Christmas Cards by Our Filipino Artists For Sale

The time for Christmas is near!

The next 56 days will welcome us to a festive season of loving and sharing as we anticipate the coming of Christmas this December.

But nothing still compares to celebrating Christmas the Maligayang Pasko way by sending a Christmas card to your loved ones with designs made by our own Filipino artists.

Disclaimer: retail price revealed is for the 2010 sale and is subject to change 

We at the Philippine Business for Social Progress will make your Christmas twice as meaningful. By supporting our own Filipino artists and their designs, you are also helping the environment.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW.

Taking the lead to green with Aboitiz Group, PBSP

Taking the lead to green with Aboitiz Group, PBSP
Cebu Daily News
October 27, 2010

Christian Ian Sy did not expect to start a Saturday full of firsts when he joined 554 members of the Aboitiz Group in planting 14,000 tree seedlings along the slopes of the Mananga Watershed and Forest Reserve.

What he did expect, though, was to plant on a plain and empty spot.

“I didn’t expect to plant in an actual forest. But when I came here in Tabunan for the first time, I felt excited and challenged because I finally saw one of Cebu’s forests,” Sy said.

With muddied hands and a satisfied smile, Sy thanked the company for allowing him to participate in the environmental project.

Sy is one of the delegates of the Aboitiz Future Leaders Summit who joined the group-wide reforestation activity of the Aboitiz Group last Oct. 16, along with the Visayan Electric Company (Veco) employees and the Race to Reduce runners.

The reforestation initiative was co-organized by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), which has been reforesting the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) since 1989.

“Last year, the Aboitiz group made a commitment to plant a million trees. Since then, we've expanded our ambition to roll our intention into a program that would plant three million trees up to 2010,” Aboitiz and Company president and chief executive officer Erramon Aboitiz said.

The Aboitiz Group planted a total of 14,000 indigenous seedlings on 8.5 hectares located within the Veco Reforestation Park in Tabunan, Cebu City.

The reforestation project is part of PBSP's efforts to promote social development as an expression of the business sector's corporate social responsibility.

“This is one of the largest endeavors in environmental protection. And we know that we are large enough already that when we lead, others follow. So we are setting an example for others to follow,” PBSP Visayas chairman Jose Antonio Aboitiz said.

PBSP hopes that with more companies taking the lead in the conservation of the CCPL, the issue of water resources, biodiversity and poverty will be easily resolved in the next years.

“When we plant today, we are contributing to the quality of our oxygen and the air that we breathe, and we are guaranteeing some kind of better water supply for us city dwellers who abuse a lot of our resources,” PBSP's Cebu Hillyland Development Committee chairman Eileen Mangubat said.

For this year alone, PBSP garnered the participation of 3,723 volunteers from 99 institutions in reforesting 251.10 hectares. This has been the biggest reforestation caravan PBSP has organized to date.

“The very nice thing about the Cebu watersheds is that they are contiguous and that they are like the heart of the entire island. So consider this place a part of the lungs of the city, and also part of our insurance policy that we do not get typhoon Ondoy effects in Cebu,” Mangubat added.

PBSP's 2011 Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan is scheduled to commence on the third Saturday of June next year.

Group plants 14T seedlings in watershed

Group plants 14T seedlings in watershed
Sun.Star Cebu
October 27, 2010

Some 554 members of the Aboitiz Group planted 14,000 tree seedlings on the slopes of the Mananga Watershed and Forest Reserve.

"I didn't expect to plant in an actual forest. But when I came here in Tabunan for the first time, I felt excited anc challenged because finally I saw one of Cebu's forests and that this place I'm planting trees on helps protect our watersheds. This facts poses more responsibility to me," said Christian Ian Sy.

With muddied hands and a satisfied smile, Sy thanked the company for allowing him top participate in environment projects.

Sy is one of the delegates of the Aboitiz Future Leaders Summit that joined the group-wode reforestation activity of the Aboitiz Group recenty, along with the Visayan Electric Company employees and the "Race to Reduce" runners.

Commitment
The reforestation initiative was co-organized by the Philippine Business for Social Progress, which has been reforesting the Central Cebu Protected Landscape since 1989.

"Last year, the Aboitiz Group made a commitment to plant a million trees. Since then, we've expanded our ambition to roll our intention into a program that would plant three million trees up to 2010," Aboitiz & Co. president and chief executive officer Erramon Aboitiz said.

Veco continues its 1M trees project

Veco continues its 1M trees project
Sun.Star Cebu
October 20, 2010

It was another muddy but rewarding hustle with nature for close to 150 Visayan Electric Co. (Veco) team leaders, members and contractors who trooped to Sitio Sayaw, Brgy. Tabunan, Cebu City to plant 5,000 indigenous tree seedlings.

As part of its promise to plant one million trees in five years, Veco continued its series of tree planting activities in partnership with Philippine Business for Social Progress - Visayas.

The seedlings included narra, hambabalod, tagilomboy and lumbang.

Leading the group were Veco VP for administration and Customer Service Group Ricardo Lacson together with PBSP chairperson Antonio Aboitiz. The tree planting activity is a continuation of the Reforestation Park Project, which kicked off last May 2010 with the planting of 20,000 mangrove propagules. The propagules were planted within the 44-hectare mangrove area at Navforcen base in Barangay Canjulao, Lapu-Lapu City.

The project aims to reforest 540 hectares in Central Cebu Protected Landscape and 10 hectares in Mactan Island within five years. The 540 hectares will be planted with 900,180 native and fruit-bearing, flowering tree species, while the 10 hectares will be home for 100,000 mangroves.

Nestle Phils distributes books for South Cotabato school kids

Nestle Phils distributes books for South Cotabato school kids
By Danny Escabarte
PIA News Agency 
October 20, 2010

Butuan City - "Books hasten the learning process. The more we read, the more knowledge we gain and better pupils we become", says Anthony John Bercades, Grade VI student, as he received the books handed to him by Dennis Llovido, Nestle' Philippines AVP for Transport Operation and Connie Deligero, CSR Officer from Ramcar-Motolite, Inc.

With funds generated from used recycled batteries under the Balik-Baterya Program, Nestle' and Motolite purchased textbooks for school children of Teresita Elementary School and Ambalgan Elementary School all of Sto. Niño Town in South Cotabato. Both schools have a total enrolment of 209 and 572 students respectively.

As member company of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), Nestle' and Motolite has been in the forefront of addressing shortage of textbooks among target public schools in Mindanao and other parts of the country as an expression of corporate social responsibility for depressed communities. (PBSP-MRO/PIA-Caraga)

Foundation spearheads coastal, underwater cleanup in Lapu-Lapu

Foundation spearheads coastal, underwater cleanup in Lapu-Lapu
The Freeman
October 19, 2010

Our Islands Foundation, the non-profit organization of The Islands Group, organized the second "Zero Waste in Seas: An Underwater and coastal cleanup project" last September 17 to 18 in Lapu-Lapu City.

The two-day event, held in celebration of the 2010 International Coastal Cleanup, kicked off with an underwater cleanup at Punta West on the 17th which was participated in by 50 volunteer Scuba divers who collected 30 kilos of marine debris. Plastics are the most common items found, including bags, bottles and food wrappers.

On the second day, more than a hundred volunteers enlisted for the coastal cleanup held at the coastal area of Saac, Brgy. Mactan. They were able to gather 380 kilos of rubbish, from which plastics are still the most common items found.

According to Our Islands Foundaton Executive Director Chai Apale, the yearly activity has a very ambitious name yet the principle behind it is to strongly promote environmental awareness and not just simply get rid of trashes.

For this year's event, The Islands Group has partnered with other environment-conscious organizations such as Ocean Care Advocates Inc., Bigfoot Studios Inc., Cebu Yacht Club, AquaDive and ScubaDen, and sponsored by Thirsty, Worldwide Dive & Sail, Feel Deep, Ipanema, Grendha, Ocean Potion, Rider and the Philippine Business for Social Progress.

All data collected during the cleanup drives are submitted to the Ocean Conservancy, a non-profit organization that started the International Coastal Cleanup in 1985. 

PBSP invites entrepreneurs to join BiD Challenge Philippines 2010

PBSP invites entrepreneurs to join BiD Challenge Philippines 2010 
The Freeman
October 16, 2010

The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) invites all enterprising individuals with innovative business ideas to submit their proposals for the Business in Development (BiD) Challenge Philippines for 2010.

In return, winners of the competition will get the chance to be exposed to an international network of investors, experts, and business partners, receive professional feedback and assistance from business coaches, and win prize money which they can use as capital for their business ideas.

The BiD Challenge, initiated by the Netherlands-based BiD Network, is an annual international online business plan competition with participants from Africa to Latin America promoting poverty reduction through enterprise development. It aims to stimulate and support business ideas that combine profit with the improvement of living standards in the country and boost private sector development in the country by creating a platform where entrepreneurs and investors meet and interact with business executives and corporate professionals.

Participants of the BiD Challenge can receive assistance in developing solid, bankable, and complete business plans, as well as get exposure to a network oflocal and international financiers, investors, and other business contacts.

Investors, on the other hand, get exclusive access to quality small and medium-sized business plans in need of financing, while companies and non-government organizations get the opportunity to share their competence and expertise with local entrepreneurs.

Interested participants should have business financing needs equivalent to between US $10,000 and $1 million to qualify in the competition, and their respective businesses aiming to be profitable within the next three years, withgrowth potential in employees and sales of more than 30 percent per annum.

Ten of the winners will receive start-up capital, while the top two contenders will be sent overseas to join the International BiD competition.

The Dutch Nationale Commissie voor Internationale Samenwerking en Duurzame Ontwikkeling (NCDO, or the National Committee for International Cooperation andSustainable Development) initiated the BiD Challenge in 2005. The Philippines is the only country in Asia actively participating in the BiD Challenge, with the PhilippineBusiness for Social Progress (PBSP) as the local organizer of the competition since 2007.

Last year, the competition attracted more than 80 entries nationwide with winningentries including Rags2Riches, which specialized in transforming scrap fabric into bags from the designs of renowned Filipino designers Rajo Laurel and Amina Aranaz.

Interested participants to this year’s BiD Challenge have until October 30 to submit their social enterprise ideas. PBSP is particularly encouraging entrepreneurs from outside Metro Manila to submit their business plans through the BiD website at www.bidnetwork.org.

For more inquiries about the BiD Challenge, interested applicants may contact Donna P. Cariño via telephone at (02) 527.7741 loc 103/104 or via email at donnapcarino@yahoo.com.

PBSP accepts entries to online business plan tilt

PBSP accepts entries to online business plan tilt
Cebu Daily News
October 16, 2010

The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) invites individuals with innovative business ideas to submit their proposals for the Business in Development (BiD) Challenge Philippines for 2010.

The winners of the competition will be exposed to an international network of investors, experts and business partners; receive professional feedback and assistance from business coaches; and win prize money that they can use as capital for their business ideas.

The BiD Challenge is an annual international online business plan competition with participants from Africa to Latin America promoting poverty reduction through enterprise development. It aims to stimulate and support business ideas that combine profit with the improvement of living standards in the country and boost private sector development in the country by creating a platform where entrepreneurs and investors meet and interact with business executives and corporate professionals.

Participants of the BiD Challenge can receive assistance in developing solid, bankable and complete business plans as well as get exposure to a network of local and international financiers, investors and other business contacts.

Investors, on the other hand, get exclusive access to quality small and medium-sized business plans in need of financing, while companies and non-government organizations get the opportunity to share their competence and expertise with local entrepreneurs.

Interested participants should have business financing needs equivalent to between US $10,000 and $1 million to qualify in the competition. Their respective businesses should also be profitable within the next three years, with growth potential in employees and sales of more than 30 percent per annum.

Ten of the winners will receive a start-up capital, while the top two contenders will be sent overseas to join the International BiD competition.

The Dutch Nationale Commissie voor Internationale Samenwerking en Duurzame Ontwikkeling or the National Committee for International Cooperation and Sustainable Development initiated the BiD Challenge in 2005. The Philippines is the only country in Asia actively participating in the BiD Challenge, with the PBSP as the local organizer of the competition since 2007.

Last year, the competition attracted more than 80 entries nationwide with winning entries including Rags2Riches, which specialized in transforming scrap fabric into bags from the designs of renowned Filipino designers Rajo Laurel and Amina Aranaz.

Participants may submit their business plans until Oct. 30 through the BiD website at www.bidnetwork.org.

For more inquiries, please e-mail at donnapcarino@yahoo.com.

Veco workers plant trees

Veco workers plant trees
Cebu Daily News - Community Section
October 15, 2010

Close to 150 Visayasn Electric Company (Veco) team leaders, members and contractors trooped to sitio Sayaw, barangay Tabunan, Cebu City to plant 5,000 indigenous tree seedlings of narra, hambabalod, tagilomboy and lumbang.

As part of its commitment to plant one million trees in five years, Veco continued its series of tree planting activities last Sep. 25 in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) - Visayas.

The recent activity was led by Veco Vice President for Administration and Customer Service Group Ricardo Lacson and Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) regional chairman Antonio Aboitiz.

Veco's Reforestation Park project kicked off last May 2010 with the planting of 20,000 mangrove propagules at the 44-hectare mangrove and wastewater area in Naval Forces Central Base, Barangay Canjulao, Lapu-Lapu City.

The project aims to reforest within five yeasrs the 540 hectares in Central Cebu Protected Landscape in barangay Tabunan with 908,180 native and fruit bearing and flowering tree species and the 10 hectares in Mactan with 100,000 mangroves.

Top entrepreneur for 2010 named

Top entrepreneur for 2010 named 
Business World Online Edition
October 13, 2010

TENNYSON G. CHEN, President of Bounty Fresh Food Inc., was named the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 in an award banquet held last night at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

Mr. Chen was recognized for his outstanding leadership, melding innovation and quality to secure Bounty Fresh Food, Inc.’s position as one of the country’s largest and most reputable food producers.

Using advanced technology, the company revolutionized the broiler chicken production industry and pioneered many of the systems now used by the country’s poultry integrators.

Mr. Chen will represent the Philippines in the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards in Monte Carlo, Monaco in June 2011.

Mr. Chen also received the category award for Master Entrepreneur 2010. He was recognized for applying sound management practices in critical areas of the company, including finance, marketing, human resources and sales.

He maintains strong working relationships with close to 1,000 contract growers, toll feedmills, hatcheries and other partners around the country. Leading the company to the next phase of its growth, he conceptualized the Chooks to Go brand through Bounty Agroventure, Inc., BFFI’s sister company. In just two years, Chooks to Go has expanded to over 700 outlets nationwide and retails 100 million chickens a year.

Other category awards presented were for the Young Entrepreneur, Agribusiness Entrepreneur, Social Entrepreneur, Small Business Entrepreneur and Woman Entrepreneur categories.

Gabino M. Abejo, Jr., president & CEO of Abejo Builders Corporation, was presented with the Young Entrepreneur award for his accomplishments at such a young age. The award is presented to outstanding entrepreneurs below 30 years old. At 27 years old, Mr. Abejo heads the family business, which supplies the Metro Cebu Water District with up to 15,000 cubic meters of clean, safe water a day to the barangays in Talisay and Consolacion, Cebu.

Lyndon C. Tan, president of Basic Necessity, Inc., received the Agribusiness Entrepreneur award for building a company that continues to succeed despite challenges in the agribusiness industry. Through his company, Mr. Tan helped develop the local lettuce industry, helping eliminate the need for importation and reducing market prices.

Antonio P. Meloto, chairman of Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation (GK), was named Social Entrepreneur for building an organization that champions social transformation for the marginalized and the poor. With the support of volunteers and sponsors, GK has transformed poverty-stricken areas into safe and progressive GK Villages with well-built homes. It has also encouraged livelihood and self-sufficiency among GK village residents. The GK model has been replicated in other countries.

Edgar J. Sia II, chairman and CEO of Mang Inasal Philippines, Inc., was presented the Small Business Entrepreneur award for best demonstrating management excellence in a business with assets of less than P100 million. Mang Inasal fuses traditional Filipino dishes with the fast food dine-in concept. Mang Inasal started with one store in 2003 in Iloilo City. Seven years later, there are now over 250 stores and it has become the sixth largest fast food chain in the country.

Esther A. Vibal, president of Vibal Publishing House, Inc. (VPHI), received the Woman Entrepreneur award for blazing a trail in entrepreneurship, leadership and community development. Under her management, VPHI dominated the competitive textbook publishing market, accounting for over 50% of textbooks distributed to the estimated 18 million Filipino children in public elementary and secondary schools.

The recipients of the category awards were chosen from among 18 outstanding finalists from diverse industries whose businesses are situated in various regions in the country. The others finalists were Mary Joy Canon-Abaquin (Multiple Intelligence International School), Corazon Pineda-Aquino (C & Triple A Supermarket, Inc.), Paolo Benigno Aquino IV and Mark Joaquin Ruiz (MicroVentures, Inc.), Adelfa Lepura Borro (Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy), Ireneo D. Dalayon (Federation of ARB/Banana-Based Cooperatives of Davao), Junie S. Del Mundo (EON), Teodoro L. Ferrer (Generika Drugstore), Anthony T. Huang (Stores Specialists Inc.), Benjamin I. Liuson (The Generics Pharmacy Franchising Corp.), Ronald Pineda (Adenip Inc.), Remegio Salanatin (R.G. Salanatin Construction) and Annabella Santos-Wisniewski (Raintree Management Partners, Inc.).

SGV Chairman and Managing Partner and SGV Foundation Vice-Chairman Cirilo P. Noel hailed all finalists as exceptional role models to aspiring entrepreneurs. "In this seventh year of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines program, we are truly honored to share their stories of success. We admire them for staying true to their respective visions, working hard to initiate positive change and making significant contributions to the Philippine economy."

All nominees went through a strict financial data ranking system used by all Entrepreneur Of The Year participating countries. The finalists were further evaluated by an independent panel of judges composed of distinguished personalities from government and business.

The panel was chaired by former Philippine Prime Minister Cesar E. A. Virata, corporate vice-chairman of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation. Co-chair was De La Salle University President Br. Jun Erguiza. The other panel members were Securities and Exchange Commission Chairperson Fe Barin, Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Merly Cruz, SAP Philippines Country Manager Jennifer Ligones, Philippine Stock Exchange President and CEO Val Suarez, and Planters Development Chairman and President and Entrepreneur Of The Year 2009 Ambassador Jesus P. Tambunting.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year was founded in the United States by professional services firm Ernst & Young in 1986 to recognize the achievements of the most successful and innovative entrepreneurs worldwide. In 2001, Ernst & Young expanded the program and launched the World Entrepreneur Of The Year awards. In the Philippines, the SGV Foundation, Inc. established the Entrepreneur Of The Year program, in 2003.

Jollibee Foods Corporation President and CEO Tony Tan Caktiong, the first ever Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines, went on to win as World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2004 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Socorro Cancio-Ramos, founder of National Book Store, was next named Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines, followed by Lance Gokongwei, president and CEO of Cebu Air, Inc.; Senen Bacani, chairman and president of La Frutera, Inc.; Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, Jr., president and CEO of Alaska Milk Corp.; and Amb. Jesus P. Tambunting, chairman and president of Planters Development Bank.

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The Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, operating on behalf of the Air France-KLM Group in the Philippines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. Banquet sponsors are Alaska Milk Corp., Globe Business, Land Bank of the Philippines, Island Rose, Planters Development Bank, San Marino and Victorinox.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 has concluded its search for the country’s most successful and inspiring entrepreneurs. Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines is a program of the SGV Foundation, Inc. with the participation of co-presenters De La Salle University, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine Business for Social Progress, Philippine Stock Exchange and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.

Southern Leyte conducts planning workshop for municipal disaster risk reduction operators

Southern Leyte conducts planning workshop 
for municipal disaster risk reduction operators
By RG Cadavos
PIA News Agency
October 13, 2010

Maasin City, Southern Leyte - To drum up province-wide efforts in building capacity to overcome the vulnerability to different kinds of environmental hazards, the Provincial Government through Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council Chairperson Gov. Damian G. Mercado will conduct a Planning Workshop on Disaster Risk Reduction to all operators starting today, October 13-15, 2010 at Ampil Pensionne, this city.

The three-day workshop will be attended by the operators assigned in each target municipality and the city of Maasin, it was learned. This is in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), SMART Communications and the World Bank.

Participating government agencies for the said training include the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Social Welfare and Development, PAG-ASA, Department of Science and Technology, the Philippine National Police, Philippine National Red Cross, Office of Civil Defense, Bureau of Fire Protection and the Diocesan Social Action Center, a non-government organization and one representative from the media.

Earlier, Southern Leyte has launched a project, ?Strengthening Disaster Preparedness of Southern Leyte thru SMS Technology? which aims to primarily empower the Provincial Disaster Management Office and Local Government Units and beef up its capacity in helping the respective municipal disaster coordinating councils and emergency response teams to perform their functions in emergency situations particularly during disasters.

The P9.5 million disaster reduction project funded by the World Bank, will benefit at least nine municipalities throughout the province and the city of Maasin, through a web-powered and cell-phone based text messaging. This will serve as an early warning system whenever disaster may occur in the province.

The planning workshop organizers also requested municipal mayors concerned to designate one permanent DRR focal person who shall represent their municipalities in all disaster-related activities and one representative from each member-agencies mentioned earlier. (PIA-soleyte)

How Nestlé creates Shared Value with society through its business

How Nestlé creates Shared Value with society through its business 
The Philippine Star
October 11, 2010

Manila, Philippines - With serious threats to the environment like global warming, as well as social problems like poverty, illiteracy and hunger across the world, experts are calling for a paradigm shift in the way major corporations including the wealthiest multi-national companies do business. That paradigm shift involves doing business in a way that ensure profits, while at the same time contributing a solution to problems faced by society.

Such a paradigm shift was discussed at the Creating Shared Value (CSV) Forum held at the New World Hotel. The Forum was well attended, drawing members of the business community, government, aid agencies, non-governmental organizations and other sectors of society. Leading the forum was Harvard professor and social responsibility expert Mark Kramer. Kramer says the traditional view that pits society and big business against each other is detrimental to both.

Under the traditional view, corporations would look at social programs as a cost of doing business. They would do social programs as a moral obligation, to enhance their reputation, or as a way of appeasing critics and preventing protests, so they are left alone to do business. In reality, business and society are interdependent and both should work together. This interdependence is the foundation of CSV.

“Creating Shared Value means policies and practices that enhance the competitiveness of a company while simultaneously advancing economic and social conditions in the communities in which it operates,” says Kramer.

Founding philosophy
The CSV Forum was organized by Nestlé Philippines, the Asian Development Bank, the Philippine Business for Social Progress and the Asian Institute of Management RVR Center for Social Responsibility. “Nestlé wants to promote CSV in order to share its own business philosophy, which remains unchanged since it was founded 140 years ago. In fact, Nestlé was already practicing CSV even before the term itself had been invented,” says Edith de Leon, SVP and head of Nestlé Philippines’ Corporate Affairs office.

De Leon says that Henri Nestlé—a trained pharmacist—began with the simple, yet noble, desire to help a neighbor’s baby and ended up founding what would become one of the world’s top food companies.

“At the time, quite a number of infants suffered from malnutrition—and some even died—because for one reason or another, they could not take their mother’s milk. Henri Nestlé was among several people working on powdered milk as a way to help such infants. His first success on his powdered milk formula was when he saved the life of his neighbor’s baby, who nearly died because it could not digest mother’s milk,” explains de Leon.

De Leon revealed added that CSV lies at the core of the business philosophy, practices and corporate values of Nestlé as a company. She said that wherever in the world Nestlé does business, it always seeks opportunities to integrate the welfare of the communities and societies where it operates.

CSV the Nestlé way
Kramer cites Nestlé for integrating CSV in its business through its “60/40 Program”. “Since its core business is food products, Nestlé is gaining competitive advantage by its 60/40 program. Under that program, Nestlé is increasing nutrition while reducing fat, salt and sugar in thousands of food products a year—aiming for 40 percent reduction in fat, salt and sugar while retaining 60 percent customer preference over its competitors,” says Kramer.

Coffee farmers are given training free-of-charge at the Nestlé Experimental and Demonstration Farm (NEDF) in Tagum City in Davao. There, they learn to plant other cash crops alongside their coffee trees—this gives them an added source of income while waiting for the harvest season.

Coffee farmers training at the NEDF learn to use the Sustainable Agricultural Initiative (SAI) and the Coffee-Based Sustainable Farming System (CBSFS). These programs teach coffee-growing methods that improve the quantity and quality of their coffee beans—all in the most environment friendly and sustainable way.

De Leon also mentions the “Laki sa Gatas” program that provides milk and basic nutrition seminars to public school children, teachers and parents. There’s also the BOW (Business on Wheels) program that provides livelihood to its members, who earn income as micro-distributors of Nestlé products. Nestlé Philippines is also a partner of Gawad Kalinga in supporting one GK community in Malarayat.

“Through CSV Forum, Nestlé hopes to share the benefits of putting CSV into a company’s business philosophy,” De Leon says, adding that she is heartened by the positive feedback she receives from Forum participants. It gives her hope that more and more companies, government agencies and NGOs will also become catalysts for social progress through CSV.

Who will be the next Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines?

Who will be the next Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines? 
Business World - Online Edition
October 11, 2010

The seacrh for the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 concludes tomorrow night in a much-awaited awards gala at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

The search produced 19 outstanding entrepreneurs representing 18 organizations from diverse industries. "Believe" was chosen as the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 theme. To believe is at the core of every entrepreneur -- to believe in a dream; to believe in every opportunity; and to believe in the future. The finalists are all role models with the vision and determination to persevere in their ventures despite the challenges they face. Their stories can also inspire others to also consider entrepreneurship as a way to uplift the lives of Filipinos.

Mary Joy Abaquin established the non-traditional Multiple Intelligence International School, which encourages students to foster excellence in various learning areas and to use their skills to make a difference in their communities. Ms. Abaquin believes that the multiple intelligence framework promotes collaboration instead of competition and allows children to be recognized for their strength in diverse areas such as the arts, languages, music, and interpersonal relationships.

Gabino Abejo, Jr. diversified their family business from construction to bulk water production to provide clean, safe water to barangays in Talisay and Consolacion, Cebu. Abejo Builders Corp. supplies the Metro Cebu Water District with up to 15,000 cubic meters a day. It also provided communal faucets in as many as 12 to 15 areas in the barangay, making water available 24 hours a day, free of charge. This was the start of Mr. Abejo’s "Barangayan Water Project," which pegs the price of water per cubic meter at P1 lower than MCWD’s.

Adelfa Borro nurtured the family business to keep up with the times while maintaining the original flavor of Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy. From a stall in the La Paz Public Market, the company has become a full-fledged restaurant with 23 company-owned branches and 12 franchises. Focusing on product innovation and variety, the restaurant introduced other meal combinations that were well received by customers, kept competitors at bay and generated more sales for the business.

Tennyson Chen’s decision to veer from construction into the food production business paid off handsomely. Bountry Fresh Food, Inc. (BFFI) is now one of the country’s largest and most reputable food producers. Employing the most advanced industry technologies, BFFI pioneered many of the systems that are now being used by similar companies in the country. Last year, the firm won the 2009 Asian Livestock Award, the first time any Philippine company earned this regional accolade.

Ireneo Dalayon spearheaded the establishment of the Federation of ARB/Banana-Based Cooperatives of Davao (FEDCO) to help banana growers in Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur and Compostela Valley have better control of their operations and more freedom to negotiate selling prices. FEDCO serves as the umbrella organization for nearly 20 member cooperatives with around 3,600 farmers owning 5,000 hectares of land.

Junie Del Mundo spent 13 years of his professional life as a career diplomat before shifting to the private sector to put up EON. Starting as an events management company, EON expanded to include public relations, corporate communications and stakeholder relations. The firm has been accredited by the Asian Development Bank and is the only Filipino agency with a specialization in Central Asia.

Teodoro Ferrer retired at 60 yet maintains an even more hectic schedule after creating Generika Drugstore. Established at a time when branded medicine dominated the retail drugstore sector, Generika has now grown to 100 drugstores in Luzon, of which 16 are company-owned and 84 are franchise outlets. To foster growth and streamline operations, three other firms -- Actimed Distribution, Inc., Generika Franchising Services Corp. and Novelis Solutions, Inc. -- were formed to support company and franchise operations.

Anthony Huang steered Stores Specialists Inc. (SSI) to significantly expand its portfolio of the world’s lifestyle brands. SSI provided the opportunity for global brands such as Lacoste, Marks & Spencer, Gucci, Hermes and Ferragamo to have freestanding stores inside malls. The company now manages the largest network of retail outlets in the country, with 73 brands and 300 outlets in Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao.

Benjamin Liuson established The Generics Pharmacy Franchising Corporation, which has 900 franchise stores nationwide, only one of which is company-owned. Selling only generic products, the company focuses on its mission of providing Filipinos with affordable medication. In the pipeline for the company are additional product lines and more outlets in the Philippines, as well as in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam and the United States.

Antonio Meloto created opportunities for the poor through the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation (GK). His first project was to transform the poorest areas of Bagong Silang, Caloocan City into a safe neighborhood with well-built and comfortable homes. The rebirth of Camarines Sur from poverty has also been attributed to the presence of 120 GK villages and GK’s entrepreneurship programs. By 2024, GK aims to build 50,000 villages -- one in every barangay in the Philippines. The GK Village model is also being replicated in nations such as Cambodia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

From selling eggs to augment her household budget, Corazon Pineda-Aquino worked to turn C & Triple A Supermarket into the supermarkets of choice in Baguio City. C & Triple A caters to the lower income consumers, especially local sari-sari stores that purchase in bulk. Initially a sole proprietorship, C & Triple A has expanded into several corporations that operate three supermarket chains and handle supermarket marketing efforts and distribution.

Ronald Pineda was motivated by his passion for clothing and style to launch Adenip, Inc., the company behind popular local fashion brands Folded and Hung (F&H), Wade and Jellybean. Mr. Pineda collaborates closely with young, talented local designers to create the F&H signature look. He has also established strong ties with local manufacturers and suppliers to ensure the quality and affordability of F&H merchandise. From three shops, F&H has now expanded to 50 stores nationwide and 10 franchise outlets.

Mark Joaquin Ruiz and Paolo Benigno Aquino IV co-created MicroVentures, Inc. (MVI), which leverages on the Filipino sari-sari stores. Through MVI’s flagship "Hapinoy Store Program," a borrower who has top credit scores can borrow capital to convert an existing convenience store into a small Hapinoy Store or a larger Hapinoy Community Store which supports over 50 smaller stores. Recognizing that sari-sari stores are usually run by the woman of the household (nanay), the Hapinoy program focuses on increasing the nanays’ profitability.

Remegio Salanatin was teaching engineering when he was asked to help construct buildings for two big schools in Cotabato City. Putting his knowledge into practice, he founded R.G. Salanatin Construction. He developed the Design & Build construction scheme and the Easy-to-Pay terms that help lessen the financial burdens of clients. The company’s clients are mostly academic institutions, and lists among its many projects educational structures.

Edgar Sia II defied the odds when he started Mang Inasal Philippines, Inc., combining the time-tested appeal of chicken barbeque and the fast food dine-in concept. Barely a year after opening the first Mang Inasal restaurant in 2003, Mr. Sia was able to set up another branch in his native Roxas City. Now, Mang Inasal counts 260 branches nationwide of which 28 are company-owned. It has become the country’s sixth largest fastfood chain.

Lyndon Tan, through his company Basic Necessity, Inc., helped develop the local lettuce industry. Employing a self-researched program, Mr. Tan developed a method of growing world-class lettuce locally, thus eliminating the need for importation and lowering market prices. After initially catering to hotels, the company now also supplies fine dining restaurants, fastfood chains and convenience stores, and has launched a line of ready-to-eat salad products for health-conscious consumers.

Esther Vibal led Vibal Publishing House Inc. (VPHI) to dominance of the competitive textbook publishing market. VPHI has published 61 million textbooks, and accounts for over 50% of those distributed to the estimated 18 million Filipino children in public elementary and secondary schools. It has also developed and produced digital learning tools, making it the first Philippine educational publisher to produce a textbook complemented with a CD-ROM and an online site.

Annabella Wisniewski established Raintree Management Partners Inc. as an independent consulting services firm serving established hotel chains such as the Four Seasons and the Shangri-La. Raintree-managed properties attract a sizeable number of local and international tourists. She has also ventured into operations and food service. Through these ventures, she helped pioneer the full serviced-apartment concept in the Philippines, and themed food parks in corporate settings.

From among these 18 finalists, one winner will be named the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 and will represent the country at the World Entrepreneur Of The Year awards in Monte Carlo, Monaco in June 2011.

In 2003, the very first Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines award was accorded to Jollibee Foods Corporation President and CEO Tony Tan Caktiong, who went on to become the World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2004. Socorro Cancio-Ramos, founder of National Book Store, has also been named Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines, followed by Lance Gokongwei, president and CEO of Cebu Air, Inc.; Senen Bacani, chairman and president of La Frutera, Inc.; Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, Jr., president and CEO of Alaska Milk Corporation; and Ambassador Jesus Tambunting, chairman and president of Planters Development Bank.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year was founded in the US by professional services firm Ernst & Young in 1986. In 2001, Ernst & Young expanded the program and launched the World Entrepreneur Of The Year awards. Here, the SGV Foundation, Inc. established the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines program in 2003.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, operating on behalf of the Air-France KLM Group in the Philippines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is a program of the SGV Foundation, Inc. with the participation of the De La Salle University, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine Business for Social Progress, Philippine Stock Exchange and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.

Runners plant trees on Oct 16

Runners plant trees on Oct 16
The Freeman Community
October 10, 2010

Runners in the recent Aboitiz Race to Reduce Challenge: A Race to the Next Gen will have the chance to take their commitment to help save the environment a step further during the Aboitiz Group treeplanting on Oct. 16. Aboitiz Equity Ventures  is the organizer of the event.

All 2,500 runners who took part in the race held last August 22 are invited to join the treeplanting where they will each be given seedlings to plant. A total of 14,000 seedlings will be planted on 8.5 hectares of land at the VECO Reforestation Park in Sitio Sayaw, Barangay Tabunan in Cebu City. The area is part of the more than 90,000 hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape, which is the major source of water for Metro Cebu.

The planting of seedlings by the Aboitiz Race runners is part of the Aboitiz Group's efforts to not just promote a healthy lifestyle but also solidify its commitment to a healthy home for the next generation.

Runners who are interested to join the tree planting may contact Elena Carnacer at 411-1757 for the transportation arrangements.

The Aboitiz Group held its first simultaneous Group-wide tree planting nationwide on Oct. 10. It was organized after Aboitiz Power Corp. did a pioneering carbon emission inventory that showed that there is a need to plant one million trees over time to eoffser carbon emissions.

Visayas losing marine wealth

Visayas losing marine wealth
US scientist says overfishing, dynamite use spoiling the sea
By Candeze R. Mongaya
Cebu Daily News
October 10, 2010

There's no room for “later” about protecting Cebu’s rich marine life, an international scientist said.

Dr. Kent Carpenter, professor of biological sciences of the Old Dominion University in the United States and one of the pioneers in marine studies in the Philippines, yesterday encouraged participants of the Go Green Cebu Fair to protect the marine ecology from abuse.

“Because of overfishing, the Visayas can no longer say that it has the highest concentration of marine biodiversity in the country,” he said.

He cited as main causes of destruction the practices of cyanide and dynamite fishing, and muro-ami, which uses underwater weights to pound the seabed and corals to frighten fish into waiting nets.

Carpenter, who has been studying and diving in the Philippines since the 1970s, is known among environment circles for his declaration that the Philippines, particularly central Philippines or the Visayas, is “The center of the center of marine shorefish diversity” in the world, the title of his 2006 study of Philippine shores with partner Dr. Victor Springer.

“This used to be the cradle of species,” said Carpenter, who has explored diving spots all over the country.

He recalled that back in the the '70s, divers could still find many species of fish in Mactan, including whale sharks.

He explained that the Philippines is the heart of the “Coral Triangle,” a sea border connecting the Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

The Coral Triangle has 600 species of corals, 1,200 species of finfishes; 700 species of algae; 33 species of mangroves; five out of seven known species of sea turtles; and at least 24 species of crustaceans.

The 2006 study of Carpenter and Springer noted that Philippine marine biodiversity "is in trouble" from various threats to the environment. Carpenter's scientific research was endorsed by then president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo when she issued an executive order in 2006 to strengthen environment protection measures.

In his study, Carpenter noted that “special attention to marine conservation efforts in the Philippines is justified because of its identification as an epicenter of biodiversity.”

Carpenter, speaking at a two-day environment forum at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa, said the Philippines has become a leader in the destruction of coral reefs.

“This is a greedy method of stealing the future,” he said yesterday.

Carpenter also mentioned the recent controversy over a Mactan hotel's discharge of untreated wastewater into the sea, a discovery made last April by local divers who photographed what looked like a leaking sewage pipe and posted it in Facebook in late September when no government action was taken.

This prompted a cease-and-desist order to be issued by the Lapu-Lapu City government against the sewage treatment plant of the Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa.

Carpenter said the discharge could have adverse effects on the coral reefs, as the untreated wastewater could foster rapid growth of algae in the sea.

“It (the algae) will smother the corals,” Carpenter said.

Once the algae starts to spread at a faster rate than the corals, it will upset the ecological balance and cause corals and fish to slowly disappear, he said.

“There’s no reason why this should be allowed,” he said, adding that it is difficult to control the spread of algae.

Management of the Imperial Palace announced last Monday that it sealed the alleged leaking pipe over the weekend, and removed all eight of its underwater discharge pipes. They said power fluctuations caused its sewage treatment plant to malfunction, an “isolated problem” it said has been corrected with the installation of a new motor.

Results of recent water quality tests by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environment Management Bureau are due to be released this week, with results to be sent to the Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) in Manila.

Mactan's tourism industry is largely based on the presence of seaside resorts for recreational swimming, diving, snorkeling, boating and other water activities.

Carpenter yesterday encouraged local residents to be vigilant to address problems and take efforts to revive the damaged marine environment.

“When people start to care, biodiversity will come back,” he said.

He called on the business sector to focus their corporate responsibility and take the lead in this. He also acknowledged the effort of many environmental advocates who press the cause of protection and preservation of the marine environment.

“Their efforts are good, but they need to be more widespread in their advocacy,” Kent said.

He noted that the degradation of marine life is difficult to solve when practices are deeply set in the culture.

Most fisherfolk resort to illegal fishing for survival, something done for many years, he said.

“I’m just a scientist who studies things. Unfortunately, I have to leave the advocacy to more able people like Tony (Oposa),” he said, referring to the Cebuano environmental lawyer and Ramon Magsaysay awardee.

Carpenter said local people need to have the willpower to face these issues to bring it to the attention of the authorities.

Early this week, he said, while diving off Mactan, he saw a fisherman engaged in dynamite fishing.

“I was shocked,” he said about his closest firsthand experience of blast fishing.

They should be made to understand that what they’re doing is wrong and then be given alternatives, he said.

Carpenter, who is also affiliated with the International Union of Conservation of Nature, said he is working on a scientific paper on the assessment of the factors of extinction of herbivore fishes like parrot fishes and surgeon fishes in Philippine shores.

Wind, wave power not stable enough for Cebu's needs

Wind, wave power not stable enough for Cebu’s needs
By Aileen Garcia-Yap, Candeze Mongaya
Cebu Daily News
October 10, 2010

Talks about tapping alternative sources of energy like wind, sunlight and ocean waves emerged after four days of rotation brownouts again hit Metro Cebu last week.

Yesterday Metro Cebu got a respite with no power interruptions reported.

This was due to the availability of 105 megawatts from Cebu Energy Development Corp .’s two power plants said Ethel Natera of the Visayan Electric Company (Veco).

Cebu’s power supply, however, remains unsteady due to lack of reserves, maintenance shutdowns of plants and a shortfall in supply.

Sen. Miguel Zubiri urged Cebu the other day to explore alternative energy sources like wind and ocean waves.

To this, CEDC president Jesus N. Alcordo told Cebu Daily News the company, which operates coal-fired power plants, is looking into alternatives, particularly hydropower, which taps rivers.

“I understand there are areas in the Visayas that may be suitable for wind power. The problem is that with the present technology, wind power is not suitable for base load requirement. Tide is possible but we don't have studies on this yet. Our interest in renewable energy would be more on hydros,” Alcordo said.

Alcordo said a wind-diesel hybrid power plant may be viable for power requirements of Cebu rural areas in Cebu. He said he wasn’t at liberty to give other details of their next investments.

But the commercial use of wind and ocean weaves for electric power in the Philippines remains a big question.

“This is not reachable for Cebu yet,” said Jose Antonio Aboitiz, president of Ocean Care Advocates and the Philippine Business for Social Progresss in the Visayas.

“”We have to prove that our wind and tide power would be enough to sustain the energy requeirements.”

He said the problem with this type of renewable energy is that it’s difficult to store. So when it runs out of power, one would still need the support of coal-fired power plants.

“And that will be more expensive,” he said, unless consumers don’t mind paying higher bills.

“But it’s definitely something that should be looked into.

Regional director Engr. Antonio Labios of the Department of Energy said there are potential areas for wind energy in Cebu, especially in Carmen, Alcoy and Boljoon but further study is needed for at least one year to establish the wind patterns, strength and duration throughout the year.

“A few years ago a German company named Cammon Wind Energy was interested in developing a wind farm in Boljoon and Oslob area but I was not able to follow it's status yet,” Labios said.

Local environmentalists support proposals to tap wind and tide power in Cebu.

Gloria Estenzo Ramos, of the Philippine Earth Justice Center Inc (PEJC), said the challenge of Senator Zubiri for private corporations to develop renewable sources of energy had many advantages.

“Renewable energy sources will give us clean air and would reduce emission of green house gases” Ramos said.

According to her, a wind power mapping done on the Philippines by the USAID last year showed tremendous power potential from wind in Cebu.

Ramos said the study was sent to local and provincial government but didn’t move from there.

Vince Cinchez, Fishefolk Development Center Inc. (FIDEC) executive director for Central Visayas, said they also support the proposal.

With brownouts still a possibility during the Oct. 25 barangay elections, local lawmakers said everyone must be prepared.

Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez said companies should use their generators sets on election day to reduce power load.

He also said flashlights should be brought to pollings precincts in preparation for possible power interruptions.

“Although the elections are manual, there is still a need to prepare flashlights,” he said.

Cebu's 4th district Rep. Benhur Salimbangon said power interruptions are inevitable.

“We should be ready for brownouts. If and when power plants bog down, there would be power interruptions. We have to cross our fingers,” he said.

Popwer utility firms in Cebu have made no assurance of a steady power supply on election day.

Although power supply is enough, they fear that some power plants might bog down on election day.

Senior Supt. Erson Digal, Cebu Provincial Police Office director, also directed all policemen to bring flashlights on election day.

“They are securing polling places. In case of a brownout, they should have flashlights with them to light up the area,” Digal said./WITH ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL

Shift to renewable energy expensive but return of investment expected

Shift to renewable energy expensive but return of investment expected 
By Bernadette Parco
Sun.Star Cebu
October 9, 2010

Investors are assured of a return on investment if they shift to using renewable sources of energy, said Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri.

“Businessmen have to keep an open mind; their focus is a five-year return of investment,” he told reporters.

He said investing in renewable energy is expensive but return on investment is expected in 10 years.

“It is expensive. Installation costs (of renewable energy) - initially - are real high,” said Zubiri, the main author of Republic Act 9513, or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008.

He said in the long run, renewable energy brings more profit than coal.

Zubiri pointed to incentives for business investing in renewable energy such as tax holidays and tax rebates.

He said data from the Department of Energy showed there are over 50 applicants for
renewable energy in the country.

“We are talking about billions of dollars in run-off water power plants and geothermal power plants,” he said.

Green energy

There are rich local sources of green energy in the country, particularly in the Visayas.

“Dumaguete City and the tip of the island of Cebu have a high wind gradient. These are top areas for wind turbines that can also be used for eco-tourism later on. We also know the potential of solar energy in the country since we have that all year round,” he said.

“The Aboitiz Group is a frontrunner in run-off river power that could provide 200 megawatts in the next two years,” he said.

Zubiri also said the country is the second largest geothermal energy producer in the world.

“We can be a renewable energy powerhouse,” he said.

Zubiri said the shift to renewable energy is part of climate change mitigation projects.

“With wind energy, there is zero methane, zero carbon dioxide. In the long term with coal-fired power plants, there will be respiratory disease, and contributions to climate change,” he said.

Protect Mactan marine life – WWF

Protect Mactan marine life – WWF
By Candeze R. Mongaya
Cebu Daily News
October 9, 2010

Communal partnership is the best way to protect Mactan’s marine life.

Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan, president and chief executive officer of the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) Philippines, said busines, government and private sector stakeholders should come together and make an environmetnal protocol that all parties observe.

“The problem with local government units and stakeholders is the lack of communication and understanding with the policy-making body,” said Tan at the sidelines of the Go Green Cebu Fair at Shangri-La Mactan, where he was a forum speaker.

In a separate interview, Tan said he was outraged by the discovery in Mactan where a sewage pipe of the Imperial Palace Water Park and Spa, was found discharging untreated wastewater into the sea.

He said one of the hindrances of enforcing environmental laws like the Solid Waste Management Act and the Clean Water Act is the lack of familiarity with legal requirements.

Tan said local divers and fisherfolk should be familiar with environment laws because they know the area best and can spot violations.

“Now is the time to accept that government cannot do this alone,” he said.

If the private sector is involved, there’s a better chance that agreements can be sustained beyond the three-year term of local government officials.

The discovery by local divers in April led to the issuance of a cease-and-desist order by the Lapu-Lapu city government against the hotel’s sewage treatment plant.

The hotel last Monday said it sealed the underwater pipe over the weekend and removed all eight discharge pipes. Water quality tests by the DENR are ongoing.

Tan said the WWF had no plans of organizing a protest over the hotel's act. “We’re always interested in building consensus and collective decision making,” he said.

However, he said local authorities should mete sanctions against violators who destroy marine life in Mactan, where tourism is a major enterprise.

“We shouldn’t care what their nationalities are. If they break the law, throw them in jail.”

Snow caps disappearing

Snow caps disappearing
'Global warming ruined mountains'
Cebu Daily News
October 9, 2010

The reality of global warming could be seen clearly along the trails of the peak of Mt. Everest, according to two-time Everest climber Khoo Swee Chiow.

"The effects of global warming are much bigger than what you see in the newspaper. There are many things that are not reported," Khoo Swee Chiow told close to 200 participants in the Go Green conference at the Shangri-la's Mactan Island Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City.

He showed photos of his mountain expeditions at the North and South Poles, Mt. Everest and Mt. Kilimanjaro among others; and his cycling and swimming adventures which include his 88-day first traverse if the Philippine archipelago on a kayak last year.

In these photos, Chiow  has documented how garbage in all forms is left on the base camps and areas around Mt. Everest, which he first climbed in 1998. He climbed the 8.8-meter peak for the second time in 2006.

The motivational speaker, who quit his career in information technology to pursue his dream of climbing mountains and swimming seas 10 years ago, said man's abuse of the environment could be seen in these areas, where reaching the peak overshadows the impact of the climb to the surrounding environment.

"There is litter all the way from the base camp to the top. Everything in Everest is frozen. Nothing is decomposed. There are 200 dead bodies buried under the snow because they are impossible to remove. This is the truth in Everest," he said.

Chiow was one of the speakers of the two-day environmental conference which aims to gather individuals and organizations from the academe, corporate and government sectors to open discussion on environmental conservation and preservation.

Showing before-and-after photo of the Mt. Kilimanjaro peak, Chiow said snow caps are slowly disappearing, a proof that the earth is getting warmer. He first climbed Africa's highest peak in 1994. He reached the peak for the second time two weeks ago.

"This is an important peak because here, scientists measure fast the glaciers that are disappearing. As per my recent visit two weeks ago, the glacier has shrunk so much," he said.

Chiow considered this alarming since the melting of the glaciers would fill up glacial lakes that would overflow, burst and flood neighbouring communities. He said this incident has already happened at the Himalayas region.

'Race to Reduce' runners to plant trees on Oct. 16

‘Race to Reduce’ runners to plant trees on Oct. 16
Cebu Daily News
October 9, 2010

The 2,500 runners in the recent “Aboitiz Race to Reduce Challenge: A Race for the Next Gen” are invited to join the Aboitiz Group's tree planting activity on Oct. 16, which will be held at the Visayan Electric Company (Veco) Reforestation Park in sitio Sayaw, barangay Tabunan, Cebu City.

The Veco reforestation park, which has an area of 8.5 hectares, is part of the more than 90,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape, which is the major source of water for Metro Cebu.

A total of 14,000 seedlings will be planted in the area. The tree planting activity is Aboitiz Group’s effort to promote a healthy lifestyle among the “race to reduce” runners and solidify its commitment to leave healthy homes for the next generation. The activity is organized by the Aboitiz Group’s Aboitiz Equity Ventures.

Runners interested to join may contact Elena Carnacer at 4111757.