Dr Michael Angelo Promentilla

Dr Michael Angelo Promentilla is a Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at De La Salle University, recognised for his work in sustainable materials, waste valorisation, and environmental systems engineering. With over 200 Scopus-indexed publications and extensive leadership in national and international research programmes, he has spent more than a decade developing low-carbon binder systems and circular economy solutions for wastewater, industrial, mining, and plastic wastes. His expertise in geopolymers, life-cycle assessment, and decision science uniquely equips him to design innovations that bridge scientific rigour, community impact, and commercial potential.

One of Dr Promentilla’s green innovations is transforming waste, such as coal fly ash and mine silt, into a versatile geopolymer material platform that produces cementitious, or ceramic-like, products. It addresses urgent waste crises in the Philippines, where millions of tons of industrial and plastic waste accumulate annually, while 20% of plastics leak into the ocean. Each ECO-BRICK product diverts plastic waste and repurposes industrial residues, thereby reducing pollution and the embodied carbon footprint. Compared with conventional cement and ceramics, it offers lower emissions, broader material flexibility, and community-scale manufacturability, thus enabling inclusive circular value chains and greener infrastructure.