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The
POWER-PLANT GIRLS
DESTINATION: PISAYVILLE
Philippine Science High School - Main Campus
(PSHS-MC) community, composed of the teachers, staff, administrative heads, and students. PSHS-MC is “the leading science high school in the Asia Pacific Region preparing our scholars to become globally competitive Filipino scientists equipped with 21st-century skills and imbued with the core values of truth, excellence, and service to the nation”.
OUR MISSION
to aid PSHS-MC in setting an example, and in fulfilling their responsibilities as scholars, by taking action against the climate crisis, both through education and adoption of the plant-based diet.
"One of the most significant ways to reduce greenhouse gases is through the agriculture sector"
EARTHDAY ORG, 2019
Only 30% of Filipinos follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Cost, Availability, and Lack of consumer knowledge being primary limiting factor
Cost, Availability, and Lack of consumer knowledge being primary limiting factor
Accomplishing our mission
Survey and Initial Report
Survey and Initial Report
16 February 2023
Coordination with Food Committee
Coordination with Food Committee
Ms. Eileen Sarmago - Head, Student Services Division
Ms. Shirley Dado - Chairperson, Food Committee
Ms. Alice Dela Cruz - Chairperson, Food Committee
The initial proposal submitted to the SSD and the Food Committee highlighted our main objective, which is for PSHS-MC to implement a requirement of at least 2 plant-based dishes in the PSHS Coop's daily menu.
Initial Interest Gauge Survey
Initial Interest Gauge Survey
This survey was made to gauge the current outlook of the PSHS-MC Community on plant-based food options, as well as know their preferences, which would help in the recipe development stage.
Questions asked included the following:
Are you currently on a plant-based food diet?
What are your current views on veganism and/or plant-based diets?
What is your level of awareness on the following aspects of a vegan/plant-based diet?
What aspect of vegan/plant-based diets (may or may not be the aspects evaluated above) do you think that you or the public should be more educated about? Why?
What are your reasons for following or not following a plant-based diet?
What kind of plant-based foods would you like to see in Pisay’s concessionaires?
Project Launch
Project Launch
01–02 March 2023
Info-Drive and Talk
Info-Drive and Talk
For the S.Y. 2022-2023 Youth Mathematics, Science, and Technology Week, Plant-Powered Pisay was given the opportunity to hold an information drive to Batch 2027 students on March 1 and to SYP Biology Core students on March 2. The information drive featured a talk by Miss Lineth Brondial, who is a Program Officer of Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines, as well as a climate and animal advocate.
Grade 8 Session
Grade 8 Session
SHB FEx 4th Floor Auditorium, 8:00am - 9:30am
SYP Session
SYP Session
1st floor of SHB FEx, 8:00 am - 10:00 am
Small servings of food were given to the audience of each talk. The “ulam” dishes shared included fully plant-based versions of sisig, ginataang sitaw at kalabasa, mechado, bistek, lumpiang shanghai. We also shared cherry tomato pasta, corn soup, champorado, peach mango pie, and crispy kangkong, some plant-based snacks. They were then encouraged to answer our food evaluation form in order to improve the quality of food sold during project implementation.
Food Tasting
Food Tasting
Project Implementation
Project Implementation
20–24 March 2023
11:00 am - 12:00 nn, 3:45 pm - 4:45 pm
FOOD SELLING
FOOD SELLING
During the food selling, Plant-Powered Pisay partnered up withTzu Chi Foundation Philippines, who provided equipment and other food options during this time.
Our menu and serving sizes changed according to the feedback and requests of those who bought or wanted to buy our food. These buyers were then encouraged to answer our food evaluation form so we may assess the success of our project, as well as gauge interest for our major goal: the requirement of plant-based food options in PSHS-MC.
(P)OUR MENU
(P)OUR MENU
Results and findings
INITIAL INTEREST GAUGE SURVEY RESULTS
INITIAL INTEREST GAUGE SURVEY RESULTS
Generally, the Pisay community has a neutral view towards veganism and the plant-based diet, with most respondents weighing the aspects of it they see as either positive and negative. Different respondents also have contrasting views, as can be seen below:
POSITIVE
POSITIVE
Having humanistic values, such as advocacy for animal welfare or climate action, as motivation to commit to the diet is respectable.
The plant-based diet is generally healthy.
FACTORS
FACTORS
The community recognizes a need to be informed and educated about the accessibility and affordability of the plant-based diet, the lack of which are some of the most common reasons the majority of the community is hindered from trying the plant-based diet.
Another reason is a strong preference for meat.
NEGATIVE
NEGATIVE
Discourses surrounding veganism often get reduced to morality competitions, with vegans being seen to have a superiority complex and using guilt-tripping into persuading others into the diet.
The plant-based diet lacks the necessary nutrients, such as protein, and is not suitable for everyone, particularly those with health concerns and medical reasons not to commit to the diet.
HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
Reasons that they would be willing to try the plant-based diet, on the other hand, include a preference for variety in their foods (to quote: "eating mostly meat is tiring"), and the humanistic values and the advocacies the diet aims to promote.
Percentage of Pisay community, before Project Launch, who would try a plant-based diet
Percentage of Pisay community, before Project Launch, who would try a plant-based diet
While most of the community is not committed to the plant-based diet, the majority of them are either willing (by answering "Yes") or considering (by answering "Maybe") to try the diet, with a larger percentage of the community only considering it, as shown in the pie chart to the left.
FOOD SELLING EVALUATION
FOOD SELLING EVALUATION
Comparing the Initial Interest Gauge Survey results with Food Selling Evaluation results (shown in the pie chart to the right), there is an indication that, after Food Selling, the percentage of respondents who are sure to try (by answering "Yes" to) the plant-based diet increased and the percentage of respondents who are sure not to try (by answering "No" to) the plant-based diet decreased.
Percentage of Pisay community, after Food Selling, who would try a plant-based diet
Percentage of Pisay community, after Food Selling, who would try a plant-based diet
INSIGHTS COMPARED TO INITIAL SURVEY
INSIGHTS COMPARED TO INITIAL SURVEY
The reasons they stated that either motivate them to or hinder them from trying the plant-based diet are mostly the same as stated in the Initial Interest Gauge Survey. This time, however, the discussion is more focused on the diet itself, rather than the reductive discourse that surrounds veganism (which, as mentioned previously, is negatively viewed to be a common occurrence in the veganism discourse).
There is a greater emphasis on the community's want for access to quality, tasty, and healthy foods and for variety in the options offered in Pisay.
However, there was not a lot of discussion regarding the environmental impact of the diet, and only a few indicated motivation to try the diet for its advocacy. In fact, there was a respondent who discussed that the diet has negative impacts on the environment.
TOTAL SALES
TOTAL SALES
P25,825
P25,825
TOTAL REVENUE OF PLANT-POWERED PISAY
444
444
TOTAL NUMBER OF ORDERS
P14,679.56
P14,679.56
TOTAL PROFIT OF PLANT-POWERED PISAY
56.84%
56.84%
AVERAGE PROFIT MARGIN
MAKING A PLANT-POWERED PISAY
Whether or not the community was motivated by a call for climate action, there is still a call for a permanent Plant-Powered Pisay.
In the Food Selling Evaluation, the respondents suggested that exposing the community through the introduction of plant-based options in Pisay, either through the invitation of a wholly plant-based concessionaire or the encouragement of adding plant-based options in already existing concessionaires, is one of the best ways to inform the community about the plant-based diet and its accessibility.
After all, one of the reasons that hinder the majority of the community from committing to the plant-based diet is accessibility. Another is their strong preference for meat, which can be resolved if they are introduced to plant-based foods that very closely mimic actual meat.
Most of the responses showed interests and concerns regarding the food aspect of the plant-based diet, such as its taste and health/nutrition. However, some respondents did bring up interests and concerns regarding the sustainability and environmental aspect of the diet, some showing favor towards the diet for its advocacy but some also challenging the actual impact of the diet on the environment. This can be resolved if information drives, such as seminars or campaigns, are held in Pisay, as suggested also by some of the respondents.
What's Next for Plant-Powered Pisay?
What's Next for Plant-Powered Pisay?
1
WORK IN PROGRESS
WORK IN PROGRESS
Submit a copy of this terminal report to the ManComm, the Food Committee, and the Student Services Division to prove that this is a worthwhile project and should last in PSHS-MC
Finalize an official proposal to create a permanent space for plant-based food options in PSHS-MC
Plant-Powered Pisay is preparing the complete report, the website for public access, the assessment video, and the contents of our official proposal for the sustainability plan.
PREPARE DOCUMENTS
PREPARE DOCUMENTS
2
3
EARNINGS AND PLAN OF ACTION
EARNINGS AND PLAN OF ACTION
Donate to an environmental organization that is aligned with Plant-Powered Pisay’s values
Incentivize future concessionaires of PSHS-MC to adopt plant-based dishes and recipes
Support the adoption of a purely plant-based concessionaire in PSHS-MC by whatever means necessary
PLANT-POWERED PISAY X CLIMATRY PARTNERSHIP
PLANT-POWERED PISAY X CLIMATRY PARTNERSHIP
Climatry a youth climate organization that primarily aims to provide research mentorship to incoming Grade 11 and 12 students from Philippine Science High School (PSHS) who are interested in climate-related research. Climatry's mission is to impart knowledge about climate change and the importance of climate research to the youth in the Philippines, one of the most affected areas in the world by climate change.
Plant-Powered Pisay has donated 1,300 pesos to provide 40 servings of Plant-Powered Pisay’s best-selling dishes: crispy kangkong, peach mango pie, and cherry tomato pasta. The partnership aimed to promote Plant-Powered Pisay’s initiatives, reach a wider audience, gather more insights into the project and the food, and encourage the attendance of potential mentees at the orientation.
While the decision of what to do with the remaining 15,525-peso profit is still to be discussed with the SSD once we’ve officially submitted and they’ve responded to our proposal, we’d still highly appreciate some comments and suggestions on how we can optimally sustain the impact of our project in PSHS-MC.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
The project succeeded in recognizing and serving those in the PSHS community that take interest in consuming plant-based food. By making these options more accessible and affordable, more people would be enticed to try plant-based foods as a result.
The project allowed us to practice the core values of Pisay;
The project allowed us to practice the core values of Pisay;
TRUTH
TRUTH
Recognizing the urgent climate crisis and our role in preventing it; achieved through information sessions
EXCELLENCE
EXCELLENCE
Thinking of possible solutions to the climate crisis; achieved through the ideation of the entire project
SERVICE
SERVICE
Implementing the project, therefore filling the gap between plant-based food options and the students who would prefer to buy them if they were affordable.
REFLECTION VIDEO
To a more sustainable future! ✨
Socials and Linktree of Resources of Plant-Powered Pisay!
We would like to extend our gratitude to:
CARE
Tzu Chi Foundation
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