A Better Life: PBSP Celebrates Corporate Social Responsibility

PBSP expo to raise funds for community projects

Cebu Daily News
July 16, 2008

A four-day expo is set to begin on Thursday at SM City to generate funds for the corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).

The projects include: Save the Buhisan Watershed Project, an environmental conservation initiative in line with the United Nation's Millenium Development Goals; the Motolite-PBSP Balik Baterya Program, which aims to improve basic education in the Philippines through the provision of learning resource materials, training of teachers, supplemental feeding and conduct of reading camps; and A Better Life: Stories of Corporate Social Responsibility, a PBSP coffee table book.

Dubbed “A Better Life: PBSP Celebrates Corporate Social Responsibility,” the exposition will run until July 20 at the SM City Cebu Trade Halls 2 and 3 and Conference Centers.

The exposition will feature the stories of corporate social responsibility of PBSP, its member companies, business partners and donors.

It will also feature learning sessions on corporate citizenship, how to make the business grow, and how to keep a happy and healthy workforce.

The Best of the Visayas Trade Fair will also be held showcasing various products of PBSP-assisted cooperatives, community-based organizations and micro, small and medium enterprises.

PBSP is a pioneer in the practice of corporate social responsibility in the Philippines.

It was organized in the 1970s by 50 of the country's most prominent business leaders and has since grown to become the Philippines most dynamic partner in nation building with more than 230 members.

It is the country's largest corporate-led foundation dedicated to uplift the lives of the poor and help the communities become self-reliant.

PBSP has supported more than 6,000 social development projects and benefited more than four million beneficiaries nationwide.

PBSP Celebrates CSR

July is the Philippines’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Month. PBSP, the country's largest corporate-led non-profit social development foundation, will take part in the national ceremony by hosting a four-day expo called A Better Life: PBSP Celebrates Corporate Social Responsibility. PBSP invites companies and enterprises, government units and line agencies, schools and civil society groups to attend the event and avail of the free seminars.

A Better Life
PBSP Celebrates Corporate Social Responsibility
July 17 – 20, 2008
Trade Halls 2 and 3 & Conference Centers, 3rd Level, SM City Cebu

Day 1: July 17, 2008

10:00 a.m.

Registration

Conference Center ABC

10:30 – 11:15

Opening of the Best of Visayas Trade Fair &
A Better Life: Stories of CSR Exhibit

Trade Halls 2 & 3

11:15 – 11:45

Re-Launch of PBSP’s
Coffee Table Book Project -

A Better Life: Stories of Corporate Social Responsibility

12:15 – 1:00

Lunch

1:00 – 1:45

Corporate Citizenship 101

1:45 – 2:30 p.m.

Visayas Launching of the

Motolite-PBSP Balik Baterya Program

Day 2: July 18, 2008

Options for Health in the Workplace

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

Venue: Conference Center AB

SCOPE: Strategic Corporate Community Partnership

for Local Development Program
1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Venue: Conference Center AB

Business Clinic
1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Venue: Conference Center D

Best of Visayas Trade Fair &

A Better Life: Stories of CSR Exhibit
Trade Halls 2 & 3

Day 3 & 4: July 19-20, 2008

Best of Visayas Trade Fair &
A Better Life: Stories of CSR Exhibit

Trade Halls 2 & 3

For confirmation, please call PBSP at (032) 232-5270 or 232-5283

Email at pbspvro@pbsp.org.ph

Please look for Ella or Malu

See you!

572 reforest 8 hectares

Mt. Manunggal is best remembered as a memorial site for one of the Philippines’ most beloved Presidents, Ramon Magsaysay. President Magsaysay was aboard the plane Mt. Pinatubo when it crashed in Mt. Manunggal, Cebu’s highest peak, 51 years ago. At that time, 90% of the area was forested hence several days had lapsed before the rescuers could safely remove the lone survivor, Nelson Mata, from Mt Manunggal.

The untimely demise of President Magsaysay, however, was just the beginning of many slow, unfortunate, yet unnoticed events in Mt. Manunngal and the rest of the 29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape. For years, logging and conversion of forests into farm lands, among other harmful human practices, had vastly denuded the CCPL, better known as the Cebu hillylands. Continuous supply of water for Metro Cebu’s household and industrial consumption depends on a healthy hillylands. Its conservation must be a major priority to ensure a better future for Metro Cebu.

Last June 28, 2008, PBSP kicked off its Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan 2008. 572 individuals from 28 companies and organizations joined PBSP in planting 20,000 trees in Barangay Magsaysay, Municipality of Balamban, Cebu. Eight (8) hectares were planted with indigenous tree species such as almaciga, bayog, lawaan, lumbang, narra and tagilumboy in the barangay where Mt. Manunggal is located and named after the Philippine president. Mahogany, a fast-growing exotic tree species, was also planted.

Metro Cebu extracts its water from the aquifer, a groundwater reservoir, and the presence of forest cover sustains the water stored in the aquifer. Since 1991, PBSP’partnerships with the business sector, government and community-based organizations resulted to the planting of over 12 million forest and fruit tree species in 4,900 hectares.

PBSP’s Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan 2008 is happening every Saturday until October. Companies, NGO’s, schools, local government units and government line agencies are invited. For more information, please call (032) 232-5270 or 232-5283.

Thank you very much!

Aboitiz and Company
Cebu Daily News
Cebu Private Power Corporation
Center for International Education
East Asia Utilities Corporation
Janice Minor Export Inc.
Lear Automotive Services (Netherlands)B.V. Philippine Branch - Philippine Engineering and Technology Center
Pacific Traders Manufacturing Corporation
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Smart Communications
Shemberg Marketing Inc.
BUKID Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Campinsa-Manipis Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Cebu City Government
DENR Region 7
Department of Education
Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation
Fiber Industry Development Authority
Habagat
Kadangyan
MALTAJ Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Municipality of Balamban Government
Philippine Army 7th Infantry Batallion
Sudlon Marketing Cooperative
Tabok Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Tabunan Marketing Cooperative

Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan 2008 Kick Off!

Assembly Area of PBSP's
Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan 2008
Kick Off Day
June 28, 2008
Asiatown I.T. Park
Lahug, Cebu City

Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan 2008

Mt. Manunggal, which stands over 3,000 meters above sea level, is the highest peak in Cebu. It is famed in the province because President Ramon Magsaysay died in the area when his plane, Mt. Pinatubo, crashed in Mt. Manunggal’s thick forest on March 15, 1957. According to history, there was only survivor and it took several days for rescuers to respond to the disaster because more than 90% of the area was forested.

Mt. Manunggal is located within the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) – a 29,000-hectare watershed and source of Metro Cebu’ water. As of 1990, however, less than 10% of the CCPL, also called the Cebu Hillylands, is forested. The rapid denudation of the CCPL vis-à-vis the threat to Metro Cebu’s water supply are the rallying points behind Philippine Business for Social Progress’ (PBSP) Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan 2008, which will run during the months of June to October. The Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan 2008 will kick off this June 28, 2008, 8:30a.m. in Barangay Magsaysay (vicinity of Mt. Manunggal), Municipality of Balamban, Cebu.

The conservation of the CCPL is relevant to Metro Cebu’s sustainable development. Metro Cebu extracts its water from the aquifer, a groundwater reservoir, and the presence of forest cover sustains the water stored in the aquifer. Since 1991, PBSP’partnerships with the business sector, government and community-based organizations resulted to the planting of over 12 million forest and fruit tree species in 4,900 hectares.

Companies, schools, NGO’s, government offices and other institutions are invited. The Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan 2008 is dedicated for the preservation of the environment and local history. One of the highlights of the event will be the planting of the manunggal seedlings, known to cure skin diseases, fevers, rheumatism, asthma and chest infections, but otherwise almost extinct in the area.

PBSP is the country’s biggest corporate-led foundation implementing human development projects such as poverty reduction, education, health, environment and entrepreneurship. For more information about PBSP and the Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan 2008, please call (032) 232-5270 or 232-5283.