24/04/2026
Trashformers: Innovation Challenge – Upcycling Fashion Show 2026
📍 Robinsons Place Ormoc
📅 April 24, 2026
The Trashformers: Innovation Challenge – Upcycling Fashion Show 2026 brought together creativity, sustainability, and innovation in one inspiring event held at Robinsons Place Ormoc. As part of the BIDA-CE initiative, the activity highlights Ormoc City as a beneficiary of the European Union Philippines Green Economy Partnership under the initiative. The project is led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), co-led by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP Philippines) under the .
Participating schools and communities included Santo Niño College of Ormoc (SNC), City College of Ormoc (CCO), ACLC College of Ormoc, and Barangay Ipil. Each delegation showcased their creativity through upcycled fashion pieces made from plastics, newspapers, cartons, bottle caps, and other discarded materials. The event demonstrated that waste can be transformed into something meaningful and beautiful.
The program opened with a welcome message from Ms. Angelica C. Lauron, Project Coordinator of ECLIPSE, who emphasized that the event is not just a fashion show but a platform to inspire a shift in perspective. She encouraged everyone to see waste not as something to discard but as a resource for creativity and innovation.
Messages of support were delivered by Hon. Krizea Kia Mercadal, Sangguniang Panglungsod Member and Committee Chair on Tourism, Culture, and the Arts, who highlighted the urgency of reducing single use plastics and encouraged reuse and upcycling. Hon. Carmen Jean Torres Rama, Sangguniang Panglungsod Member and Chairperson of the Committee on Social Services, Population Management, and Vulnerable Sector, emphasized that sustainability is a shared responsibility and that even the smallest consistent actions matter. Ms. Leah Payud from the EU PH Green Economy Partnership reframed waste as displaced resources and encouraged participants to see value in what is often thrown away. The event was also graced by the presence of Hon. Juris Juba, Sangguniang Barangay Member of Barangay Ipil, along with other valued partners and stakeholders.
The event was evaluated by a distinguished panel of judges composed of Ms. Jenecile B. Parambita, Circular Economy Researcher of ECLIPSE, Hon. Krizea Kia Mercadal, Ms. Ingrid Macabare, OIC Head of the Environmental Natural Resources Office, Ms. Jenny Marx M. Apit, Member of the ECLIPSE Board of Directors, and Hon. Carmen Jean Torres Rama.
One of the highlights of the event was the Trashion Show, where participants confidently showcased their eco friendly designs on stage. Short interviews among the participants reflected their awareness and commitment to environmental sustainability, while interactive games reinforced concepts such as the 10Rs and responsible waste management practices.
🏆 Trashion Show Winners:
Champion: St. Niño College of Ormoc (SNC)
1st Runner up: ACLC College of Ormoc
2nd Runner up: City College of Ormoc (CCO)
3rd Runner up: Barangay Ipil Ormoc City
The program concluded with closing remarks from Mr. Mark Bernardo, Executive Director of ECLIPSE, who encouraged everyone to continue repurposing materials in daily life and to carry forward the advocacy of sustainability beyond the event.
More than a competition, the Trashformers Innovation Challenge served as a reminder that creativity and responsibility go hand in hand. It empowered participants and spectators to rethink waste, embrace circular practices, and become stewards of the environment.
Congratulations to all participants, organizers, and partners for making this event a meaningful success.
Let us transform waste into wonder and build a more sustainable future one creation at a time.
📸 Photo credits: Selected images courtesy of the City Government of Ormoc and Plumeria.
