explains TCY volunteer Alex Wu. “Mangroves live between the ocean and the land, and when they are planted, their roots attach to the soil to make them stable.” With this stability, dense mangroves act as a natural buffer against destructive storm surges.
Many living things benefit from their presence as well. Marine life utilizes mangroves as breeding, spawning, and nursery grounds. And communities turn to mangrove forests for food, timber, medicine, tea, and livelihood through fishing.
Later, before thousands of finishers of the 1KM, 5KM, 10KM, and 21KM race categories, TCY volunteers walked the stage sporting high-quality clothing and accessories by DA.AI Technology, global pioneers of recycled-to-recycled products. The social enterprise arm of Tzu Chi creates various products—hats, bags, sunglasses, blankets, even Tzu Chi volunteers’ uniforms—using fabric and materials upcycled from PET bottles.
Wu, who joined TCY a year ago after testing the waters in two of the foundation’s events, hopes that Tzu Chi’s Earth Day Run activities will inspire individuals to become part of a community of volunteers committed to environment protection, as well as the missions of charity, education, medicine, and humanistic culture.
“If they see that this is something fun for them, then this is an opportunity for them to approach us and ask more about Tzu Chi,” he says. “We would be more than happy to see them joining us in our team.”
A record 15,000-plus runners toe the line of the Manila leg of Runrio’s TECNO CAMON 50 Series Earth Day Run on April 19 at the SM Mall of Asia grounds. Tzu Chi served as the event’s advocacy partner for the third year.
This year’s finishers include Tzu Chi staff and volunteers (from left) Clifford Co, Kinlon Fan, Mark Vincent Dayang, Wilfredo Ortiz Jr., and Lineth Brondial.
At the Tzu Chi Foundation booth, runners take turns shooting ping-pong balls into cups with drawings of the “essentials” and “threats” to planting a mangrove seedling. The object of the game is to shoot balls into cups with “essentials.”
The game of shooting ping-pong balls into cups containing drawings of “essentials” and “threats” to planting a mangrove seedling is a nod to Tzu Chi Youth’s upcoming mangrove-planting program.
Tzu Chi volunteer Elvira Chua invites runners to try their hand at making eco-enzyme, a chemical-free all-purpose cleaner whose chief ingredient is fermented fruit and vegetable peels.
(From left) Tzu Chi volunteers Johnny Cheng and Raul Ting went around the race village distributing Tzu Chi coin banks to the various exhibitors.
A runner receives a coin bank from Tzu Chi Partnerships Officer Clifford Co.
Wilma Buenaventura (left) helps collect banana peels, which will be used to make eco-enzyme. A regular volunteer of Tzu Chi initiatives and Runrio Earth Day Runs, she says the grounds of the racing event show less and less litter, a sign that people have taken the message of caring for the environment to heart.
Stylish shades, sling bags, and handbags are among the products made by DA.AI Technology.
Like many DA.AI Technology products, this blanket is made out of material processed from single-use PET bottles.
DA.AI Technology’s fabrics are so versatile, they can be converted into anything: from thick blankets to delicate blouses and purses.
Tzu Chi Youth models gather for a group photo following a fashion show featuring products from DA.AI Technology.
For Tzu Chi Philippines Deputy CEO Woon Ng, being aware of environmental issues isn’t enough. “It has to be Do-It-Yourself. It has to be hands-on,” she says. “We’re trying to pave the way for the next generation. This is for their future.”