Category: 2025 CSR Conference and Expo

As they say, for every dark cloud there is a silver lining. This is the optimistic outlook of the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) as far as impact of development projects in the midst of the potential   abolition of the United States Agency for International Development as part of the government reorganization undertaken by President Donald Trump.

Edric Calma, vice president, Knowledge Channel Foundation and vice chairperson, LCF said a Canadian development agency is interested to fill in the gap and help in financing the country’s development projects in health, education, gender development, among others. Calma, however, declined to identify the Canadian aid agency. 

“We just found out this Canadian aid agency is willing to sustain the projects for some of the education projects that the USAID had started. It is worthwhile mentioning that the  European Union wants to help us too. And then there are the local grant giving organizations  which haven’t gotten huge attention because there are bigger grants like the USAID,” Calma told reporters in an interview on the sidelines of the launching of the 2025 Conference and Expo launch held in Makati City.

Shem Jose Garcia, executive director, Vivant Foundation and LCF chairperson, said local foundations think the current number of laws covering corporate social responsibility are sufficient to keep it growing. 

“We just have to be very creative. We actually have a lot of good laws in place. The question is about executing and making sure it’s done. Every sector requires more depth in order to look at, Garcia said.

Garcia said the laws need to be specific to address the concern of stakeholders. For instance, students with disabilities need to have their needs addressed. “There’s a lot of good intentions, but there aren’t a lot of specifics,” Garcia said.

 And what I saw in our own case in Cebu for this one sector, and again, the whole point of diversity is that each sector is different, so it would require more in depth research. But like in the case of like, say, deaf students, I would encourage more resources to make sure that you know, in an island would also benefit from the program,” he said.

Garcia said the LCF is also urging businesses to go beyond the traditional CSR initiatives by combining diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI) into their programs. 

MANILA, Philippines — Funding for corporate social responsibility projects in the Philippines is expected to continue flowing, amid the continued support for programs focused on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

Citing a recent study from the Boston Consulting Group, the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) highlighted the significant growth of diversity programs in the Philippines over the past several years.

According to the study, 43 percent of Southeast Asian companies, including those in the Philippines, now have diversity initiatives in place, a notable increase from just 26 percent in 2020.

This rise, the LCF said, highlights the growing regional commitment to fostering more inclusive workplaces and reflects a broader shift toward DEI across the region.

This is in stark contrast to the situation in the United States, as the Trump administration has openly attacked DEI programs, with DEI offices, positions and programs in the federal government ordered terminated. Equity-related grants and contracts were likewise terminated.

The Philippines, however, is expected to continue funding these programs as corporate funds for corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects remain intact.

“The Philippines has a very strong [CSR] context,” said Shem Jose Garcia, chair of the LCF, during a press conference in Makati for their upcoming 2025 CSR Expo, scheduled for July 1 to 3.

Garcia noted that this is despite some CSR networks within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) being shut down following the pandemic.

“I think the Philippines has one of the strongest in terms of corporate giving in the Asean region … So, we’re less affected by some of the international grant givers,” he added.

Child development

LCF vice chair Edric Calma also emphasized that this funding strength was particularly evident in programs for early childhood development.

“There are many who are providing opportunities and grants that we wanted, not just from the private sector but also from government agencies,” said Calma.

He said they were exploring ways to harness opportunities and make the most of available resources to create the impact needed in the sector.

To support this growth and elevate CSR excellence, the LCF will host the Guild Honor Awards during their July expo, recognizing outstanding initiatives by its members.