Ayala Land and Sparklo launch Cebu's first rewards-based recycling stations in Cebu Business Park and Cebu I.T. Park

For many people, sustainability brings to mind large-scale environmental programmes, government policies, or long-term corporate initiatives that seem far removed from everyday life. Yet in Cebu, sustainability is now being introduced through something much simpler: a machine that accepts empty bottles and cans in exchange for rewards.

Sparklo is a sustainability technology company that promotes recycling through reverse vending machines. We want to bring recycling closer to communities and make it easier for people to participate in proper waste management.

— Ellen Quilas

Country Manager of Sparklo

Ayala Land Inc., in partnership with Sparklo, a global sustainability technology company, has launched four rewards-based recycling stations across Cebu IT Park and Cebu Business Park.

The machines, called SparkloMats locally, accept empty aluminum cans and plastic bottles in exchange for points that users can accumulate and redeem through the Sparklo mobile application.

How the machines work

When users deposit eligible recyclable materials into the machines, they earn points through the Sparklo app. One plastic bottle is equivalent to 10 Sparklo points. The points are cumulative and do not expire, allowing users to accumulate rewards over time and redeem them later for discounts, vouchers, and freebies from partner merchants.

Ellen Quilas, Country Manager of Sparklo, explained that the initiative is designed to make recycling more accessible while encouraging proper waste management. “Sparklo is a sustainability technology company that promotes recycling through reverse vending machines. We want to bring recycling closer to communities and make it easier for people to participate in proper waste management,” Quilas said.

The Sparklo mobile app has not launched yet, but Quilas said the company will announce the official release date through its social media pages and website. Once the app launches, users will be able to begin redeeming their accumulated points for partner rewards.

Recyclable materials collected through the machines are retrieved by local partner recyclers, who sort, consolidate, and process the materials instead of allowing them to go to landfills. These materials are then transformed into recycled PET products or furniture such as chairs and tables that are donated to schools and communities.

Cebu I.T. Park and Cebu Business Park, were selected as pilot locations because they are the most established business districts in the Visayas region, drawing thousands of workers, residents, students, merchants, and commuters daily.

Jinky Balcos, Associate Director at Ayala Property Management Corporation (APMC), the property and facilities management arm of Ayala Land, Inc., explained that the driving force behind the partnership was to make sustainability more accessible and engaging for the communities surrounding the two estates.

“Ayala Land’s decision to launch Cebu’s first reward-based recycling station was primarily driven by our commitment to sustainability and community engagement. When you say sustainability, it sounds big and hard. But this is simple. We wanted to make it easier and more fun for our locators, residents, and neighboring communities to take care of the environment,” Balcos said.

The two stations are located in Cebu IT Park at Garden Row and near the Pickleball Courts. Two additional stations are in Cebu Business Park at Central Park and running area by Tech Tower.

Early response and maintenance challenges

The response from Cebu communities has exceeded initial expectations, with machines filling up every one to two hours. Each collection bag holds 8 to 10 kilos of recyclables, requiring frequent retrieval cycles.

Quintas noted that the rapid adoption reflects community enthusiasm for practical sustainability solutions.

“The machines fill up quickly, meaning we’re really getting feedback from our people that this is something new here in Cebu and they’re excited about it. We even received commendations on the Facebook pages of Ayala Land, with people tagging the mayor and asking when similar stations will be installed in other areas,” Balcos said.

To manage potential downtime, the Sparklo app includes a map feature showing the location and functional status of each machine. Users can check before visiting a station to confirm whether it is operational or temporarily unavailable for maintenance.

Both Ayala Land, Inc. and Sparklo said the main challenge moving forward is maintaining the machines and managing replacement cycles as usage continues to grow.

Plans for expansion

Ayala Land, Inc. is exploring opportunities to expand the initiative to other estates across the Visayas and Mindanao regions. Initial targets include Atria Park in Iloilo and Azuela Coves in Davao City, with potential deployment of additional machines by the end of 2026.

Globe Telecoms is also partnering with Sparklo to provide connectivity for all machines and to integrate its own rewards system into the Sparklo platform, expanding the merchant and rewards network available to users.

Sparklo said it is also in discussions with other Ayala properties to become partners in the program, with the goal of expanding the network across multiple high-traffic locations including schools, hospitals, and additional mall and estate properties.

For more information about the Sparklo recycling stations, visit Sparklo.com. Users interested in the Sparklo app rewards program should check for the official launch announcement.

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