Author: League of Corporate Foundations

Union Galvasteel Corporation (UGC), a PHINMA subsidiary under its Construction Materials Group, recently supported GMA Kapuso Foundation in its project to construct a school building in disaster-stricken Binibitinan Elementary School in Polillo, Quezon. 

As part of PHINMA’s making lives better mission and in support to rehabilitation efforts for areas damaged by Typhoon Karding (Noru) last September, UGC donated high-quality roofing materials such as Durarib Prepainted Roofing, Pre-painted End Flashing, and Pre-painted Gutter for the construction of a 2-classroom Kapuso type school building. 

“Importante sa atin na maka-provide tayo ng safe environment and classrooms for our children. Kaya importante talaga na when we build, we build strong,” Rikki Escudero-Catibog, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of GMA Kapuso Foundation, said in the news report that aired on 24 Oras.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 5, 2023 and was attended by key stakeholders, including Ms. Escudero Catibog, Mayor Angelique Bosque of the municipality of Polilio, and Maj. Gen. Roberto Capulong, Commander of the 2nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army. UGC was represented by its Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Mr. Derik Tabunar.

“Sa pamamagitan ng donasyong ito, hindi lamang kami nagbibigay ng matibay at pangmatagalang mga roofing materials para sa paaralan, kundi inaasam din naming makatulong upang maging mas maginhawa at matagumpay ang kalagayan ng mga mag-aaral at guro dito. Naniniwala kami na ang donasyong ito ay makakatulong sa mga inisyatibo sa pagtataguyod muli sa lugar ng Quezon na naapektuhan ng bagyong Noru at makakapagbalik ng normal na buhay sa mga taong nabiktima nito,” Mr. Tabunar said during the ceremony.

The classrooms to be built by GMA Kapuso Foundation will be able to withstand typhoon winds of up to 300 kph. With the high quality roofing provided by UGC, these classrooms will not only ensure the safety of students and teachers during times of extreme weather, but will also mitigate potential damage and the need for frequent repairs. By providing a resilient and secure learning environment, UGC and GMA Kapuso Foundation improve the well-being and educational continuity of the students.

The PHINMA Group, which includes UGC, is committed to making lives better, especially after calamities hit. With a wide and long-standing presence in far-flung areas, the Group is in a unique position to offer help that is tailored to the needs of the affected communities.

Smile Train’s Team Empower finished strong at the 2023 London Marathon, held on April 23. The team raised awareness of and ignited hope and change for children with cleft.

Proud LCF Member Smile Train Philippines was ably represented by Tim Yap, Sam Versoza, and Javi Martinez. Through the assistance of Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, they helped raise more than USD 26,000 for Smile Train’s life-changing cleft lip and palate programs.

Click here to view other races that can be ran to raise funds for Smile Train. Charity slots are still open for the 2023 Berlin, Chicago, and New York City Marathons, as well as the 2024 London Marathon.

More than 130 students stand to benefit every year from a new three-classroom school building constructed by BDO Foundation and the Philippine Geothermal Production Company, Inc. (PGPC) in Baybay Elementary School in Catarman, Northern Samar.

The result of an agreement signed by the foundation and PGPC, the partnership project aims to address the shortage of classrooms in the school and provide teachers and students an environment conducive for learning.

The structure was turned over to administrators in ceremonies led by BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito, BDO Foundation program director Rosemarie Espinosa, PGPC chief finance officer Ian Jason Aguirre, PGPC director for legal and corporate affairs Ma. Fe Guirnalda-Lucero, and PGPC government affairs lead Victor Dugan. BDO Unibank and BDO Network Bank officers in the province also witnessed the official opening of the building together with school officials.

“The shortage of classrooms affects the academic performance of students,” Baybay Elementary School principal Noel Dolorzo shared. “The new building will help in the development of our learners. It will also serve as an evacuation site for the community during calamities. Thank you, BDO Foundation and PGPC, for your assistance.”

The structure is the latest project of the foundation and PGPC, a pioneering geothermal energy company that provides clean, reliable and renewable energy to meet the Philippines’ power requirements. BDO Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank, previously collaborated with the geothermal firm for the construction of other school buildings as part of post-Typhoon Yolanda rebuilding efforts.

The corporate citizenship initiative in Catarman supports the partners’ shared advocacy to aid underserved communities affected by disasters. The municipality has been severely affected by Super Typhoon Odette and other disasters in recent years.

Supportive of the Department of Education’s Adopt-A-School program, the construction of the school building included the provision of blackboards, tables, chairs and electric fans.

Security Bank Foundation turns over second building in Silay Negros Occidental to Gov. Emilio Gaston Memorial Elementary School. From left to right: Tess Golez, Jaime Golez, Mark Golez (former Mayor, Silay City), Dr. Carmela Oracion (Director, Ateneo Center for Educational Development), Melissa R. Aquino (Trustee & Corporate Secretary, SBFI), Melissa Simpao, Rafael F. Simpao, Jr. (Chairman, SBFI), Hon. Joedith Gallego (Mayor, Silay City), Dr. Luz Banson (Assistant Schools Division Superintendent, DepEd Silay), Michelle Lorei Gayoma (Business Manager, Security Bank Bacolod North Drive Branch), Dennis Guadarrama (Relationship Manager, Security Bank Visayas Banking Center), and (2nd Level, 1st) Inocencia Deles (Principal, Gov. Emilio Gaston Memorial Elementary School).

Security Bank Foundation Inc. (SBFI), the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Security Bank Corporation focused on education, has successfully turned over three new classroom buildings, equivalent to 14 classrooms, in the cities of Kabankalan, Silay, and Victorias in Negros Occidental.

The donated classrooms consisted of two-story buildings with a four or six classroom configuration and can house up to 50 students per classroom. These buildings were built during the pandemic and turned over to Gov. Emilio Gaston Memorial Elementary School in Silay, Negros Occidental (4 classrooms); Kabankalan National High School in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental (4 classrooms); and the Victorias National High School in Victorias, Negros Occidental (6 classrooms) before the return of face-to-face classes.

“Through our Build a School, Build a Nation: The Classrooms Project program, we continue to uplift the quality of education received by Filipinos by reducing the classroom to student ratio significantly, giving Filipinos a chance of lifting their lives out of poverty and ensuring a better tomorrow,” says Rafael F. Simpao, SBFI Chairman.

Since 2023, 113 schools in 65 cities and municipalities nationwide have been prepared for the face-to-face classes. Apart from the donation, SBFI has also committed to regularly conduct maintenance checks and repairs on all its donated school buildings to ensure that it can be used by future generations.

iVolunteer, the volunteering platform co-founded by Ramon V. del Rosario Siklab Awardee JB Tan, will be hosting its third volunteer expo together with the corporate social responsibility arm of the country’s biggest mall operator.

Go! Volunteer 2023, organized by iVolunteer together with SM Cares and SM Supermalls, is a 4-day volunteer engagement event that gathers nonprofit organizations with diverse advocacies and volunteers to match their needs and interests. It is scheduled on May 6-7 at the A Event Center in SM Megamall and on May 27-28 at the SM Davao Annex.

“For us, Go! Volunteer 2023 is significant in a way that it ushers in the start of bringing back physical volunteering,” said Tan, who currently serves as iVolunteer Executive Director. “We all started volunteering because of a personal reason, either to try an experience or find connections. Volunteering is the perfect way to discover something new for your life,” he said.

Apart from learning about different advocacies and volunteer groups, attendees to the event can also listen to discussions by invited speakers within the volunteer space, as well as enjoy exciting games and activities. Admission is free.

PHINMA lauds JB Tan and iVolunteer and their work in highlighting the value of sharing time, talent, and treasure with communities. Recognizing this, PHINMA, through the PHINMA Foundation, sponsored iVolunteer’s Volunteer Engagement Workshop held at the Asian Institute of Management last November 26, 2022. This workshop aimed to equip participating NGO partners with the skills and knowledge necessary to engage both new and long-time volunteers. It featured speakers from various fields, including community development, volunteerism, and leadership, who shared their expertise and experiences to inspire and motivate the participants.

PHINMA also holds volunteerism as one of its pillars and constantly encourages active participation by PHINMA employees and their families and friends in various activities. As a mission-driven corporation, PHINMA believes volunteerism can be a catalyst for positive community transformation and a vehicle for nation building.

The PHINMA Group mobilized close to 1,000 volunteers to help clean, repaint, repair, and prepare 40 public schools during last year’s Brigada Eskwela. Their collective effort spruced up 80 classrooms, which benefited 10,907 students and more than 250 teachers across the country. To celebrate the company’s 66th anniversary last November, the volunteers came together again, with some 1,300 joining activities, such as tree-planting, coastal and river cleanups, and blood donation drives.

“PHINMA looks forward to iVolunteer’s expo and the exciting opportunity to gather more people to join us in our advocacy of creating better initiatives. We are especially proud of JB Tan, our RVR Siklab awardee, and how his work reflects the very essence of the recognition we gave him in 2019,” said Peter V. Perfecto, PHINMA Vice President for Public Affairs.

On March 24, 2023, PHINMA‘s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Council visited the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The objective of the visit was to gain a better understanding of PDRF’s disaster preparedness and response capabilities and to enhance collaboration between PHINMA’s CSR Council and PDRF.

During their visit, PHINMA’s CSR Council was oriented on PDRF’s HANDA platform, which is a Hazard and Disaster Analysis for Business Resilience tool. The tool helps businesses identify and assess their vulnerabilities to different hazards and disasters, and prepare accordingly.

Moreover, the Council was also introduced to the key features of PDRF’s EOC facilities, which are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and equipment to ensure that the center can operate effectively during a crisis. The CSR Council also learned about PDRF’s Cluster System, which is designed to facilitate proper coordination and collaboration among various stakeholders before, during, and after a disaster period.

The group was welcomed by Guillermo Luz, PDRF’s Chief Resilience Officer, Veronica Gabaldon, Executive Director, and Anna Katrina Aspuria, Unit Head, Development Programs & Innovation Unit. They provided insights on PDRF’s history, vision, and mission, as well as its initiatives to build resilience and promote disaster risk reduction in the Philippines.

The visit of PHINMA’s CSR Council to PDRF’s EOC was a significant step towards promoting disaster preparedness and strengthening collaboration among different organizations to improve the country’s resilience to disasters. It is hoped that this kind of partnership will continue and that more organizations will join efforts to mitigate the impact of disasters in the country.