Cover Illac Angelo Diaz (Photo: Artu Nepomuceno)
Illac Angelo Diaz (Photo: Artu Nepomuceno)
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Tatler Asia’s Most Influential honouree 2022 Illac Angelo Diaz shares what keeps him pursuing his advocacy
Illac Diaz, one of Tatler Asia’s Most Influential 2022 honourees is known for being one of the country’s foremost social entrepreneurs. By pushing the simple technology of bringing affordable lighting devices out of recycled plastic waste, he not only devised a new way to contribute to the early years of a rapid green revolution in the Philippines but also saved many impoverished communities.
In 2014, Diaz earned the Asia Game Changer award from the Asia Society for adapting mechanic Alfredo Moser’s Liter of Light in the Philippines since 2011, as well as in 15 other countries at that time. In 2019, he was distinguished by the Edison Awards, an annual competition honouring excellence in new product and service development. In 2020, he was honoured as the ASEAN Champion and PropertyGuru’s Visionary of the Year.
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What projects in the last two years are you most proud of? Why?
The 20-month lockdown during Covid-19 closed several foundations in the Philippines and globally. Inspired by the Ice Bucket Challenge, the Liter of Light felt an even greater need to bring solar lights to the communities, especially those highly dependent on tourism. With the Light it Forward, we created a means for more than 5,000 participants to make a difference in the safety of their homes. Packages with complete tools and solar parts were sent to homes where they could complete it alone or with others in 30 minutes with the help of online instructions and then challenge another. Today, this has grown to five countries.
In several countries where participants reached more than a thousand, we would make solar artworks in the public squares to make Messages of Hope.
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What challenges do you see now in your respective industry? How do you intend to help address these challenges?
Almost 800 million people still do not have access to electricity. There should be macro-scale as well as bottom-up approaches to solving energy poverty. Liter of Light, one that advocates local skills and green jobs, should be invested in rather than relying on imported and patented. Another need is the availability of emergency solar lights that can be accessed in volumes in a shorter amount of time than months importing finished goods.
Local solar should be a priority instead of depending on imported clean tech.
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What can you say to those who want to follow in your footsteps?
Social Enterprise is one of the ways Filipinos can bring solutions to the national and international level. Relying on donations is a cash burn and difficult method where one keeps on waiting for hand-outs to do good. The same small ideas in businesses can grow from a sari-sari (variety) store size to a multinational. But in this space, doing good and being financially sustainable are key objectives for the people and planet.
Who do you look up to for guidance, inspiration, or mentorship?
When I was starting, the number of inspiring venues to consult social enterprises was limited, such as Bill Drayton of ASHOKA in the US, but it has grown considerably. Books, like Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, were just coming out. And B Corporation was proving that a business with a triple bottom line can make it a better place for all. Tony Meloto was one of the modern Filipino heroes who opened doors abroad and showed how Filipino green and programs in poverty alleviation could go global.
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