Exploring Practical Ways Towards Plastic-Free Gastronomy at the Hyper Interdisciplinary Conference 2025 Iloilo Forum

With plastic pollution continuing to rise globally, the Philippines faces its own mounting challenge as the food and beverage sector remains heavily dependent on single-use straws, utensils, and packaging. Iloilo, with its flourishing café and restaurant scene and its recognition as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, reflects both the opportunities and the vulnerabilities of this issue. While the city enjoys a reputation as a hub for creativity and gastronomy, the continued use of plastics threatens not only the environment but also the sustainability of its growing food culture. 

One of the pioneering companies addressing this challenge is ADA Biotech Sdn., Bhd, a startup from Malaysia founded in 2019 with the vision of protecting the environment from plastic waste. ADA manufactures biodegradable products made from waste rice, broken rice, and low-grade tapioca, creating eco-friendly straws, utensils, cups, and packaging that are both practical and affordable. With its commitment to innovation, the company integrates Industry 4.0 technologies and AI robotics to enhance production, reduce costs, and expand output, while working toward international quality certifications such as HACCP, FDA, and HALAL. By transforming waste into value-added products and scaling through global partnerships, ADA Biotech positions itself at the forefront of the transition to a plastic-free future.

Together with ADA Biotech, the panel session “Beyond Plastics: Advancing Biodegradable Solutions for the Coffee and Food Industries” at the Hyper Interdisciplinary Conference (HIC) 2025 Iloilo Forum will explore how biodegradable solutions can reshape the local gastronomy sector. Bringing together coffee entrepreneurs, researchers, and policymakers, the session will uncover the current landscape of plastic use in cafés and restaurants, the challenges of adoption, and the opportunities for collaboration. By fostering dialogue between innovators and local stakeholders, this panel seeks to envision how Iloilo can become a living laboratory for sustainable, plastic-free food culture, setting an example for the rest of the Philippines and beyond.

 

Panel Session 2 Panelists
	Maxwen Ma Co-Founder & Chief Business Development Officer ADA Biotech Sdn., Bhd. Ms. Maxwen Ma, Co-Founder and Chief Business Development Officer of ADA Biotech, a Malaysian-based green innovation company transforming agricultural and industrial waste into high-quality biodegradable everyday products like drinking straws and eco-friendly cat litter. Driven by a mission to change lifestyles through sustainable biotechnology where luxury meets sustainability and promote circular economy solutions. ADA Biotech achieved a major milestone with over 100 million biodegradable rice straws sold in Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Fiji Island. Her passion for sustainability and entrepreneurship fuels her commitment to building a cleaner and greener future.
	Jerduen “Noi” Dongor Director, Iloilo Coffee Council President, Philippine Coffee Board, Inc. Jerduen “Noi” Dongor is an entrepreneur and coffee advocate. He is the CEO of Superhouse Solutions Café Corporation and founder of Coffee Brewtherhood, promoting specialty coffee and strengthening the local café community. He also leads Kape Iloilo, supporting farmers through fair trade and training. Beyond coffee, Noi works in hospitality, organizational development, and pest management, and is active in groups like the Iloilo Coffee Council, PCCI Iloilo, and the Philippine Coffee Board, championing MSMEs and sustainable tourism. A devoted husband and father, he enjoys traveling and exploring cultures through food and coffee.
	Peter Paul Dayanan CEO & Founder Paul Kaldi Coffee Peter Paul Dayanan is the Founder & CEO of Paul Kaldi Coffee, a social enterprise that champions sustainability and empowers farmers in Iloilo. Established in April 2024, Paul Kaldi connects communities through locally sourced beans, handcrafted brews, and innovative coffee experiences. Guided by the principle “Local farmers at our core, your taste at our heart,” Paul has expanded the brand from a campus coffee cart into a growing network of cafés, pop-ups, and specialty concepts. Through Paul Kaldi, he integrates education, farmer partnerships, and social impact—proving that coffee can be both a business and a movement for change.

 

The very first regional implementation of HIC to Iloilo, the HIC 2025 Iloilo Forum will be held on September 12, 2025, Friday, at the Iloilo Science and Technology University. With the theme “Knowledge Manufacturing the Intersection of Research Horizons in Visayas,” the forum provides a space for  participants to engage in interdisciplinary dialogue to widen their horizons about the intersecting programs, policies, and technologies, and to encourage them to use those “new knowledge” to co-create solutions for regional challenges. This event marks a significant step toward building a vibrant, innovation-driven ecosystem in the Visayas. 

For more information about HIC 2025 Iloilo Forum, please visit the page below:

https://hic.lne.st/HIC2025_IloiloForum

If you are interested to join as an attendee (free of charge for those affiliated with academia, government institutions, and university-based startups), you can do so by registering via the link below:

https://hic.lne.st/HIC2025ILO_Attendee 

Or, scan the QR code below:

*registering requires the creation of a Leave a Nest ID – after creating one, please access the same link again