Category: Members News

La Union – On the occasion of its 43rd Foundation Anniversary, the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) acknowledged SFI’s support to the extension and outreach program of its Fisheries Research and Training Institute in a ceremony held on January 17, 2024.

SFI’s Area Officer Keselene Domingsil received the Plaque of Recognition from DMMMSU.

In the picture [from left to right] are: Dr. Junifer Rey E. Tabafunda (Chancellor, DMMMSU-Northern La Union Campus), Dr. Priscillo Fontanilla (Vice President for Planning and Development, Dr. Elsie Pacho (Vice President for Academic Affairs and Internationalization), Dr. Angelina Gonzales (Vice President for Research, Development and Innovation), Dr. Cristine Ferrer (CHED Region 1 Director), Dr. Cristeta Gapuz (Executive Director, Sericulture Research and Development Institute), Dr. Antonio Ogbinar (Vice President for Administration and Quality Assurance), and Dr. Joseph Panas (Executive Director, National Apiculture Research and Development Institute).

The recognition is a testament to SFI’s untiring efforts in helping nutritionally-at-risk households in Bgys. Paratong 4, Paratong 3 and Mindoro in the municipality of Bangar under its Tugon sa Gutom program. The partnership with DMMMSU in promoting fisheries production and fish processing would not have progressed well without the efforts of Dr. Andie John D. Tadeo, Director of the Fisheries Research and Training Institute and Ms. Regina Labiano, Municipal Agriculturist of Bangar and support of Mayor Joy P. Merin.

BDO Foundation partnered anew with Huawei Philippines as part of a shared advocacy to implement education-related initiatives.

The corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank and the global leader in information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices agreed to co-fund the development of financial literacy videos, which will form part of an ongoing financial education program for the Philippine National Police.

The partners also agreed to finance the production of a second batch of curriculum-based videos on early numeracy, which will be used in the teaching of Mathematics and Science to Grade One pupils. Through the aforementioned projects, the partners aim to enhance the economic well-being of police personnel, help improve basic education and continue contributing to the government’s efforts to empower Filipino educators and learners.

The memorandum of agreement was recently signed by (from left) BDO Foundation trustee Evelyn Salagubang, trustee Lucy Co Dy and president Mario Deriquito as well as Huawei Philippines public affairs and communications department director Hu Weihua and public affairs manager Liang Jiahao. The learning resources on personal finance and early numeracy are the latest initiatives to be undertaken by BDO Foundation and Huawei Philippines, which previously joined forces for programs that benefitted public school students and teachers.

About BDO Foundation
BDO Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank. Founded in 2008, the foundation aims to contribute to nation-building by addressing the needs of underserved sectors of society through its disaster response and financial inclusion advocacies. Supported by the BDO Unibank community and in partnership with local government units and non-governmental organizations, BDO Foundation mounts relief operations, rehabilitates rural health units, constructs school buildings, implements financial education programs and undertakes COVID-19 response programs across the country. Its corporate citizenship initiatives have been recognized at the Retail Banking Awards of Asian Banking & Finance magazine and Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards of Enterprise Asia. For more information, visit http://www.bdo.com.ph/foundation/home, e-mail bdo.foundation@bdo.com.ph or call 8840-7000 local 36046.

BDO Foundation, Inc.
10th Floor BDO Corporate Center Ortigas
12 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center
Mandaluyong City 1550

The signing of the Memorandum of Agreement was led by Metrobank Foundation president Aniceto Sobrepeña (third from the left) and Pilipinas Shell Foundation’s executive director Sebastian Quiniones, Jr. (fourth from the left). They were joined by Metrobank Foundation executive vice president Philip Francisco Dy (second from the left), grants and partnerships program manager Marievic Mariano, Pilipinas Shell Foundation’s program director Sherwin Yap, and senior program manager for Nutrition and Food Security Maria Pamela Castro.

Metrobank Foundation, Inc., (MBFI) and Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on 6 November 2023 in Makati City for the implementation of a three-year, community-based, and multi-sectoral program to address undernutrition in economically disadvantaged communities in Camarines Sur.

Dubbed as Roots to Shoots, the 7.2-million-peso program funded by MBFI will provide a holistic and integrated approach, and target at least 245 parents and caregivers, children under five years old, and public sector individuals from Barangay Santa Rosa del Sur, the second barangay with the highest incidence of malnutrition in Pasacao, Camarines Sur. Roots to Shoots will focus on three key areas. The Food Security and Livelihood component, which will be led by PSFI, will help improve food availability and food access in the community by providing agricultural resources and technical knowledge on sustainable livelihood. The Water Access, Sanitation, and Hygiene component, which will be overseen by the Manila Water Foundation, will improve the access to basic water and sanitation facilities to communities that will enable them to practice proper hygiene and sanitation. The Mother and Child Care component will focus on strengthening the capacity of mothers and caregivers as well as health and nutrition workers to provide adequate nutrition and holistic care to their children through nutrition education sessions and early childhood care and development. This will be co-implemented by World Vision Development Foundation, Inc.  The Roots to Shoots expansion will involve Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion in its implementation, ensuring all members of the communities have equal access to the program’s benefits, regardless of their gender, disability, or social status.

The program is aligned with the national agenda on health and nutrition, specifically RA 11148: “Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Magnanay Act“, Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2023-2028, and RA 8980: “Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Act”, and will forge strong collaboration with government agencies such as the Department of Health, National Nutrition Council, Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute, and the Local Government Unit of Pasacao, Camarines Sur.

“We are excited about this partnership because this signifies an important shift in the grant-making program that we do in the foundation and that’s really looking at how to support more integrated, more multi-sectoral, and more holistic programs that will address the different facets of the problems that we are trying to address,” said MBFI executive vice president Philip Francisco Dy. “We really want to see to the extent that we can help and to the extent that we can participate and make sure it becomes successful as we expand into Barangay Santa Rosa del Sur in Pasacao, Camarines Sur for this partnership project.”

The Roots to Shoots program was initially PSFI’s three-year program implemented from 2019 to 2022 in eight barangays in Bombon and five barangays in Pasacao, Camarines Sur. Its pilot intervention was successful in improving the nutritional and food security status of the families and children in these communities. Since the start of the intervention, PSFI reported a 10.57% reduction in stunting, 5.39% decrease in wasting, and a 6.91% decline in the number of underweight children. in Pasacao. In Bombon, on the other hand, incidences of stunting were also reduced by 7.45%, wasting by 2.46%, and decreased the number of underweight children by 4.32%.

“We can’t do this alone. It has to be all of government, all of nation approach and so we’re very proud to be able to show a model that actually works. We’re very proud to see it recognized by partners who are now willing to assist,” said PSFI executive director Sebastian Quiniones, Jr. “As our partnership goes forward, with the grace of God, we hope that we can make this little bit of a dent within our country which can then expand to the whole of the country so that we can then achieve the benefits of the demographic bubble that the Philippines is in now.”

With the launch of the expanded Roots to Shoots, MBFI and PSFI are committed to continuing the fight against undernutrition and food insecurity in the Philippines by supporting the national mandate and global targets through the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Smile Train closes out 2023 with a Guinness World Record.

World Smile Day proved to be a historic date for LCF member Smile Train as they celebrated achieving a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the largest online photo album of smiling mouths.

Setting this record has allowed Smile Train to raise awareness about cleft, share the challenges cleft-affected individuals and their families go through, and show the world that, truly, all smiles are beautiful.

Visit https://www.everysmile.org/ to see all the smiles Smile Train has gathered from friends, families, partners, patients – all of which has enabled them to hold this official Guinness World Record.

For its efforts to collaborate with the government and contribute to nation-building through the implementation of financial inclusion initiatives, BDO Foundation received recognition from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) at the 2023 Outstanding BSP Stakeholders Appreciation Ceremonies.

BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito (center) accepted a certificate of appreciation from BSP governor Dr. Eli Remolona Jr. and BSP deputy governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat at the event held at the BSP Complex in Manila. The corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank was lauded for its 10 partnership projects with BSP aimed at uplifting the economic well-being and improving the financial literacy of Filipinos.

In partnership with BSP and several government agencies, the foundation currently implements financial education programs for public school students, teachers and non-teaching personnel, overseas Filipino workers, civil servants, police and military personnel, firefighters, fishers, farmers, micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises, and technical-vocational students. The ongoing programs support BSP’s National Strategy for Financial Inclusion.

About BDO Foundation
BDO Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank. Founded in 2008, the foundation aims to contribute to nation-building by addressing the needs of underserved sectors of society through its disaster response and financial inclusion advocacies. Supported by the BDO Unibank community and in partnership with local government units and non-governmental organizations, BDO Foundation mounts relief operations, rehabilitates rural health units, constructs school buildings, implements financial education programs and undertakes COVID-19 response programs across the country. Its corporate citizenship initiatives have been recognized at the Retail Banking Awards of Asian Banking & Finance magazine and Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards of Enterprise Asia. For more information, visit http://www.bdo.com.ph/foundation/home, e-mail bdo.foundation@bdo.com.ph or call 8840-7000 local 36046.

BDO Foundation, Inc.
10th Floor BDO Corporate Center Ortigas
12 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center
Mandaluyong City 1550

Security Bank employees head to the planting site at La Mesa Watershed to plant 2,000 seedlings as part of a five-year reforestation commitment with ABS-CBN Foundation’s Bantay Kalikasan Program.

LCF member Security Bank Foundation, Inc. (SBFI), along with 200 dedicated volunteers from Security Bank, marked the second year of its 10,000-tree, five-year reforestation commitment in La Mesa Watershed. Volunteers trekked three hours to plant 2,000 Sandalwood and White Lauan seedlings, in partnership with ABS-CBN Foundation’s Bantay Kalikasan Program in its mission to protect the largest rainforest and water source of Metro Manila.

Notably, 94% of the 2,000 Malapapaya and Lago seedlings planted by SBFI last year survived, surpassing the National Greening Program base rate of 85% as validated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). A quarter of the participants that attended the second year of the tree planting activity were also former participants, displaying a commitment to sustainability as they reused the planting gear kept from last year.

Security Bank’s five-year pledge to reforest La Mesa Watershed encompasses 45% of ABS-CBN’s targeted reforestation efforts. Through this initiative, Security Bank helps to curb carbon emissions, prevent floods during rainy seasons, maintain vital water levels during summers, and offer sanctuary to the native wildlife.

“Security Bank’s steadfast commitment to this reforestation project plays a pivotal role in advancing the ABS-CBN Foundation’s critical mission of maintaining Metro Manila’s water reservoir within safe levels, which is crucial for supporting the day-to-day water consumption of the region,” said Sarah Agcaoili, Operations Manager of ABS-CBN Foundation.

“We want this activity to serve as a platform for channeling the passion and energy for community development of our employees. We want them to feel and take pride in knowing that they’ve helped reforest the La Mesa Watershed, something that they’ll be proud to tell their children or the next generation,” said Melissa Aquino, SBFI Trustee and Corporate Secretary.

SBFI’s projects are made with the bright future of the next generation in mind. Beyond its five-year tree planting pledge, it also champions education; to date, SBFI has donated 715 classrooms to public schools, granted more than 2,000 scholarships, and trained more than 36,000 teachers and principals.

To learn more about Security Bank Foundation’s projects and how you can contribute, visit http://www.securitybank.com/foundation.

Touted as one of the most outstanding in Asia, a corporate citizenship initiative of BDO Foundation aimed at securing the financial well-being of Filipino fishers clinched four prestigious accolades.

The financial education program for fisherfolk—the foundation’s partnership project with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)—earned international acclaim from Asian Banking & Finance (ABF), Asiamoney, and Enterprise Asia. In the Philippines, the program was also awarded by the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF).

The awards were officially conferred at the ABF Retail Banking Awards, Asiamoney Banking Awards, Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards and LCF CSR Guild Awards, events witnessed in person and online by hundreds of audiences across the continent. They acknowledged BDO Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank, for developing and implementing the financial education program for fisherfolk in the Philippines.

The award-winning initiative aims to help improve the financial literacy, productivity and income-generating capability of 1.9 million fishers all over the country.

Supportive of Sustainable Development Goals in the area of financial inclusion, the ongoing partnership project contributes to the achievement of the BSP’s National Strategy for Financial Inclusion and the Department of Agriculture’s goal to attain a food-secure and resilient Philippines with empowered and prosperous farmers and fisherfolk.

“The recognition we received is a testament to the concerted efforts of the BSP, BFAR and BDO Foundation to help fishers and their families improve their financial literacy, break the cycle of poverty and learn ways to sustain their source of livelihood,” BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito said. “Moving forward, we will continue to support the nationwide deployment of the financial education program, mindful of our commitment to sustainable development and nation-building.”

The aforementioned awards also cited the foundation for its contributions to the creation of Fish N’ LEarn, a gamified teaching tool designed to make financial literacy lessons engaging for the target audience. Co-developed by the partners, the training intervention shares lessons on the conservation of marine resources, saving, budgeting and financial planning, entrepreneurship, insurance, and debt management.

PHINMA Foundation, Inc. (PFI) on Friday, June 23, celebrated 34 years of making lives better with the announcement of a new partner school in its scholarship program and the formal launch of the PHINMA Group’s disaster fund. 

PFI signed a memorandum of agreement with the Technological University of the Philippines – Manila, as represented by its president, Engr. Reynaldo P. Ramos, PhD., EnP, and Dr. Margaret S. Aquino, the dean of the Office of Student Affairs, to herald the new partnership between the two institutions. This year, PHINMA Foundation will welcome students of TUP-Manila as it reaffirms its commitment to provide better opportunities to more Filipinos. This will increase this year’s intake of students to 70.

“Through this assistance, our college students in need of regular allowances will be able to pursue their dreams of becoming engineers. I am sure that with the generosity of PHINMA will return to them a hundredfold as the beneficiaries become instruments of social transformation, progress, and development,” said TUP-Manila President Ramos.

The PHINMA National Scholarship Program has produced over 250 licensed teachers, engineers, and accountants together with the 4 schools it has partnered with since 2006: University of the Philippines, Philippine Normal University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and PHINMA University of Pangasinan. The schools signed during the ceremony a memorandum of agreement to continue their partnership with PHINMA Foundation.

TUP-Manila will also benefit from the expansion of PHINMA Foundation’s Science and Engineering Education Fund (SEEF), along with Caloocan National Science and Technology High School. SEEF provides support to high school students from esteemed institutions and engineering students from universities recognized as Centers of Excellence. 

SEEF’s reach extends to 9 universities, including Cebu Institute of Technology, Central Philippine University, Mapua Institute of Technology, MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology, St. Louis University, University of San Carlos, University of the Philippines-Los Banos, Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, and PHINMA University of Pangasinan. The program also supports 11 high schools, including the Philippine Science High Schools (PSHS), GUSA Regional Science HS, Manila Science HS, Muntinlupa Science HS, Caloocan National Science High School, PSHS Cagayan Valley Campus, PSHS Central Mindanao Campus, PSHS Central Visayas Campus, PSHS Eastern Visayas Campus, PSHS Southern Mindanao Campus, PSHS Western Visayas Campus, and PSHS Ilocos Region Campus. 

Through strategic partnerships with these institutions, SEEF aims to enhance the learning experiences, provide financial assistance, and foster a culture of scientific inquiry and innovation among the students.

PHINMA Foundation also operationalized the newly instituted 1PHINMA Disaster Fund, starting with a signing of a memorandum of agreement with representatives of the PHINMA Construction Materials Group, PHINMA Education, PHINMA Properties, and PHINMA Hospitality for the prepositioning of relief goods, which will empower them to take the lead in calamity preparedness and response within their respective communities. Among those that will be prepositioned are food, hygiene items, medicine, modular tents, and blankets for over 240 families.

The 1PHINMA Disaster Fund was established earlier this year as the PHINMA Group responded to the need for a long-term disaster response by putting together the efforts of all the business units and mobilizing them to help when calamities occur.

“The presence of PHINMA in many communities across the country not only allows us to serve them with our products and services; we also get to know these communities thoroughly and we are able to identify their needs. With the 1PHINMA Disaster Fund, we can now be better equipped to help swiftly and adequately when calamities strike,” said PHINMA Foundation Vice President Peter V. Perfecto.

Employees from Security Bank Area 27 Mindanao participated in Security Bank Foundation, Inc.’s (SBFI) school painting volunteerism activity in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte on August 26, 2023.

Ahead of the start of classes on August 29, 50 Security Bank employees from Area 27 Mindanao lent their helping hands to paint the classrooms donated by Security Bank Foundation, Inc. (SBFI) to Tambo Central School in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte. The two-story, six-classroom building will be officially turned over this November as part of SBFI’s “Build a School, Build a Nation” classrooms donation initiative.

“Camaraderie, teamwork, and the spirit of volunteerism—these are the traits that I hope motivate our Security Bankers to excel further, especially knowing how generous the Bank is when it comes to supporting education,” said Francisco L. Santos, Security Bank Area 27 Branch Banking Group Head.

A total of 400 volunteer hours were contributed by the group which helped accelerate the construction of the building. Upon the building’s official turnover in October, SBFI will reach its 721st classroom donation.

“This school painting activity shows the collaboration of Security Bank and its stakeholders. We wholeheartedly thank the Bank for its tireless support to the educational community not just for our school, but also for the whole country,” said John Ryan dela Cruz, Principal of Tambo Central School.

The school painting activity in Iligan, Lanao del Norte followed one that was held at Lapu-Lapu, Cebu on August 19. Another school painting activity was also held last September 9 at Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.

“The school painting activity is an opportunity for Security Bank’s employees to give back to the communities they serve and to be personally involved in our social responsibility programs,” said Rafael Simpao Jr., Chairman of SBFI.

To learn more about Security Bank Foundation’s projects and how you can contribute, visit http://www.securitybank.com/foundation.