The Samahan sa Pilipinas ng mga Industriyang Kimika or Chemical Industries Association of the Philippines welcomed around 300 delegates from 17 countries who gathered together for the 14^th Asia Pacific Responsible Care Conference or APRCC at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City on November 5-6, 2015 with the theme Beyond 2015: Responsible Care as a Pillar of Sustainability for the Chemical Industry.  The APRCC is held every two years and serves as a platform for the sharing of best practices on environmental, health, and safety (EHS) performances under the Responsible Care® initiatives in the Asia Pacific region. It presents a comprehensive two-day program that raises the level of industry concern and awareness in doing the right things for the sound management of chemicals towards a sustainable industry.

The 14^th APRCC was in conjunction with the leader’s meeting of Asia Pacific Responsible Care Organization (APRO), ASEAN Chemical Industry Club (ACIC) and 1-day Process Safety Workshop at Solaire Resort and Casino on November 4, 6 and 7 respectively.

For almost a year, SPIK has been preparing for the much anticipated gathering of the Responsible Care community. Since the inception of the Organizing Committee on January 2015, the Board of Directors and the Responsible Care Council with the help of the Secretariat got busy inviting speakers, getting sponsors and finalizing the program of activities.

For the Organizing Committee headed by Ms. Gretchen Fontejon- Enarle, Responsible Care Chairwoman, it was a huge challenge mounting this big event considering the limited resources of the association and managing the expectations for the Conference.

Getting the expertise of Global Link MP Events International led by Ms. Regine Aragon as the event organizer was a big relief. Thanks to GLMP for the overall conceptualization of the stage which was applauded by many and the well-recognized orderly arrangement of program of activities. On a regular basis the Organizing Committee would meet and discuss the status and updates of activities. As the Conference date is coming closely, the pressures and challenges intensified. Needless to say, RC Council Members each shared their time and effort getting all things done and make things happen. Travelling here and there to meet the suppliers, making sure that items are in accordance with the requirements and services are delivered on time. We saw the event coming, final briefing with event organizer came. Everybody has their adrenalin rush.

On November 5, 2015, friends and colleagues from the government, academe and industry associations joined the delegates and Responsible Care practitioners from Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, The Netherlands, U.S.A, United Kingdom and Vietnam were treated to a memorable 2-day event filled with fun and excitement, overflowing information from distinguished speakers and not to mention the opportunity of meeting new friends and networking that it offered.

In the opening ceremony, Undersecretary Atty. Adrian S. Cristobal of the Board of Investments welcomed the delegates with his heartwarming speech. “I can’t think of any better place and time than here and now to hold this prestigious event. A week from today, the final activities of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation will begin. With the Philippines hosting this year, APEC puts emphasize on building inclusive economies in building a better world.”

“One of the unique features of Responsible Care is the spirit of mutual assistance among the participants to enhance overall capacity of the member” said Mr. Kyosuke Okano, Vice Chairman Responsible Care Leadership Group (RCLG) and Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Responsible Care Organization (APRO) in his opening remarks.

“Business communities around the world are realizing that to achieve global competitiveness, they have to start creating their green agenda and reduce their environmental impact” according to Undersecretary Atty. Jonas R. Leones of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Following the opening ceremonies, thirty six foreign and local speakers provided discussions and best practice sharing on the sessions for the whole conference. In the first Session, Mr. Thomas Lewis of Dow Chemical Company, Mr. Homer Maranan of the Association of Petrochemical Manufacturers of the Philippines and Ms. Rachel Fleishman of BASF gave their insights on Sustainability aligned with the Conference theme. In his speech, Mr. Meneleo Carlos of the Federation of Philippine Industries said that “The numerous disasters that now occur throughout the world has called for earlier action to stronger commitments for more responsible for our planet and her resources”.

The 14^th APRCC is a celebration of a very significant event as Responsible Care marks its 30^th anniversary since it’s launched in 1985. The speakers of session 1 with RC Turns 30 as a topic, was chaired by Mr. Derrick Clarin of BASF focused on providing information on how Responsible Care® has evolved and changed the chemical industry landscape worldwide and discussions as to how companies benefited from implementing Responsible Care®.

Launched in 1985 by the Canadian Chemical Producers’ Association, this dynamic initiative is constantly evolving to meet the challenges facing chemical manufacturers and all those in the value chain. Globally, that advancement was demonstrated with the launching of the Responsible Care Global Charter in 2006 during the UN-led International Conference on Chemicals Management in Dubai.

Responsible Care® is the chemical industry’s unique global initiative that drives continuous improvement in health, safety and environmental (HSE) performance, together with open and transparent communication with stakeholders. It embraces the development and application of sustainable chemistry, helping our industry contribute to sustainable development while allowing us to meet the world’s growing need for essential chemicals and the products those chemicals make possible.

Regarded as the father of Responsible Care, Mr. Jean Belanger congratulated the Responsible Care community on the occasion of the 30^th anniversary of RC through a video presentation. Mr. Kyosuke Okano and Ms. Maria Eugenia De Los Angeles Rettori gave the overview on the status of implementation and other related projects of the Asia- Pacific and European Region.

The session on Responsible Care update was discussed in Session 2 with Mr. Setyabudhi Zuber of Responsible Care Indonesia as the chairman. Speakers from the Association of International Chemical Manufacturers (AICM) of China, Mr. John Gao, China Petroleum Chemical Industry Federation (CPCIF) of China, Mr. Ken Tsang, New Zealand Responsible Care, Mr. Barry Dyer and Japan Chemical Industry Association (JCIA), Mr. Kazuyuki Akita provided a peek into the performance of different industry associations on the basis of RC Global Charter as well as the ongoing and future programs of the associations. It must be noted that the implementation of Responsible Care® of each chemical industry Association is aligned with the Responsible Care® Global Charter.

Mr. Muhtar Hashim of the Chemical Industries Council of Malaysia (CICM) chaired the third session on “Product stewardship at the Core of Sustainability” with speakers providing insights on the importance of product stewardship and GPS as a tool and instrument in ensuring the safety of all who use and handle products in safe and environmentally sound practices thus achieving sustainability along the supply chain.

Under the umbrella of Responsible Care®, the Global Product Strategy or GPS was designed to advance individual companies and, collectively, the global chemical industry’s each product stewardship performance, to improve communication and transparency on chemicals and safety practices across the value chain and to the public.

Mr. Masahiko Hanzawa of the Japan Chemical Industry Association (JCIA), Mr. Anthony Clymo of BASF, Mr. Jonathan Chong of DuPont and Mr. Leendert Van Dijk of Eastman Chemicals emphasized the importance of product stewardship and GPS which were designed to help companies achieve their vision where the public values the products and trusts they are responsibly managed throughout their lifecycles.

“Sustainability programs in Distribution and CAER Code” were discussed in the fourth session chaired by Mr. Chalermsak Karnchanawarin of Responsible Care Committee Management of Thailand (RCMT).  Distinguished speakers provided a perspective on the importance of creating a sustainable program on Distribution and CAER activities that ensure the safety of product, facilities and the community.

In the presentations of Mr. Rudy Harder Jr. of Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Sylvain Brosseau of Canadian Emergency Risk Management, Mr. Barry Dyer of New Zealand Responsible Care and Mr. Richard Davey of National Chemical Emergency Center, it was noted that implementation of distribution activities is unique in the sense that it deals with both products and facilities, but more importantly it deals with a broad range of third party providers of services and many external organizations and communities. Incidences may happen while distribution activities are taking place. In these situations, companies need to ensure that emergency preparedness is in place and ensure foster community awareness. It calls for a commitment to openness and community dialogue.

Process Safety code of Responsible Care® is designed to prevent fires, explosions an accidental chemical releases.  It is comprised of a series of management practices that reflect this goal, with the expectation of continuous performance improvement for each management practice.  The practices are based on the principle that facilities will be safe if they are designed according to sound engineering practices, built, operated and maintained properly and periodically reviewed for conformance.

The fifth session on “Sustainable Manufacturing: Process Safety and EHS” chaired by Mr. Kazuyuki Akita of the Japan Chemical Industry Association, speakers provided insights on the importance of adopting and implementing process safety and employee health & safety activities inside the facilities towards achieving sustainable manufacturing.

Mr. Ronaldo Mangalindan of Air Liquide Philippines and Mr. Achmad Zaid of Petrokimia Gresik emphasized that companies must commit to the reduction of process safety incidents by adhering to sound engineering practices consistent with recognized codes and standards for process design and operating parameters and procedures. According to Ms. Rainelda Yaba of Stepan Philippines, companies must conduct periodic assessment and hazard review throughout the manufacturing, processing, handling and on-site storage of chemicals and implement action to minimize the risks including the possible human error while Mr. Sarang Arun Mahajan encouraged companies to develop workplace health and safety programs, as well as waste and release reduction programs, which address and minimize releases and waste generation.

The world is surrounded by chemicals. We used them in our daily lives and are found everywhere. They are found in our food, at home, at work and the things we use. Chemicals are very useful but because of some wrong practices, ignorance and abuses such as the improper use and disposal of chemical waste, our environment is largely affected, worst, degraded.

With the topic “Sustainable Stakeholder Programs: Environmental Protection and CAER” chaired by Ms. Arlene Villanueva of Dow Chemical Pacific Limited, presentations were focused on pollution prevention as a tool to achieve ongoing reductions in the amount of all contaminants and pollutants released to the air, water, and land from member company facilities.

The speakers, Mr. Jason Magdaong of OceanaGold Corporation, Mr. Peter Quintana of Philippine Plastics Industries Association (PPIA), Mr. Amit Jain of TechnoPurple IT Solutions Private Limited and Mr. Anderson Sukir of REACH24H Consulting Group, urged companies to strive for annual reductions in the amount of all contaminants and pollutants released to the air, water and land, recognizing that production rate, new operations, and other factors may result in increases, to conduct continuous education of, and dialogue with, employees and members of the public about the inventory, impact evaluation, risks to the community and to develop emergency preparedness programs to protect employees and communities to respond rapidly and effectively to emergencies and ensure responsiveness to the public’s questions and concerns about safety, health, and the environment.

Completing the session was on “Sustainable Site Management: Safety and Security programs” chaired by Mr. Benjamin Gregorio of the Pollution Control Association of the Philippines (PCAPI). The global chemical industry is facing new challenges on chemical safety and security with the ongoing problems on chemical diversion and dual use. It’s often said that one of the most vulnerable sectors in the community to the terrorist activities are the manufacturing facilities.

The session on sustainable site management, speakers provided insights on the importance of programs in securing the manufacturing facilities, distribution of products and prevention of chemical diversion and dual use and sharing regulations on chemical safety and site security.

Experienced speakers from Sandia National Laboratories, Dr. Cecelia Williams, Ms. Suppawan Rattanapirom of BASF Thailand and Mr. Heroe Soesanto of PT Nippon Shokubai Indonesia shared their best practices and programs on safety and security such as control of employees, contractors, visitors, control of incoming and outgoing deliveries, IT security, acts of terrorism, petty crimes, control of CCTV and other security hardware among other things.

Mr. Ramon Abadilla of DuPont Philippines delivered his closing remarks to formally end the 2-day Conference.

The foreign and local delegates were treated to the all known “Filipino hospitality”. 30 member team of La FilipinianaDance Company of the De La Salle Dasmariñas- Cavite gave their unforgettable rendition of a tribal dance that puts the audience into awe during the opening ceremony and welcome dinner at The Blue Leaf Filipinas.

The welcome dinner attended by some 250 delegates, visitors, guests and sponsors was also a way of thanking the sponsors and advertisers for the generosity they have extended to SPIK for the success of the event.

We thank our speakers, friends, colleagues in government and industry associations, most especially to our co-presenters, sponsors and advertisers for celebrating with us and for your generosity. Truly, it was an event to remember!

It’s very heartwarming to receive all the appreciations, praises and congratulatory messages. As Mr. Barry Dyer of the New Zealand Responsible Care said in his message “As a veteran of these events, I can assure you SPIK has set the bar very high indeed in terms of the smooth running of a challenging conference exceeded only by the fabulous Philippines hospitality.”

“We visitors benefit in many ways from the regular opportunity to learn from our international and local colleagues. This gathering was no exception and I’m pleased your efforts were recognised with good attendances throughout the three days.”

Mr. Kyosuke Okano further added “As all of us agree, the recent conference in Manila was super!”.

The 14^th Asia-Pacific Responsible Care Conference was co-presented by BASF, Dow Chemical and the Japan Chemical Industry Association. We thank our major sponsors: Chemrez Technologies, Inc., DuPont, Huntsman Pigments and Additive and Pacific Paint (Boysen) Philippines Group of Companies. Minor sponsors were Asia United Bank, Biofuture Ltd, C.B. Andrew Philippines, Chemours, Clariant (Singapore) Ptd Ltd, Heubach, Mabuhay Vinyl Corporation, Trans World Trading Corporation and TNC Chemicals, Inc.

We thank our Exhibitors: Berkman Systems, Inc, Cleanway Environmental Management Services Inc, JG Summit Petrochemical Corporation, Meralco, OceanaGold Corporation, Philips Carbon, Inc, REACH24H Consulting Group and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation.

We thank the advertisers: Akzo Nobel Asia Pte Ltd, Ashlar Industrial Corporation, Association of Petrochemical Manufacturers of the Philippines, BYK Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Emerald Chemicals, Inc., Progressive Association of the Philippine Inkmakers, Inc., Philippine Plastic Industries Association, Thor Specialties Sdn Bhd, OceanaGold Corporation, Kurita (Singapore) Pvt Ptd, Resins Inc, Dalian Chemical Import and Export Group, Lanxess, Jvan Resources, Philippine Resins Industries, Inc, DJM Grandeur Corporation, Jebsen & Jessen Ingredients, Suntra Trading, Metro Industries, SE Tylose GmbH & Co. KG Germany, Chemwealth, Firesafeway, Bulhorn Trade, Incorporated, NASAT Labs and SNF.

Special thanks to our event partners: All Wastes Services, Inc, Chemlux Inc, Pepsi Cola Products Philippines, Inc., Tanduay Distillers, Inc. and Solaire Resort and Casino.