Aquino cites business foundation's role in uplifting lives of the poor
U.S. News Agency
January 27, 2011
President Benigno S. Aquino III thanked all the officers and members of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) for their social commitment and active participation in creating a meaningful social change and embracing the idea of true corporate social responsibility in uplifting the lives of the marginalized sectors.
Addressing the 40th annual membership meeting and foundation day celebrations of the PBSP with the theme: “Celebrating 40 Years of the Great Philippine Merger for Social Development,” the President hailed its officers and members for their continued assistance to provide relief and seek solutions to reduce, if not eliminate, the long-decade problem of poverty.
“To the Philippine Business for Social Progress, thank you for proving me right. Thank you for your social commitment and for actively participating in uplifting the lives of the vulnerable sectors of our society,” the Chief Executive said in his speech at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City.
The President noted that the PBSP is very important for him because he worked in the organization after the assassination of his late father, Senator Benigno Aquino Jr.
“PBSP was not naive. PBSP took a realistic view of what needed to be done to accomplish its goal. It took the discipline that you need to run a corporation and to apply that discipline to the projects to various disadvantage communities,” he said.
The President pointed out that PBSP responded without hesitation when he called upon all Filipinos in his first State of the Nation Address in July last year to make a commitment and participate in the fight to reduce poverty in the country.
As a private sector, he said, PBSP plays a vital role on his call not just as an economic driver but also as catalyst for positive changes in the lives of the Filipinos.
In exchange for their continued partnership to the government, the President assured them that his administration “will continue to operate under the banner of transparency and accountability, under daylight, under the guidance of his parents that gave birth to the freedom and democracy that our people currently enjoy.”
Meanwhile, Manny Pangilinan, PLDT chair and PBSP chairman of the board of trustees, presented to the President the organization’s symbolic renewal of commitment and support to the administration’s development agenda.
Afterwards, the President presented the plaques of recognition to the pioneer members of PBSP, namely: Washington Sycip of the accounting firm SGV, Sixto Roxas III, Jose M. Soriano Jr. of Atlas Consolidated Mining, and Don Emilio Abello (posthumous) of Meralco.
The President also presented plaques of recognition for active service to Ambassador Bienvenido Tan Jr. of Philippine Tobacco and Modern Glass, and Ma. Luisa Perez-Rubio, respectively.
The recognition in creating impact to uplift the lives of the Filipinos was given to Angelo King Foundation for the 200th building they built.
PBSP, the country’s oldest and largest business group into social development, is a pioneer in Asia as a corporate-driven development foundation. Since its establishment in 1970, PBSP has been involved in corporate citizenship and social responsibility practices.
In the past 40 years of existence, PBSP has raised P5.2 billion, benefited 6.4 million Filipinos, and assisted over 6,500 social development projects such as in education, health, sustainable livelihood and micro, small and medium enterprise development, farmland area resource and coastal resource management, disaster coordination and risk reduction and caring for the rainforests and watersheds.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Citibank donates school chairs to Davao schools
Citibank donates school chairs to Davao schools
By Mai Gevera
Philippine Information Agency
January 27, 2011
DAVAO CITY, Jan. 27 (PIA)--- Two public schools in Davao City get 321 chairs each from Citibank/Citigroup as its way of helping the Department of Education (DepEd) fill in gaps in school equipment.
Matina Aplaya Elementary School and A. Mabini National High School in Davao City have been chosen as recipients of school chairs from Citibank.
Matina Aplaya Elementary School needs 410 school chairs with only 575 serviceable chairs at the moment. The school caters mostly indigenous children belonging to the Sama Badjau tribe who resides in the shoreline area of Matina Aplaya. Presently, the school has a total enrolment of 1,223 students and are being served by 33 teaching personnel.
Most of the students enrolled at Apolinario Mabini National High School (AMNHS) belong to poor families whose livelihood ranges from construction workers, laborers, vendors, drivers, and some are employed as workers in public and private offices.
Presently, the school has a total enrolment of 1,347 students being served by 34 teaching personnel. With 23 classrooms, AMNHS has 1,072 school chairs to meet the seating needs of the students.
Investing in educational infrastructure, Citigroup has chosen to invest in the children’s future. Citigroup’s history in the Philippines dates back to 1902 when the International Banking Corporation established a branch in Manila and another one in Cebu in 1904.
One of the largest foreign commercial bank in the country in terms of customers, assets, revenues, employees and domestic franchises, Citigroup has been consistently ranked as among the top commercial banks in the Philippines.
The company has been involved in various corporate endeavors since becoming a member of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) in 1971, mostly in education. Livelihood, community development, micro credit, health, social services, culture and arts.
PBSP is a private non-profit foundation dedicated to promoting the business sector’s commitment to social development. Organized in December 1970 by 50 of the country’s prominent business leaders, PBSP has since grown to become the nation’s largest business-led social development foundation. (PIA XI/Mai Gevera)
By Mai Gevera
Philippine Information Agency
January 27, 2011
DAVAO CITY, Jan. 27 (PIA)--- Two public schools in Davao City get 321 chairs each from Citibank/Citigroup as its way of helping the Department of Education (DepEd) fill in gaps in school equipment.
Matina Aplaya Elementary School and A. Mabini National High School in Davao City have been chosen as recipients of school chairs from Citibank.
Matina Aplaya Elementary School needs 410 school chairs with only 575 serviceable chairs at the moment. The school caters mostly indigenous children belonging to the Sama Badjau tribe who resides in the shoreline area of Matina Aplaya. Presently, the school has a total enrolment of 1,223 students and are being served by 33 teaching personnel.
Most of the students enrolled at Apolinario Mabini National High School (AMNHS) belong to poor families whose livelihood ranges from construction workers, laborers, vendors, drivers, and some are employed as workers in public and private offices.
Presently, the school has a total enrolment of 1,347 students being served by 34 teaching personnel. With 23 classrooms, AMNHS has 1,072 school chairs to meet the seating needs of the students.
Investing in educational infrastructure, Citigroup has chosen to invest in the children’s future. Citigroup’s history in the Philippines dates back to 1902 when the International Banking Corporation established a branch in Manila and another one in Cebu in 1904.
One of the largest foreign commercial bank in the country in terms of customers, assets, revenues, employees and domestic franchises, Citigroup has been consistently ranked as among the top commercial banks in the Philippines.
The company has been involved in various corporate endeavors since becoming a member of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) in 1971, mostly in education. Livelihood, community development, micro credit, health, social services, culture and arts.
PBSP is a private non-profit foundation dedicated to promoting the business sector’s commitment to social development. Organized in December 1970 by 50 of the country’s prominent business leaders, PBSP has since grown to become the nation’s largest business-led social development foundation. (PIA XI/Mai Gevera)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Pangilinan shelves plan to acquire broadsheet for now
Pangilinan shelves plan to acquire broadsheet for now
By Paolo Montecillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 26, 2011
MANILA, Philippines -- Business executive Manuel V. Pangilinan has shelved plans to acquire a controlling stake in the daily broadsheet Philippine Star for now as his group focuses his energies on growing other media assets.
Speaking at the sidelines of the Philippine Business for Social Progress’ (PBSP) 40th anniversary celebration in Makati on Tuesday, Pangilinan said talks with the Philippine Star have been put on hold for now.
“We’re not looking at it at the moment,” he told reporters when asked if the group would still push through with the deal.
In 2009, Pangilinan was reportedly planning to buy an 87.5-percent stake in the Philippine Star Group, which runs the country’s second most-read broadsheet.
Owned and published by Philstar Daily Inc., the Philippine Star group was founded in 1986 by veteran journalists Max Soliven, Betty Go-Belmonte and Art Borjal.
Pangilinan, in his private capacity, has long been a minority stockholder in Philippine Star, holding about 10 percent.
The deal was reportedly worth P4.8 billion, but never pushed through. Instead Pangilinan-led Associated Broadcasting Corp. (ABC) television network chose to acquire a 10-percent stake in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the country’s leading English broadsheet.
ABC, which runs television station TV5, is owned by the group’s media investment arm, MediaQuest Holdings—a subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) Beneficial Trust Fund.
The group aims to turn TV5 into the country’s leading television station in five years’ time. To do this, the company is expected to spend as much as P10 billion to improve its facilities and expand its reach.
Aside from ABC, MediaQuest also owns National Broadcasting Corp., Cignal Digital TV and a minority stake in BusinessWorld Publishing Corp.
Pangilinan is the chairman of PLDT, which is owned by Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd. together with Japan’s NTT DoCoMo.
Pangilinan also chairs First Pacific unit Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), which has interests in local industries such as infrastructure, healthcare, power distribution and generation.
By Paolo Montecillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 26, 2011
MANILA, Philippines -- Business executive Manuel V. Pangilinan has shelved plans to acquire a controlling stake in the daily broadsheet Philippine Star for now as his group focuses his energies on growing other media assets.
Speaking at the sidelines of the Philippine Business for Social Progress’ (PBSP) 40th anniversary celebration in Makati on Tuesday, Pangilinan said talks with the Philippine Star have been put on hold for now.
“We’re not looking at it at the moment,” he told reporters when asked if the group would still push through with the deal.
In 2009, Pangilinan was reportedly planning to buy an 87.5-percent stake in the Philippine Star Group, which runs the country’s second most-read broadsheet.
Owned and published by Philstar Daily Inc., the Philippine Star group was founded in 1986 by veteran journalists Max Soliven, Betty Go-Belmonte and Art Borjal.
Pangilinan, in his private capacity, has long been a minority stockholder in Philippine Star, holding about 10 percent.
The deal was reportedly worth P4.8 billion, but never pushed through. Instead Pangilinan-led Associated Broadcasting Corp. (ABC) television network chose to acquire a 10-percent stake in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the country’s leading English broadsheet.
ABC, which runs television station TV5, is owned by the group’s media investment arm, MediaQuest Holdings—a subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) Beneficial Trust Fund.
The group aims to turn TV5 into the country’s leading television station in five years’ time. To do this, the company is expected to spend as much as P10 billion to improve its facilities and expand its reach.
Aside from ABC, MediaQuest also owns National Broadcasting Corp., Cignal Digital TV and a minority stake in BusinessWorld Publishing Corp.
Pangilinan is the chairman of PLDT, which is owned by Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd. together with Japan’s NTT DoCoMo.
Pangilinan also chairs First Pacific unit Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), which has interests in local industries such as infrastructure, healthcare, power distribution and generation.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Business united for 10,000 Bohol farmers
Business united for 10,000 Bohol farmers
PBSP and Angelo King Foundation turn over
technology center to BIDEF for sustainable agriculture
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) came in full force once again as three large organizations strengthened their involvement in helping more than 10,000 Bohol marginal farmers improve their income and productivity.
This January, Angelo King Foundation, Inc. (AKFI) and Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) with the Bohol Integrated Development Foundation, Inc. (BIDEF) and the Province of Bohol turned over a multi-purpose building that will serve as training center on sustainable agricultural production.
The turnover was attended by PBSP Executive Director Rafael Lopa, AKFI Board of Trustee Joaquin Sy, Provincial LGU Affairs Coordinator Reynaldo Gacayan and BIDEF President Fr. Victor Bompat at Brgy. Malitbog, Dagohoy, Bohol.
Local officials, BIDEF board of trustees, cooperatives and beneficiary farmers also attended the event.
The BIDEF Technology and Livelihood Center will assist farmers by providing them with the technology on organic farming technology, specifically the practice of vermiculture which the provincial government is also pushing for.
At present, PBSP, in partnership with BIDEF, has implemented programs and projects for the marginal farmers in the municipalities of Carmen, Dagohoy, San Miguel, Danao, and Trinidad. With the new center established, these programs will be expanded to other adjacent and rice-producing municipalities such as Pilar, Sierra Bullones, Batuan, Bilar, and Loboc for three years.
In his speech, Sy said that the turnover of the center serves as testimony to what public service can contribute for the development of the country.
“We believe that through our simple and humble collaboration, we can empower people and transform lives and together, we shall promote and nurture partnerships by sharing growth and prosperity at the local level,” he added.
For 20 years, AKFI has partnered with PBSP, which has put together 204 MPCs all over the country. In Bohol, 10 multi-purpose centers have already been established by AKFI through PBSP in the province of Bohol.
Sy added that AKFI committed to provide additional assistance to establish more multi-purpose centers this year.
For his part, Lopa said: “Napakahalaga pong hanapin natin ang ating kanya-kanyang mga role sa pagbabagong dapat mangyari dito sa ating bayan. Kaya sa amin, napakahalaga nitong mga partnership na ganito para mas makarating ang benepisyo sa mas maraming kababayan natin.”
Public-private partnerships
Forging partnerships with local organizations is an ideal way of getting the business sector more involved in the reduction of poverty in the country, Lopa said.
PBSP is the first of its kind in Asia that strongly promotes of corporate citizenship. It operates nationwide, with programs in education, health, sustainable livelihood, micro, small and medium enterprise development, and the environment implemented with partners and communities as empowered players in development.
One of PBSP’s major thrusts is poverty reduction, which is also closely corresponds to the development
thrust of the provincial government, specifically its HEAT Bohol Program.
“It’s PBSP’s vision to bring the business sector together with the communities in all over the country,” he added.
Lopa cited that for the past 40 years, the business sector through PBSP has rolled out PhP 5.2 billion worth of projects all over the country with 5.1 million beneficiaries. This contribution was made possible with the partnership of PBSP to other local organizations.
In the Visayas, PBSP is reaching out to the poverty groups such as small lowland farmers, marginal upland farmers, sustenance fisherfolk, urban poor and disadvantaged sectors such as children and youth. For Bohol, PBSP has been partnering with BIDEF and the Province of Bohol for its flagship programs on poverty reduction.
In behalf of Gov. Chatto, Gacayan extended his gratitude to AKFI and PBSP for assisting the government in its poverty reduction efforts.
“We understand that these people have better dispositions in life, and yet these people are here to help the farmers of Malitbog. Ampingan ni namo ang gihatag sa PBSP ug Angelo King, and we hope that you will continue to assist the provincial government in helping the Boholanos”, he said.
“This is an opportunity to help out what basically is a new spirit of people wanting to do something, of people wanting change. This is what we can do to really help not only the government and the president but also the country as a whole,” Lopa shared.
PBSP and Angelo King Foundation turn over
technology center to BIDEF for sustainable agriculture
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) came in full force once again as three large organizations strengthened their involvement in helping more than 10,000 Bohol marginal farmers improve their income and productivity.
This January, Angelo King Foundation, Inc. (AKFI) and Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) with the Bohol Integrated Development Foundation, Inc. (BIDEF) and the Province of Bohol turned over a multi-purpose building that will serve as training center on sustainable agricultural production.
The turnover was attended by PBSP Executive Director Rafael Lopa, AKFI Board of Trustee Joaquin Sy, Provincial LGU Affairs Coordinator Reynaldo Gacayan and BIDEF President Fr. Victor Bompat at Brgy. Malitbog, Dagohoy, Bohol.
Local officials, BIDEF board of trustees, cooperatives and beneficiary farmers also attended the event.
The BIDEF Technology and Livelihood Center will assist farmers by providing them with the technology on organic farming technology, specifically the practice of vermiculture which the provincial government is also pushing for.
At present, PBSP, in partnership with BIDEF, has implemented programs and projects for the marginal farmers in the municipalities of Carmen, Dagohoy, San Miguel, Danao, and Trinidad. With the new center established, these programs will be expanded to other adjacent and rice-producing municipalities such as Pilar, Sierra Bullones, Batuan, Bilar, and Loboc for three years.In his speech, Sy said that the turnover of the center serves as testimony to what public service can contribute for the development of the country.
“We believe that through our simple and humble collaboration, we can empower people and transform lives and together, we shall promote and nurture partnerships by sharing growth and prosperity at the local level,” he added.
For 20 years, AKFI has partnered with PBSP, which has put together 204 MPCs all over the country. In Bohol, 10 multi-purpose centers have already been established by AKFI through PBSP in the province of Bohol.
Sy added that AKFI committed to provide additional assistance to establish more multi-purpose centers this year.
For his part, Lopa said: “Napakahalaga pong hanapin natin ang ating kanya-kanyang mga role sa pagbabagong dapat mangyari dito sa ating bayan. Kaya sa amin, napakahalaga nitong mga partnership na ganito para mas makarating ang benepisyo sa mas maraming kababayan natin.”
Public-private partnerships
Forging partnerships with local organizations is an ideal way of getting the business sector more involved in the reduction of poverty in the country, Lopa said.
PBSP is the first of its kind in Asia that strongly promotes of corporate citizenship. It operates nationwide, with programs in education, health, sustainable livelihood, micro, small and medium enterprise development, and the environment implemented with partners and communities as empowered players in development.
One of PBSP’s major thrusts is poverty reduction, which is also closely corresponds to the development
thrust of the provincial government, specifically its HEAT Bohol Program.“It’s PBSP’s vision to bring the business sector together with the communities in all over the country,” he added.
Lopa cited that for the past 40 years, the business sector through PBSP has rolled out PhP 5.2 billion worth of projects all over the country with 5.1 million beneficiaries. This contribution was made possible with the partnership of PBSP to other local organizations.
In the Visayas, PBSP is reaching out to the poverty groups such as small lowland farmers, marginal upland farmers, sustenance fisherfolk, urban poor and disadvantaged sectors such as children and youth. For Bohol, PBSP has been partnering with BIDEF and the Province of Bohol for its flagship programs on poverty reduction.
In behalf of Gov. Chatto, Gacayan extended his gratitude to AKFI and PBSP for assisting the government in its poverty reduction efforts.
“We understand that these people have better dispositions in life, and yet these people are here to help the farmers of Malitbog. Ampingan ni namo ang gihatag sa PBSP ug Angelo King, and we hope that you will continue to assist the provincial government in helping the Boholanos”, he said.
“This is an opportunity to help out what basically is a new spirit of people wanting to do something, of people wanting change. This is what we can do to really help not only the government and the president but also the country as a whole,” Lopa shared.
Friday, January 21, 2011
PBSP turns over learning centers to public schools
PBSP turns over learning centers to public schools
Philippine News Agency
January 16, 2010
The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), in partnership with Angelo King Foundation Inc. (AKFI), had just turned over the Technology and Livelihood Center to the Bohol Integrated Development Foundation Inc. (BIDEF) for their beneficiaries in Barangay Malitbog, Dagohoy.
PBSP Program Coordinator for Bohol Aurelio Salgados Jr. said AKFI’s assistance is intended to improve the productivity and income of the marginal farmers of Bohol.
Salgados said AKFI anchors their programs on the adage “give someone fish and you feed him for a day but teach someone to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”.
A total of 10 multi-purpose centers have already been established by AKFI through PBSP in the province of Bohol, said Salgados.
AKFI committed to provide additional assistance to establish more multi-purpose centers this year.
Fr. Victor Bompat, president of BIDEF, officiated the blessing of the technology center, while the turn-over ceremony was attended by AFI president Teddy Kingsu, AFI Board of Trustees member Joaquin Sy, PBSP Executive Director Rafael Lopa.
Governor Edgar Chatto was represented by LGU Affairs Coordinator Dodong Gacayan.
Local officials, BIDEF BOT, cooperatives and beneficiary farmers also attended the event.
The guests in the turn-over ceremony included Evelyn Del Rosario, senior manager for Community Relations and Public Affairs; Noly Cayabyab, CSR head of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation; Emmanule Ragaza of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation; PBSP Executive Director Rafael Lopa; Jessie Cubijano, OIC of PBSP Visayas Regional Office; and Salgados.
One of PBSP’s major thrusts is poverty reduction which is aligned with the development thrust of the provincial government.
It is a way of implementing PBSPs vision of leading the business sector and get them involved in the reduction of poverty in the country, embedding the principle of Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
In the Visayas, PBSP is reaching out to the poverty groups such as small lowland farmers, marginal upland farmers, sustenance fisherfolk, urban poor and disadvantaged sectors such as children and youth.
PBSP also identified the provinces of Cebu, Samar, Iloilo and Bohol as priority areas for development interventions.
These provinces will implement flagship programs on sustainable livelihood and enterprise development, education, health and environment protection.
PBSP also aligns its development framework with the provincial government’s HEAT Bohol.
PBSP has been helping the province of Bohol since 1990s through its Bohol Area Resource Management Program (Bohol ARM).
At present, PBSP pursues programs and projects in the municipalities of Carmen, Dagohoy, San Miguel, Danao, and Trinidad.
It will be expanded to the other adjacent and rice-producing municipalities of Pilar, Sierra Bullones, Batuan, Bilar, and Loboc.
Philippine News Agency
January 16, 2010
The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), in partnership with Angelo King Foundation Inc. (AKFI), had just turned over the Technology and Livelihood Center to the Bohol Integrated Development Foundation Inc. (BIDEF) for their beneficiaries in Barangay Malitbog, Dagohoy.
PBSP Program Coordinator for Bohol Aurelio Salgados Jr. said AKFI’s assistance is intended to improve the productivity and income of the marginal farmers of Bohol.
Salgados said AKFI anchors their programs on the adage “give someone fish and you feed him for a day but teach someone to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”.
A total of 10 multi-purpose centers have already been established by AKFI through PBSP in the province of Bohol, said Salgados.
AKFI committed to provide additional assistance to establish more multi-purpose centers this year.
Fr. Victor Bompat, president of BIDEF, officiated the blessing of the technology center, while the turn-over ceremony was attended by AFI president Teddy Kingsu, AFI Board of Trustees member Joaquin Sy, PBSP Executive Director Rafael Lopa.
Governor Edgar Chatto was represented by LGU Affairs Coordinator Dodong Gacayan.
Local officials, BIDEF BOT, cooperatives and beneficiary farmers also attended the event.
The guests in the turn-over ceremony included Evelyn Del Rosario, senior manager for Community Relations and Public Affairs; Noly Cayabyab, CSR head of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation; Emmanule Ragaza of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation; PBSP Executive Director Rafael Lopa; Jessie Cubijano, OIC of PBSP Visayas Regional Office; and Salgados.
One of PBSP’s major thrusts is poverty reduction which is aligned with the development thrust of the provincial government.
It is a way of implementing PBSPs vision of leading the business sector and get them involved in the reduction of poverty in the country, embedding the principle of Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
In the Visayas, PBSP is reaching out to the poverty groups such as small lowland farmers, marginal upland farmers, sustenance fisherfolk, urban poor and disadvantaged sectors such as children and youth.
PBSP also identified the provinces of Cebu, Samar, Iloilo and Bohol as priority areas for development interventions.
These provinces will implement flagship programs on sustainable livelihood and enterprise development, education, health and environment protection.
PBSP also aligns its development framework with the provincial government’s HEAT Bohol.
PBSP has been helping the province of Bohol since 1990s through its Bohol Area Resource Management Program (Bohol ARM).
At present, PBSP pursues programs and projects in the municipalities of Carmen, Dagohoy, San Miguel, Danao, and Trinidad.
It will be expanded to the other adjacent and rice-producing municipalities of Pilar, Sierra Bullones, Batuan, Bilar, and Loboc.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
PNoy to grace PBSP's 40th gala
PNoy to grace PBSP's 40th gala
By Jose Rodel Clapano
The Philippine Star
January 18, 2011
MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino will grace the 40th anniversary gala dinner of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), whose members include the country’s top corporate leaders and chief executive officers, in Makati on Jan. 25.
PBSP media relations officer Mitchel Confesor said the gala event will topbill chairpersons and CEOs of more than 200 PBSP member-companies all over the country and members from the international donor community.
Confesor said PBSP chairman Manny Pangilinan will lead four other trustees in presenting the symbolic renewal to Aquino on their commitment to the national development agenda, primarily in PBSP’s four pillars or key areas.
“The four trustees will act as the PBSP board champions of the four focus areas of health, education, livelihood and enterprise development, and the environment. PBSP, the nation’s oldest and largest business group into social development, is the first of its kind in Asia as a corporate-driven development foundation. Since 1970, PBSP has been the country’s pioneer in corporate citizenship and social responsibility practices,” she said.
Confesor said for four decades, the PBSP was able to deliver more than 6,400 projects worth a total P5.2 billion, benefiting and uplifting the lives of at least 5.1 million Filipinos.
She added that in the past 40 years, PBSP has been at the forefront of poverty reduction initiatives as well as social development programs on health, primarily on tuberculosis, and on basic education, particularly in facilitating the provision of textbooks, tables and armchairs, and school buildings.
“Other PBSP initiatives have included programs on small business advisory and livelihood enterprise development as well as on the environment, including farmland area resource and coastal resource management, disaster coordination and risk reduction, and caring for the rainforests and watersheds.”
Confesor also cited that between 2009 and 2010, PBSP’s corporate membership contribution alone grew as much as 46 percent.
She said the PBSP is the recipient of over 43 million euros or more than P2.5 billion from the Global Fund to fight tuberculosis in the country.
The PBSP is set to honor during the Jan. 25 gala its pioneers, namely Washington Sycip, Sixto Roxas III and Ambassadors Howard Dee, Jose M. Soriano and Emilio Abello Sr. (posthumous), considered the father of green energy in the country.
Ma. Luisa Perez-Rubio and Amb. Bienvenido Tan Jr. will be recognized for their active service, while Angelo King will be feted with an audio-visual tribute.
Among those who pioneered PBSP in 1970 were Sycip of accounting firm SGV, Roxas, Andres Soriano Jr. of San Miguel Corp., Soriano of Atlas Consolidated Mining, Dee of pharmaceutical firm United Laboratories, Bienvenido Tan Jr. of Philippine Tobacco and Modern Glass and Abello of Manila Electric Co.
Another PBSP pioneer in 1970 was Shell Philippines executive Luzio Mazzei, the Venezuelan national who was crucial in arranging an exchange visit between Philippine business leaders and the head of the Venezuelan foundation Dividendo Voluntario para la Comunidad, which became the model for PBSP.
After the PBSP pioneers’ visit to Venezuela, the executive director of Dividendo was invited to the Philippines to share his knowledge and expertise.
PBSP pioneers, inspired by the 1963 Dividendo model from a group of Venezuelan industrialists, would later adopt the member contribution of one percent of business income before tax for programs on corporate social responsibility.
Under the plan, member companies would pledge one percent of their net income before tax for social development work. Of this, 60 percent would be given to the foundation and the remaining 40 percent they would retain for their own social development activities.
Within PBSP’s first year alone, member-companies increased from 50 to 137. By mid-2010, PBSP peaked at a membership of 263.
By Jose Rodel Clapano
The Philippine Star
January 18, 2011
MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino will grace the 40th anniversary gala dinner of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), whose members include the country’s top corporate leaders and chief executive officers, in Makati on Jan. 25.
PBSP media relations officer Mitchel Confesor said the gala event will topbill chairpersons and CEOs of more than 200 PBSP member-companies all over the country and members from the international donor community.
Confesor said PBSP chairman Manny Pangilinan will lead four other trustees in presenting the symbolic renewal to Aquino on their commitment to the national development agenda, primarily in PBSP’s four pillars or key areas.
“The four trustees will act as the PBSP board champions of the four focus areas of health, education, livelihood and enterprise development, and the environment. PBSP, the nation’s oldest and largest business group into social development, is the first of its kind in Asia as a corporate-driven development foundation. Since 1970, PBSP has been the country’s pioneer in corporate citizenship and social responsibility practices,” she said.
Confesor said for four decades, the PBSP was able to deliver more than 6,400 projects worth a total P5.2 billion, benefiting and uplifting the lives of at least 5.1 million Filipinos.
She added that in the past 40 years, PBSP has been at the forefront of poverty reduction initiatives as well as social development programs on health, primarily on tuberculosis, and on basic education, particularly in facilitating the provision of textbooks, tables and armchairs, and school buildings.
“Other PBSP initiatives have included programs on small business advisory and livelihood enterprise development as well as on the environment, including farmland area resource and coastal resource management, disaster coordination and risk reduction, and caring for the rainforests and watersheds.”
Confesor also cited that between 2009 and 2010, PBSP’s corporate membership contribution alone grew as much as 46 percent.
She said the PBSP is the recipient of over 43 million euros or more than P2.5 billion from the Global Fund to fight tuberculosis in the country.
The PBSP is set to honor during the Jan. 25 gala its pioneers, namely Washington Sycip, Sixto Roxas III and Ambassadors Howard Dee, Jose M. Soriano and Emilio Abello Sr. (posthumous), considered the father of green energy in the country.
Ma. Luisa Perez-Rubio and Amb. Bienvenido Tan Jr. will be recognized for their active service, while Angelo King will be feted with an audio-visual tribute.
Among those who pioneered PBSP in 1970 were Sycip of accounting firm SGV, Roxas, Andres Soriano Jr. of San Miguel Corp., Soriano of Atlas Consolidated Mining, Dee of pharmaceutical firm United Laboratories, Bienvenido Tan Jr. of Philippine Tobacco and Modern Glass and Abello of Manila Electric Co.
Another PBSP pioneer in 1970 was Shell Philippines executive Luzio Mazzei, the Venezuelan national who was crucial in arranging an exchange visit between Philippine business leaders and the head of the Venezuelan foundation Dividendo Voluntario para la Comunidad, which became the model for PBSP.
After the PBSP pioneers’ visit to Venezuela, the executive director of Dividendo was invited to the Philippines to share his knowledge and expertise.
PBSP pioneers, inspired by the 1963 Dividendo model from a group of Venezuelan industrialists, would later adopt the member contribution of one percent of business income before tax for programs on corporate social responsibility.
Under the plan, member companies would pledge one percent of their net income before tax for social development work. Of this, 60 percent would be given to the foundation and the remaining 40 percent they would retain for their own social development activities.
Within PBSP’s first year alone, member-companies increased from 50 to 137. By mid-2010, PBSP peaked at a membership of 263.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Learning center for Bohol poor
Learning center for Bohol poor
Manila Bulletin - Visayas Newsbits
January 17, 2011
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Philippines (PNA) – The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), in partnership with Angelo King Foundation Inc. (AKFI), had just turned over the Technology and Livelihood Center to the Bohol Integrated Development Foundation Inc. (BIDEF) for their beneficiaries in Barangay Malitbog, Dagohoy.
PBSP program coordinator for Bohol Aurelio Salgados Jr. said AKFI’s assistance is intended to improve the productivity and income of the marginal farmers of Bohol.
Salgados said AKFI anchors its programs on the adage “give someone fish and you feed him for a day but teach someone to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Manila Bulletin - Visayas Newsbits
January 17, 2011
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Philippines (PNA) – The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), in partnership with Angelo King Foundation Inc. (AKFI), had just turned over the Technology and Livelihood Center to the Bohol Integrated Development Foundation Inc. (BIDEF) for their beneficiaries in Barangay Malitbog, Dagohoy.
PBSP program coordinator for Bohol Aurelio Salgados Jr. said AKFI’s assistance is intended to improve the productivity and income of the marginal farmers of Bohol.
Salgados said AKFI anchors its programs on the adage “give someone fish and you feed him for a day but teach someone to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Monday, January 10, 2011
PHILIPPINES SHOULD ADDRESS POVERTY FIRST – MVP
PHILIPPINES SHOULD ADDRESS POVERTY FIRST – MVP
The Manila Times
January 9, 2011
FOR Manuel “Manny” V. Pangilinan, eradicating poverty should be Job No. 1 for every Filipino. But to be successful, more people should help not just in civic projects but also in government programs that invite partnerships with private businesses.
Pangilinan, who is sometimes referred to by his initials MVP, is one of the top business chief executives in the country, probably also in Asia. He heads many of the largest corporations in the Philippines, like the telecommunications giants Smart and the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. And his business interests extend beyond telecommunications: to media with the Associated Broadcasting Co. (TV5); to utilities with the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco); and to infrastructure development and management with First Pacific Tollways Corp.
He spoke to The Manila Times in his capacity as chairman of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), a social development foundation founded in 1970 by 50 of the country’s most prominent leaders at the time. PBSP will be celebrating its 40th anniversary this month.
“Our principal foe, really, is just one word. It’s poverty,” he told The Times.
“My belief has always been [that] a lot of the social ills—crime, et cetera—could be solved if people were better off economically,” he said.
According to Pangilinan, fighting poverty could make a dent against corruption, the primary target of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd. In the May 10, 2010 elections, the President’s campaign slogan tagged corruption as the cause of poverty in the Philippines.
He explained that PBSP was involved in many programs, not necessarily on those addressing corruption, but rather those that were focused on its root causes.
PBSP has programs in 65 provinces across the Philippines, with numerous projects in area resource management, education infrastructure, public health, environmental protection and others.
Pangilinan was particularly keen on education and livelihood programs, which he said were enablers against poverty.
Poverty incidence in the Philippines when PBSP was founded, according to its website, was about 40 percent.
The general trend is that poverty is on the decline.
Poverty decreased by 1.4 percent a year between 1991 and 2003, according to the Philippines Progress Report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, which was updated just last October. The MDGs are a set of goals and related targets aimed at eradicating extreme poverty—the number of those living on less than $1 or $2 a day—around the world.
In the Philippines, however, poverty incidence remained high at 32.9 percent as of 2006, which was the latest figure available. But the incidence rate was higher than three years earlier when it was at 30 percent, the report said.
Pangilinan admitted to feeling frustrated that poverty incidence remained high despite the efforts of the PBSP, which has grown to include 180 companies in the Philippines that also work with the public sector, nongovernment organizations and other civil society groups.
“Yeah [it’s frustrating],” he told The Times. “But what do you want us to do? Pack up our bags and leave?”
“You’ve got to keep trying until it finally goes away,” he added.
More help needed
Pangilinan seemed to take pride in what the PBSP does, but most of its work has been done quietly over the last 40 years. And he wanted to change that.
“Maybe in the past that was OK,” he said. “In today’s world, in a way you have to beat your own drums.
And from the public-exposure standpoint, we’re trying to get PBSP better known, not so much to claim credit, but really to promote PBSP in a way that enables us to raise more money.”
There have been substantial amounts given to the organization’s programs, but more was needed for greater impact, he explained.
“The fact of the matter is, the majority of funding for PBSP, at least during my time as chairman, has been foreign, which is typical of capital sourcing anyway even for corporations and governments,” he said.
On average, PBSP gives P400 million annually in grants and donations, but local membership funding is only at P70 million, Pangilinan explained. The balance comes from abroad, he added.
For instance, Pangilinan cited a PBSP project helping Filipinos with tuberculosis that received a significant grant—more $70 million from foreign sources like the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and The Global Fund, an international public-private partnership dedicated to fighting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
To implement the program, PBSP worked with the Department of Health, an arrangement that Pangilinan described as a good example of public-private partnership.
The Philippines ranks ninth out of 22 countries with high-burden tuberculosis, according to USAID, citing a 2009 report of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The agency added that some 100 Filipinos die daily from the disease, although significant gains have been made in detection and treatment.
Acknowledging the big amount given to the tuberculosis program, Pangilinan said that the fight against poverty could make greater progress if the Philippines received funding of that magnitude for other concerns, such as malaria, dengue, and even building classrooms.
In the national government budget for 2011, the Department of Education was allotted money to build 14,000 new classrooms, which is 10 percent of the current needs, according to an earlier report in The Times.
Not just money
Money, although important, is not everything.
Equally important was a long-term commitment to end poverty, Pangilinan told The Times.
“To make a dent on poverty in this country, in any country, it has got to be long-term. It’s a long-term commitment,” he said.
“It just won’t go away,” he added. “Even if you give away money to everybody, it won’t go away in one day.”
Pangilinan encouraged more companies to get involved in corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects, and he added that there were many organizations doing good work—but that the PBSP was different.
“The thing about PBSP is it’s trying to employ the discipline of business into CSR. That’s the distinctive characteristic of PBSP. We’re not just another foundation that’s trying to do social work,” he said.
He added that more businesses could also answer the government’s invitation to help in infrastructure development, such as the Public Private Partnership (PPP), the centerpiece program of President Aquino.
Referring to the President, Pangilinan said, “He deserves all the help we can give him.”
“I think he’s very well-intentioned,” he also told The Times. “I have no doubt he’s an honest person. So I wish him well.”
As for PBSP, Pangilinan said, “We just have to be more focused. But we [also] need to be bigger, because the size of the poor in the country is large.”
“Like PBSP, I’ve always believed that in your life, if you could just change for the better one individual’s life, you’ve done OK. So if do if you do it for more than one [person], that would be great,” he said.
He said that helping others was not just for large multinationals or for successful people, although he added that one must be financially healthy in order to give.
But he added, “No matter how poor you are, if you could change somebody else’s life for the better, that’s OK.”
The Manila Times
January 9, 2011
FOR Manuel “Manny” V. Pangilinan, eradicating poverty should be Job No. 1 for every Filipino. But to be successful, more people should help not just in civic projects but also in government programs that invite partnerships with private businesses.
Pangilinan, who is sometimes referred to by his initials MVP, is one of the top business chief executives in the country, probably also in Asia. He heads many of the largest corporations in the Philippines, like the telecommunications giants Smart and the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. And his business interests extend beyond telecommunications: to media with the Associated Broadcasting Co. (TV5); to utilities with the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco); and to infrastructure development and management with First Pacific Tollways Corp.
He spoke to The Manila Times in his capacity as chairman of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), a social development foundation founded in 1970 by 50 of the country’s most prominent leaders at the time. PBSP will be celebrating its 40th anniversary this month.
“Our principal foe, really, is just one word. It’s poverty,” he told The Times.
“My belief has always been [that] a lot of the social ills—crime, et cetera—could be solved if people were better off economically,” he said.
According to Pangilinan, fighting poverty could make a dent against corruption, the primary target of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd. In the May 10, 2010 elections, the President’s campaign slogan tagged corruption as the cause of poverty in the Philippines.
He explained that PBSP was involved in many programs, not necessarily on those addressing corruption, but rather those that were focused on its root causes.
PBSP has programs in 65 provinces across the Philippines, with numerous projects in area resource management, education infrastructure, public health, environmental protection and others.
Pangilinan was particularly keen on education and livelihood programs, which he said were enablers against poverty.
Poverty incidence in the Philippines when PBSP was founded, according to its website, was about 40 percent.
The general trend is that poverty is on the decline.
Poverty decreased by 1.4 percent a year between 1991 and 2003, according to the Philippines Progress Report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, which was updated just last October. The MDGs are a set of goals and related targets aimed at eradicating extreme poverty—the number of those living on less than $1 or $2 a day—around the world.
In the Philippines, however, poverty incidence remained high at 32.9 percent as of 2006, which was the latest figure available. But the incidence rate was higher than three years earlier when it was at 30 percent, the report said.
Pangilinan admitted to feeling frustrated that poverty incidence remained high despite the efforts of the PBSP, which has grown to include 180 companies in the Philippines that also work with the public sector, nongovernment organizations and other civil society groups.
“Yeah [it’s frustrating],” he told The Times. “But what do you want us to do? Pack up our bags and leave?”
“You’ve got to keep trying until it finally goes away,” he added.
More help needed
Pangilinan seemed to take pride in what the PBSP does, but most of its work has been done quietly over the last 40 years. And he wanted to change that.
“Maybe in the past that was OK,” he said. “In today’s world, in a way you have to beat your own drums.
And from the public-exposure standpoint, we’re trying to get PBSP better known, not so much to claim credit, but really to promote PBSP in a way that enables us to raise more money.”
There have been substantial amounts given to the organization’s programs, but more was needed for greater impact, he explained.
“The fact of the matter is, the majority of funding for PBSP, at least during my time as chairman, has been foreign, which is typical of capital sourcing anyway even for corporations and governments,” he said.
On average, PBSP gives P400 million annually in grants and donations, but local membership funding is only at P70 million, Pangilinan explained. The balance comes from abroad, he added.
For instance, Pangilinan cited a PBSP project helping Filipinos with tuberculosis that received a significant grant—more $70 million from foreign sources like the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and The Global Fund, an international public-private partnership dedicated to fighting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
To implement the program, PBSP worked with the Department of Health, an arrangement that Pangilinan described as a good example of public-private partnership.
The Philippines ranks ninth out of 22 countries with high-burden tuberculosis, according to USAID, citing a 2009 report of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The agency added that some 100 Filipinos die daily from the disease, although significant gains have been made in detection and treatment.
Acknowledging the big amount given to the tuberculosis program, Pangilinan said that the fight against poverty could make greater progress if the Philippines received funding of that magnitude for other concerns, such as malaria, dengue, and even building classrooms.
In the national government budget for 2011, the Department of Education was allotted money to build 14,000 new classrooms, which is 10 percent of the current needs, according to an earlier report in The Times.
Not just money
Money, although important, is not everything.
Equally important was a long-term commitment to end poverty, Pangilinan told The Times.
“To make a dent on poverty in this country, in any country, it has got to be long-term. It’s a long-term commitment,” he said.
“It just won’t go away,” he added. “Even if you give away money to everybody, it won’t go away in one day.”
Pangilinan encouraged more companies to get involved in corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects, and he added that there were many organizations doing good work—but that the PBSP was different.
“The thing about PBSP is it’s trying to employ the discipline of business into CSR. That’s the distinctive characteristic of PBSP. We’re not just another foundation that’s trying to do social work,” he said.
He added that more businesses could also answer the government’s invitation to help in infrastructure development, such as the Public Private Partnership (PPP), the centerpiece program of President Aquino.
Referring to the President, Pangilinan said, “He deserves all the help we can give him.”
“I think he’s very well-intentioned,” he also told The Times. “I have no doubt he’s an honest person. So I wish him well.”
As for PBSP, Pangilinan said, “We just have to be more focused. But we [also] need to be bigger, because the size of the poor in the country is large.”
“Like PBSP, I’ve always believed that in your life, if you could just change for the better one individual’s life, you’ve done OK. So if do if you do it for more than one [person], that would be great,” he said.
He said that helping others was not just for large multinationals or for successful people, although he added that one must be financially healthy in order to give.
But he added, “No matter how poor you are, if you could change somebody else’s life for the better, that’s OK.”
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
S. Leyte gov: Evacuate disaster-prone areas
S. Leyte gov: Evacuate disaster-prone areas
Cebu Daily News
January 05, 2010
St. Bernard, Southern Leyte — Dismayed over the loss of lives due to flash floods and landslides, Southern Leyte Gov. Damian Mercado has ordered the provincial disaster management office to evacuate or make forced evacuation of residents in disaster-prone areas if needed.
Five children—three from St. Bernard town, one from Tomas Oppus town and another from Sogod town—were killed Sunday at the height of incessant rains in Southern Leyte.
The fatalities were Maria Fatima Discaryal, 5, and her brother Rodel, 1; Jordan Lakipon, 3; Ricabelle Montederamos, 10; and Patrick Pelaez, 11.
The bodies of the Discaryal siblings were found Sunday while that of Lakipon was found 9 a.m. Monday buried in mud just near their house in Barangay Bolod-Bolod, St. Bernard. The three were killed Sunday when a portion of the nearby mountain crashed into the houses of the Discaryal and Lakipon families who were neighbors.
Two others were reported to have drowned in Southern Leyte on Sunday—Montederamos, who was crossing a flooded rice field in Maanyag village, Tomas Oppus town, and Pelaez of Pancho Villa village in Sogod town who was crossing a river.
"This was the result of the people's hardheadedness," Mercado told the Inquirer on Monday when asked why there were casualties although several early warning systems have been installed in various areas and the experience of the Guinsaugon tragedy.
The governor said he has instructed all mayors and the PDMO to make the necessary evacuation and to use the police to force those who insist staying in their homes to leave.
In a separate interview Monday, PDMO chief Efledo Hernandez said early warning devices have been installed in all disaster-prone areas, including the village where the children were killed.
“In fact they were already told to evacuate a day earlier before the disaster,” said Hernandez, adding that they have implemented forced evacuations in some disaster prone-areas.
After the Guinsaugon tragedy, the province have been cited for its risk mitigation programs particularly St. Bernard whose Mayor Rico Rentusa have been invited for several speaking engagement on disaster in other countries.
Last year, the province's 11 municipalities were beneficiaries of risk reduction projects using SMS by Philippine Business for Social Progress.
Cebu Daily News
January 05, 2010
St. Bernard, Southern Leyte — Dismayed over the loss of lives due to flash floods and landslides, Southern Leyte Gov. Damian Mercado has ordered the provincial disaster management office to evacuate or make forced evacuation of residents in disaster-prone areas if needed.
Five children—three from St. Bernard town, one from Tomas Oppus town and another from Sogod town—were killed Sunday at the height of incessant rains in Southern Leyte.
The fatalities were Maria Fatima Discaryal, 5, and her brother Rodel, 1; Jordan Lakipon, 3; Ricabelle Montederamos, 10; and Patrick Pelaez, 11.
The bodies of the Discaryal siblings were found Sunday while that of Lakipon was found 9 a.m. Monday buried in mud just near their house in Barangay Bolod-Bolod, St. Bernard. The three were killed Sunday when a portion of the nearby mountain crashed into the houses of the Discaryal and Lakipon families who were neighbors.
Two others were reported to have drowned in Southern Leyte on Sunday—Montederamos, who was crossing a flooded rice field in Maanyag village, Tomas Oppus town, and Pelaez of Pancho Villa village in Sogod town who was crossing a river.
"This was the result of the people's hardheadedness," Mercado told the Inquirer on Monday when asked why there were casualties although several early warning systems have been installed in various areas and the experience of the Guinsaugon tragedy.
The governor said he has instructed all mayors and the PDMO to make the necessary evacuation and to use the police to force those who insist staying in their homes to leave.
In a separate interview Monday, PDMO chief Efledo Hernandez said early warning devices have been installed in all disaster-prone areas, including the village where the children were killed.
“In fact they were already told to evacuate a day earlier before the disaster,” said Hernandez, adding that they have implemented forced evacuations in some disaster prone-areas.
After the Guinsaugon tragedy, the province have been cited for its risk mitigation programs particularly St. Bernard whose Mayor Rico Rentusa have been invited for several speaking engagement on disaster in other countries.
Last year, the province's 11 municipalities were beneficiaries of risk reduction projects using SMS by Philippine Business for Social Progress.
Davao ICTSI scholar bags 3rd place in nat’l science competition
Davao ICTSI scholar bags 3rd place in nat’l science competition
By Danny Escabarte
Philippine Information Agency
January 5, 2011
DAVAO CITY, Jan. 5 (PIA) -- Reymond Tayone, senior high school student of Davao City National High School and an ICTSI Scholar, bag the 3rd Place in national science competition during the 6th National Biotechnology Week celebration held recently at the National Office of the Department of Education in Pasig, Metro Manila.
Entitled “Bioethanol Production from Banana Stalk Using Cow’s Rumen Fluid for Cellulose Degradation,” the science investigatory project hurdled through different competitions from different levels before winning third place in the national contest.
“We won first placer in school, division level and regional competitions in Davao Region before we tried our luck to compete in Manila,” Reymond said. “The project’s aim among others is to help find alternative source of fuel that is not destructive to humans and the environment”, Raymond added.
Besides promising usage at home and in the industry, Ethanol has positive contribution to daily life, Raymond also disclosed. Among these were: ethanol is renewable and raw materials abound in the surroundings, it is environment-friendly, it is clean fuel and when mixed with other fossil fuel; can help clean engine that reduces smoke emission among vehicles.
The project can be replicated in a bigger level, Raymond said. “In Davao Region for example, where big banana plantations are found, we can collect all the banana stalks which companies consider as wastes and turn them into ethanol using cow’s rumen fluid in the process”, he said.
Reymond Tayone is one of the 21 scholars in Mindanao being supported by the International Container Terminal Services Incorporated or ICTSI. Aside from Davao City National High School, two other schools were also being assisted namely: Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School (MOGCHS) in Cagayan de Oro City and General Santos City High School. The educational assistance project for the 21 high school students is being implemented by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP). (PBSP-MRO/PIA-Caraga)
By Danny Escabarte
Philippine Information Agency
January 5, 2011
DAVAO CITY, Jan. 5 (PIA) -- Reymond Tayone, senior high school student of Davao City National High School and an ICTSI Scholar, bag the 3rd Place in national science competition during the 6th National Biotechnology Week celebration held recently at the National Office of the Department of Education in Pasig, Metro Manila.
Entitled “Bioethanol Production from Banana Stalk Using Cow’s Rumen Fluid for Cellulose Degradation,” the science investigatory project hurdled through different competitions from different levels before winning third place in the national contest.
“We won first placer in school, division level and regional competitions in Davao Region before we tried our luck to compete in Manila,” Reymond said. “The project’s aim among others is to help find alternative source of fuel that is not destructive to humans and the environment”, Raymond added.
Besides promising usage at home and in the industry, Ethanol has positive contribution to daily life, Raymond also disclosed. Among these were: ethanol is renewable and raw materials abound in the surroundings, it is environment-friendly, it is clean fuel and when mixed with other fossil fuel; can help clean engine that reduces smoke emission among vehicles.
The project can be replicated in a bigger level, Raymond said. “In Davao Region for example, where big banana plantations are found, we can collect all the banana stalks which companies consider as wastes and turn them into ethanol using cow’s rumen fluid in the process”, he said.
Reymond Tayone is one of the 21 scholars in Mindanao being supported by the International Container Terminal Services Incorporated or ICTSI. Aside from Davao City National High School, two other schools were also being assisted namely: Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School (MOGCHS) in Cagayan de Oro City and General Santos City High School. The educational assistance project for the 21 high school students is being implemented by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP). (PBSP-MRO/PIA-Caraga)
Monday, December 20, 2010
Groups donate learning materials to children
Groups donate learning materials to children
Sun.Star Cebu
December 17, 2010
Because of donated used batteries, 8,134 pupils in the Visayas will be able to read more books and enhance their knowledge through the mini-libraries they received.
Recently, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) with the help of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBS) turned over additional learning materials to eight schools in Cebu through the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program.
The schools are located in the islands of Olango and Pangan-an in Lapu-Lapu CIty, Mandaue City and in the villages of Cebu City and Balamban town.
Launched in 2006, the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program aims to achieve two results: protect the environment by properly disposing and recycling used lead acid batteries (ULABs), which may potentially poison the soil, and improve the learning of pupils through the proceeds of the donated ULABs with the provision of books, training of teachers and holding of remedial reading camps.
ULABs donated by PLDT were bought by Oriental and Motolite MarketingCorp. at a higher price.
The proceeds are used to fund the establishment of Learning Resource Centers (LRCs), which take in the form of mini-libraries that include a table, chairs, and a bookshelf filled with books and supplementary instructional materials on Math, Science, English, Filipino, Social Studies, and Environment Education.
Through the donated ULABs, PLDT was able to generate PhP 880,000.00, which can fund the establishment of 22 LRCs in the remote areas of the Visayas--eight in Cebu, six in Bohol, and five in Samar.
Sun.Star Cebu
December 17, 2010
Because of donated used batteries, 8,134 pupils in the Visayas will be able to read more books and enhance their knowledge through the mini-libraries they received.
Recently, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) with the help of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBS) turned over additional learning materials to eight schools in Cebu through the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program.
The schools are located in the islands of Olango and Pangan-an in Lapu-Lapu CIty, Mandaue City and in the villages of Cebu City and Balamban town.
Launched in 2006, the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program aims to achieve two results: protect the environment by properly disposing and recycling used lead acid batteries (ULABs), which may potentially poison the soil, and improve the learning of pupils through the proceeds of the donated ULABs with the provision of books, training of teachers and holding of remedial reading camps.
ULABs donated by PLDT were bought by Oriental and Motolite MarketingCorp. at a higher price.
The proceeds are used to fund the establishment of Learning Resource Centers (LRCs), which take in the form of mini-libraries that include a table, chairs, and a bookshelf filled with books and supplementary instructional materials on Math, Science, English, Filipino, Social Studies, and Environment Education.
Through the donated ULABs, PLDT was able to generate PhP 880,000.00, which can fund the establishment of 22 LRCs in the remote areas of the Visayas--eight in Cebu, six in Bohol, and five in Samar.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
8T kids to benefit from telco's book donation
8T kids to benefit from telco's book donation
The Freeman News
December 16, 2010
In a school nestled within a mountainous barangay where fog already reaches the ground, a little girl dreams.
Ehlna Heroela, 12 years old and a grade six pupil of Gaas Elementary School, longs of becoming an English teacher in her own barangay so they can all speak the language that will grant them jobs and make their futures bright. She also knows that in order to reach this dream, she has to read as many books as she can to be able to speak and teach English fluently.
But books other than the textbooks she is sharing with her classmate are a novelty in Gaas. The books are sold kilometers away from her place. Her family cannot afford the books or the fare to get there.
That was why when Evelyn del Rosario, PLDT Community Relations Senior Manager, ushered her and her classmates in one of the rooms in her school, she never expected to be already stepping inside a mini-library with books she can touch and read, bringing her to a step closer to her dreams.
“Karon pa ko sukad nakakita og ing-ani kadaghan na mga libro para namo. Nalipay mi na naa mi aning mga libroha kay naa na mi mabasa-basa ug daghan na pud mi makat-unan,” she said. (“It was my first time to see those many storybooks for us. We’re happy to have these books we can read and learn from.”)
Like Ehlna Heroela, 8,134 pupils in the Visayas will be able to read more books and learn new things from the additional learning materials given to them by PLDT with the help of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) through the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program.
Launched in 2006, the program aims to achieve two results: protect the environment by properly disposing and recycling used lead acid batteries (ULABs) which may potentially poison the soil; and improve the learning of pupils through the proceeds of the ULABs donated with the provision of books, training of teachers and holding of remedial reading camps.
ULABs donated by PLDT were bought by Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation at a higher price and used to fund the establishment of Learning Resource Centers (LRCs), which take the form of mini-libraries that include a table, several chairs and a bookshelf filled with books and supplementary instructional materials on Math, Science, English, Filipino, Social Studies and Environment Education.
“We at PLDT believe that education is the greatest equalizer. When you are educated, you can go far, you can sit with people and discuss things. You have fed your mind. That is why our heart is close to education, on how to enhance the learning of our children especially in the far-flung areas of the country,” del Rosario stressed.
The latest National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) report states that the Philippines is one of the lowest performing countries in terms of education. This is attributed to the low competencies of schools in improving the learning of their pupils due to the lack of libraries, books and other instructional materials, and training of new skill sets among teachers.
In schools located within remote coastal and mountain barangays, the situation is even worse.
In Pangan-an Elementary School, located in an islet that takes 30 minutes to an hour to get to by pump boat, teachers have a hard time explaining to their pupils what an encyclopedia is because they could not show them an example of it.
“Sometimes we have to wait for months before receiving the textbooks for our pupils. Even if we want to buy more books, we still could not afford them. We rarely receive assistance from other groups because most of them are afraid to cross the seas to get here,” said Marilou Pacilan, prinicipal of Pangan-an Elementary School.
But through the ULABs donated by PLDT, which generated PhP 880,000.00, the company was able to help 22 schools in the remote areas of the Visayas—eight in Cebu, three in Iloilo, six in Bohol and five in Samar.
“Pupils and students from the cities have more access to learning and education. The very reason why PLDT, Motolite and PBSP chose these places is because these are very remote areas and have least access to learning materials,” del Rosario added.
This December, PLDT was able to turn over eight LRCs to schools in Cebu. It is set to turn over the remaining LRCs to the other schools by next year from January to March.
The Freeman News
December 16, 2010
In a school nestled within a mountainous barangay where fog already reaches the ground, a little girl dreams.
Ehlna Heroela, 12 years old and a grade six pupil of Gaas Elementary School, longs of becoming an English teacher in her own barangay so they can all speak the language that will grant them jobs and make their futures bright. She also knows that in order to reach this dream, she has to read as many books as she can to be able to speak and teach English fluently.
But books other than the textbooks she is sharing with her classmate are a novelty in Gaas. The books are sold kilometers away from her place. Her family cannot afford the books or the fare to get there.
That was why when Evelyn del Rosario, PLDT Community Relations Senior Manager, ushered her and her classmates in one of the rooms in her school, she never expected to be already stepping inside a mini-library with books she can touch and read, bringing her to a step closer to her dreams.
“Karon pa ko sukad nakakita og ing-ani kadaghan na mga libro para namo. Nalipay mi na naa mi aning mga libroha kay naa na mi mabasa-basa ug daghan na pud mi makat-unan,” she said. (“It was my first time to see those many storybooks for us. We’re happy to have these books we can read and learn from.”)
Like Ehlna Heroela, 8,134 pupils in the Visayas will be able to read more books and learn new things from the additional learning materials given to them by PLDT with the help of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) through the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program.
Launched in 2006, the program aims to achieve two results: protect the environment by properly disposing and recycling used lead acid batteries (ULABs) which may potentially poison the soil; and improve the learning of pupils through the proceeds of the ULABs donated with the provision of books, training of teachers and holding of remedial reading camps.
ULABs donated by PLDT were bought by Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation at a higher price and used to fund the establishment of Learning Resource Centers (LRCs), which take the form of mini-libraries that include a table, several chairs and a bookshelf filled with books and supplementary instructional materials on Math, Science, English, Filipino, Social Studies and Environment Education.
“We at PLDT believe that education is the greatest equalizer. When you are educated, you can go far, you can sit with people and discuss things. You have fed your mind. That is why our heart is close to education, on how to enhance the learning of our children especially in the far-flung areas of the country,” del Rosario stressed.
The latest National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) report states that the Philippines is one of the lowest performing countries in terms of education. This is attributed to the low competencies of schools in improving the learning of their pupils due to the lack of libraries, books and other instructional materials, and training of new skill sets among teachers.
In schools located within remote coastal and mountain barangays, the situation is even worse.
In Pangan-an Elementary School, located in an islet that takes 30 minutes to an hour to get to by pump boat, teachers have a hard time explaining to their pupils what an encyclopedia is because they could not show them an example of it.
“Sometimes we have to wait for months before receiving the textbooks for our pupils. Even if we want to buy more books, we still could not afford them. We rarely receive assistance from other groups because most of them are afraid to cross the seas to get here,” said Marilou Pacilan, prinicipal of Pangan-an Elementary School.
But through the ULABs donated by PLDT, which generated PhP 880,000.00, the company was able to help 22 schools in the remote areas of the Visayas—eight in Cebu, three in Iloilo, six in Bohol and five in Samar.
“Pupils and students from the cities have more access to learning and education. The very reason why PLDT, Motolite and PBSP chose these places is because these are very remote areas and have least access to learning materials,” del Rosario added.
This December, PLDT was able to turn over eight LRCs to schools in Cebu. It is set to turn over the remaining LRCs to the other schools by next year from January to March.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
A full stomach and a cleaner physique
A full stomach and a cleaner physique
Children from Babag, Lapu-Lapu City
receive Christmas wellness gifts
Children from Babag, Lapu-Lapu City
receive Christmas wellness gifts
Most children from Babag, Lapu-Lapu City have never received a Christmas gift from anyone.
Having been identified by the city government as the barangay with the highest population of malnourished children, Babag presents a landscape of survival and poverty. In this barangay, struggling families have, sadly, become a common occurrence. With their meager income, parents could not afford to give their children their basic needs, let alone a few luxuries—like Christmas gifts.
“Even these children do not have the luxury of drinking milk and juice,” Olive Jabido, PBSP Senior Program Officer for the Visayas said.
Having been identified by the city government as the barangay with the highest population of malnourished children, Babag presents a landscape of survival and poverty. In this barangay, struggling families have, sadly, become a common occurrence. With their meager income, parents could not afford to give their children their basic needs, let alone a few luxuries—like Christmas gifts.
“Even these children do not have the luxury of drinking milk and juice,” Olive Jabido, PBSP Senior Program Officer for the Visayas said.
This was the state Babag was in when PBSP stepped into the barangay on 2007 to assess what it can do to help. Seeing the need of the community, PBSP began organizing activities for the mothers and children.
Now, 60 children received the best Christmas gift anyone could get: a full stomach and a healthy physique. With the Philippine Business for Social Progress, employees of the PAG-IBIG Fund Employees’ Labor Association held a supplemental feeding program for 60 children in Babag.
Since 2007, PBSP has held regular supplemental feeding programs as well as free medical checkups with the mothers to help improve the health of mothers and children in Babag. Through the feeding program, children aged three to eight years old were treated to a hot and healthy breakfast nutritionally prepared by the Garces Royal Gardens, a member company of PBSP.
Belia Ibales, 44 years old, is one of those who have benefited from the feeding program. A mother of seven children, she admits having difficulty in taking proper care of her children. Her husband, who works as a tricycle driver in the area, earns PhP 100.00 a day, which is not enough to prepare three square meals for her big family.
“Malipayon jud mi ani nga programa kay makatabang gyud ni sa akong mga anak nga kulang og timbang," she added. (“We’re grateful for this feeding program which has helped my underweight children.”)
The supplemental feeding program will continue for three months with the participation of other member companies and groups. Aside from the feeding activity, children also received personal hygiene kits to help improve their cleaning habits.
“Since it's the Christmas season, we want the children to avail of gift packs, which are not the ordinary ones that have toys, goodies and candies. These are loot bags without toys but with soaps, towels, toothbrushes and toothpastes—a hygiene kit—since most, if not all, of these children do not have proper sanitation at home,” Jabido said.
Aside from the feeding program, the PAG-IBIG Fund will also grant for the construction of a potable water system worth PhP 65,000.00 for a community in Cebu.
“Since it's the Christmas season, we want the children to avail of gift packs, which are not the ordinary ones that have toys, goodies and candies. These are loot bags without toys but with soaps, towels, toothbrushes and toothpastes—a hygiene kit—since most, if not all, of these children do not have proper sanitation at home,” Jabido said.
Aside from the feeding program, the PAG-IBIG Fund will also grant for the construction of a potable water system worth PhP 65,000.00 for a community in Cebu.
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For more photos, click on the ff. images:
Balik Baterya beneficiary dreams to become teacher
Balik Baterya beneficiary dreams to become teacher
Cebu Daily News
December 15, 2010
A 12-year-old girl from Balamban town in southwest Cebu dreams of becoming an English teacher someday.
Ehlna Heroela, a grade six pupil of Gaas Elementary School in the mountainous barangay of Balamban, said she wanted to teach English in her own barangay so the students can all speak English, a language that will give them an edge to find employment.
She said she has to read many books to be able to fulfill her dream.
Evelyn del Rosario, community relations senior manager of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), ushered her and her classmates in a mini-library in her school.
“Karon pa ko sukad nakakita og ing-ani kadaghan na mga libro. Nalipay mi nga naa mi aning mga libroha kay naa na mi mabasa-basa ug daghan na pud mi makat-unan (This is my first time to see these many storybooks. We’re happy to have these books that we can read and learn from),” Heroela said.
Heroela is among the 8,134 pupils in the Visayas who will benefit from the books and additional learning materials given to them by PLDT with the help of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) through the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program.
The used lead acid batteries (ULABs) donated by PLDT were bought by Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation at a higher price and the proceeds were used to fund the establishment of learning resource centers (LRCs), which take the form of mini-libraries that include a table, chairs and a bookshelf filled with books and supplementary instructional materials on math, science, English, Filipino, social studies and environment education.
“We at PLDT believe that education is the greatest equalizer. When you are educated, you can go far, sit with people and discuss things. That is why our heart is close to education, enhancing the learning of the children, especially those in the far-flung areas of the country,” del Rosario said.
In Pangan-an Elementary School in an island barangay of Pangan-an in Lapu-Lapu City, teachers have a hard time explaining to their pupils what an encyclopedia is.
“Sometimes we have to wait for months before receiving the textbooks for our pupils. Even if we want to buy more books, we still could not afford them. We rarely receive assistance from other groups because most of them are afraid to cross the seas to get here,” said Marilou Pacilan, prinicipal of Pangan-an Elementary School.
But through the ULABs donated by PLDT, which generated P880,000, the company was able to help 22 schools in the remote areas of the Visayas — eight in Cebu, three in Iloilo, six in Bohol and five in Samar.
This December, PLDT turned over eight LRCs to schools in Cebu. It is set to turn over the remaining LRCs to the other schools in Iloilo, Bohol and Samar next year from January to March.
“We know that these learning materials will enhance the learning of our children. We will make sure that these books will be put into use,” Gaas Elementary School principal Vivian Restauro said.
PBSP hopes that LRCs will lessen the number of dropouts in schools.
“We will carry the goodness of PLDT, Motolite and PBSP and we hope that the corporate social responsibility imbibed by these groups will inspire other corporations to do the same to benefit more schools,” said Aliena Quimque, principal of Cabancalan I Elementary School.
Launched in 2006, the program aims to protect the environment through proper disposal and recycling of ULABs as well as improve the learning of pupils.
“What makes this project special is that the funds used for the LRCs are not taken from the income of the companies, but from used batteries donated by companies, which are then bought by Motolite for proper disposal and recycle,” PBSP Senior Program Manager Olive Jabido said.
Cebu Daily News
December 15, 2010
A 12-year-old girl from Balamban town in southwest Cebu dreams of becoming an English teacher someday.
Ehlna Heroela, a grade six pupil of Gaas Elementary School in the mountainous barangay of Balamban, said she wanted to teach English in her own barangay so the students can all speak English, a language that will give them an edge to find employment.
She said she has to read many books to be able to fulfill her dream.
Evelyn del Rosario, community relations senior manager of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), ushered her and her classmates in a mini-library in her school.
“Karon pa ko sukad nakakita og ing-ani kadaghan na mga libro. Nalipay mi nga naa mi aning mga libroha kay naa na mi mabasa-basa ug daghan na pud mi makat-unan (This is my first time to see these many storybooks. We’re happy to have these books that we can read and learn from),” Heroela said.
Heroela is among the 8,134 pupils in the Visayas who will benefit from the books and additional learning materials given to them by PLDT with the help of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) through the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program.
The used lead acid batteries (ULABs) donated by PLDT were bought by Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation at a higher price and the proceeds were used to fund the establishment of learning resource centers (LRCs), which take the form of mini-libraries that include a table, chairs and a bookshelf filled with books and supplementary instructional materials on math, science, English, Filipino, social studies and environment education.
“We at PLDT believe that education is the greatest equalizer. When you are educated, you can go far, sit with people and discuss things. That is why our heart is close to education, enhancing the learning of the children, especially those in the far-flung areas of the country,” del Rosario said.
In Pangan-an Elementary School in an island barangay of Pangan-an in Lapu-Lapu City, teachers have a hard time explaining to their pupils what an encyclopedia is.
“Sometimes we have to wait for months before receiving the textbooks for our pupils. Even if we want to buy more books, we still could not afford them. We rarely receive assistance from other groups because most of them are afraid to cross the seas to get here,” said Marilou Pacilan, prinicipal of Pangan-an Elementary School.
But through the ULABs donated by PLDT, which generated P880,000, the company was able to help 22 schools in the remote areas of the Visayas — eight in Cebu, three in Iloilo, six in Bohol and five in Samar.
This December, PLDT turned over eight LRCs to schools in Cebu. It is set to turn over the remaining LRCs to the other schools in Iloilo, Bohol and Samar next year from January to March.
“We know that these learning materials will enhance the learning of our children. We will make sure that these books will be put into use,” Gaas Elementary School principal Vivian Restauro said.
PBSP hopes that LRCs will lessen the number of dropouts in schools.
“We will carry the goodness of PLDT, Motolite and PBSP and we hope that the corporate social responsibility imbibed by these groups will inspire other corporations to do the same to benefit more schools,” said Aliena Quimque, principal of Cabancalan I Elementary School.
Launched in 2006, the program aims to protect the environment through proper disposal and recycling of ULABs as well as improve the learning of pupils.
“What makes this project special is that the funds used for the LRCs are not taken from the income of the companies, but from used batteries donated by companies, which are then bought by Motolite for proper disposal and recycle,” PBSP Senior Program Manager Olive Jabido said.
Friday, December 10, 2010
More books beyond the mountains and seas
More books beyond the mountains and seas
PLDT turns over 2860 books to 8134 pupils
through the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program
Ehlna Heroela, 12 years old and a grade six pupil of Gaas Elementary School, longs of becoming an English teacher in her own barangay so they can all speak the language that will grant them jobs and make their futures bright. She also knows that in order to reach this dream, she has to read as many books as she can to be able to speak and teach English fluently.
But books other than the textbooks she is sharing with her classmate are a novelty in Gaas. The books are sold kilometers away from her place. Her family cannot afford the books or the fare to get there.
That was why when Evelyn del Rosario, PLDT Community Relations Senior Manager, ushered her and her classmates in one of the rooms in her school, she never expected to be already stepping inside a mini-library with books she can touch and read, bringing her to a step closer to her dreams.
“Karon pa ko sukad nakakita og ing-ani kadaghan na mga libro para namo. Nalipay mi na naa mi aning mga libroha kay naa na mi mabasa-basa ug daghan na pud mi makat-unan,” she said. (“It was my first time to see those many storybooks for us. We’re happy to have these books we can read and learn from.”)
Like Ehlna Heroela, 8,134 pupils in the Visayas will be able to read more books and learn new things from the additional learning materials given to them by PLDT with the help of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) through the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program.
Launched in 2006, the program aims to achieve two results: protect the environment by properly disposing and recycling of used lead acid batteries (ULABs) which may potentially poison the soil; and improve the learning of pupils through the proceeds of the ULABs donated with the provision of books, training of teachers and holding of remedial reading camps.
ULABs donated by PLDT were bought by Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation at a higher price and used to fund the establishment of Learning Resource Centers (LRCs), which take the form of mini-libraries that include a table, several chairs and a bookshelf filled with books and supplementary instructional materials on Math, Science, English, Filipino, Social Studies and Environment Education.
Each Learning Resource Center is worth PhP 40,000.00, which needed approximately 170 ULABs to generate such amount.
“We at PLDT believe that education is the greatest equalizer. When you are educated, you can go far, you can sit with people and discuss things. You have fed your mind. That is why our heart is close to education, on how to enhance the learning of our children especially in the far-flung areas of the country,” del Rosario stressed.
Bridging gaps made by the education low. The latest National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) report states that the Philippines is one of the lowest performing countries in terms of education. This is attributed to the low competencies of schools in improving the learning of their children due to the lack of libraries, books and other instructional materials, and training of new skill sets among teachers.
In schools located within remote coastal and mountain barangays, the situation is even worse.
In Pangan-an Elementary School, located in an islet that takes 30 minutes to an hour to get to by pump boat, teachers have a hard time explaining to their pupils what an encyclopedia is because they could not show them an example of it.
“Sometimes we have to wait for months before receiving the textbooks for our pupils. Even if we want to buy more books, we still could not afford them. We rarely receive assistance from other groups because most of them are afraid to cross the seas to get here,” said Marilou Pacilan, principal of Pangan-an Elementary School.
But through the ULABs donated by PLDT, which generated PhP 880,000.00, the company was able to help 22 schools in the remote areas of the Visayas—eight in Cebu, three in Iloilo, six in Bohol and five in Samar.
“Pupils and students from the cities have more access to learning and education. The very reason why PLDT, Motolite and PBSP chose these places is because these are very remote areas and have least access to learning materials,” del Rosario added.
This December, PLDT was able to turn over eight LRCs to schools in Cebu. It is set to turn over the remaining LRCs to the other schools by next year from January to March.
“With these materials, we know that they will enhance the learning skills of our children. We will make sure that these books will really be used by children and not just get stored in any space,” Gaas Elementary School principal Vivian Restauro said.
PBSP hopes that by making use of the LRCs, the schools will have a lesser number dropouts and enhance their learning competencies as expressed in their mean percentage scores.
“With this partnership, we will be able to fire the children up to learn more, to learn better and to soar to greater heights in education,” del Rosario added.
Corporate social responsibility. For PLDT, the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program is not just another education initiative—it is the company's commitment to provide more sustainable projects as its expression of corporate social responsibility.
“We will carry the goodness of PLDT, Motolite and PBSP and we hope that other corporations will do the same. We only hope that the corporate social responsibility imbibed by these groups will inspire other corporations so more schools will also benefit from this kind of commitment,” said Aliena Quimque, principal of Cabancalan I Elementary School.
“What makes this project special is that the funds used for the LRCs do not come from fresh monies—they do not directly come from the income of the companies. These funds all came from the used batteries donated by companies, which are then bought by Motolite so they would be properly disposed and recycled,” PBSP Senior Program Manager Olive Jabido stated.
PLDT makes sure that in the following years more ULABs will be donated for the Balik-Baterya Program so that more children, even separated by mountains and seas, can freely dream their dreams.
PLDT turns over 2860 books to 8134 pupils
through the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program
In a school nestled within a mountainous barangay where fog already reaches the ground, a little girl dreams.
Ehlna Heroela, 12 years old and a grade six pupil of Gaas Elementary School, longs of becoming an English teacher in her own barangay so they can all speak the language that will grant them jobs and make their futures bright. She also knows that in order to reach this dream, she has to read as many books as she can to be able to speak and teach English fluently. But books other than the textbooks she is sharing with her classmate are a novelty in Gaas. The books are sold kilometers away from her place. Her family cannot afford the books or the fare to get there.
That was why when Evelyn del Rosario, PLDT Community Relations Senior Manager, ushered her and her classmates in one of the rooms in her school, she never expected to be already stepping inside a mini-library with books she can touch and read, bringing her to a step closer to her dreams.
“Karon pa ko sukad nakakita og ing-ani kadaghan na mga libro para namo. Nalipay mi na naa mi aning mga libroha kay naa na mi mabasa-basa ug daghan na pud mi makat-unan,” she said. (“It was my first time to see those many storybooks for us. We’re happy to have these books we can read and learn from.”)
Like Ehlna Heroela, 8,134 pupils in the Visayas will be able to read more books and learn new things from the additional learning materials given to them by PLDT with the help of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) through the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program.
Launched in 2006, the program aims to achieve two results: protect the environment by properly disposing and recycling of used lead acid batteries (ULABs) which may potentially poison the soil; and improve the learning of pupils through the proceeds of the ULABs donated with the provision of books, training of teachers and holding of remedial reading camps.ULABs donated by PLDT were bought by Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation at a higher price and used to fund the establishment of Learning Resource Centers (LRCs), which take the form of mini-libraries that include a table, several chairs and a bookshelf filled with books and supplementary instructional materials on Math, Science, English, Filipino, Social Studies and Environment Education.
Each Learning Resource Center is worth PhP 40,000.00, which needed approximately 170 ULABs to generate such amount.
“We at PLDT believe that education is the greatest equalizer. When you are educated, you can go far, you can sit with people and discuss things. You have fed your mind. That is why our heart is close to education, on how to enhance the learning of our children especially in the far-flung areas of the country,” del Rosario stressed.
Bridging gaps made by the education low. The latest National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) report states that the Philippines is one of the lowest performing countries in terms of education. This is attributed to the low competencies of schools in improving the learning of their children due to the lack of libraries, books and other instructional materials, and training of new skill sets among teachers.
In schools located within remote coastal and mountain barangays, the situation is even worse.
In Pangan-an Elementary School, located in an islet that takes 30 minutes to an hour to get to by pump boat, teachers have a hard time explaining to their pupils what an encyclopedia is because they could not show them an example of it.
“Sometimes we have to wait for months before receiving the textbooks for our pupils. Even if we want to buy more books, we still could not afford them. We rarely receive assistance from other groups because most of them are afraid to cross the seas to get here,” said Marilou Pacilan, principal of Pangan-an Elementary School.
But through the ULABs donated by PLDT, which generated PhP 880,000.00, the company was able to help 22 schools in the remote areas of the Visayas—eight in Cebu, three in Iloilo, six in Bohol and five in Samar.“Pupils and students from the cities have more access to learning and education. The very reason why PLDT, Motolite and PBSP chose these places is because these are very remote areas and have least access to learning materials,” del Rosario added.
This December, PLDT was able to turn over eight LRCs to schools in Cebu. It is set to turn over the remaining LRCs to the other schools by next year from January to March.
“With these materials, we know that they will enhance the learning skills of our children. We will make sure that these books will really be used by children and not just get stored in any space,” Gaas Elementary School principal Vivian Restauro said.
PBSP hopes that by making use of the LRCs, the schools will have a lesser number dropouts and enhance their learning competencies as expressed in their mean percentage scores.
“With this partnership, we will be able to fire the children up to learn more, to learn better and to soar to greater heights in education,” del Rosario added.
Corporate social responsibility. For PLDT, the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program is not just another education initiative—it is the company's commitment to provide more sustainable projects as its expression of corporate social responsibility.
“We will carry the goodness of PLDT, Motolite and PBSP and we hope that other corporations will do the same. We only hope that the corporate social responsibility imbibed by these groups will inspire other corporations so more schools will also benefit from this kind of commitment,” said Aliena Quimque, principal of Cabancalan I Elementary School.
“What makes this project special is that the funds used for the LRCs do not come from fresh monies—they do not directly come from the income of the companies. These funds all came from the used batteries donated by companies, which are then bought by Motolite so they would be properly disposed and recycled,” PBSP Senior Program Manager Olive Jabido stated.
PLDT makes sure that in the following years more ULABs will be donated for the Balik-Baterya Program so that more children, even separated by mountains and seas, can freely dream their dreams.
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For more photos, click on the ff. images:
Friday, November 26, 2010
Center for treatment of drug-resistant TB to rise in Koronadal City
Center for treatment of drug-resistant TB to rise in Koronadal City
by Dani Doguiles
PIA News Agency
November, 26, 2010
Koronadal City (26 November) -- Residents of Region 12 who are suffering from multi-drug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) will soon get free services with the establishment of a regional treatment center for the disease in Koronadal City.
Koronadal City Mayor Peter B. Miguel recently announced that a memorandum of agreement between the local government, Department of Health (DOH), National Lung Center, and the private non-profit foundation Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) for the creation of a Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Center in the city has been signed.
The MDR treatment center will effectively hasten the management and control of the increasing number of multi-drug resistant TB cases in the region at much lesser expense on the part of the patients and their families.
Based on the MOA, the city government is only required to provide five medical staff who will run the facility and the building that will house the center as its counterpart in the partnership. Partner agencies will provide the equipment and machineries, training of the personnel, as well as drugs and medicines for the treatment.
After five years, the full operation of the TB treatment center will be turned over to the city government.
"At present, patients with multi-drug resistant TB are treated in Metro Manila but the National Lung Center cannot accommodate all the patients. For people in the city and the neighboring cities and provinces suffering from TB, to avail of such treatment is very expensive," he said.
Treatment of MDR cases is also more expensive than the treatment of the normal cases of TB.
"Treatments in the TB center will be free of charge," he added.
The TB center will be put up beside the City Health Office.
by Dani Doguiles
PIA News Agency
November, 26, 2010
Koronadal City (26 November) -- Residents of Region 12 who are suffering from multi-drug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) will soon get free services with the establishment of a regional treatment center for the disease in Koronadal City.
Koronadal City Mayor Peter B. Miguel recently announced that a memorandum of agreement between the local government, Department of Health (DOH), National Lung Center, and the private non-profit foundation Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) for the creation of a Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Center in the city has been signed.
The MDR treatment center will effectively hasten the management and control of the increasing number of multi-drug resistant TB cases in the region at much lesser expense on the part of the patients and their families.
Based on the MOA, the city government is only required to provide five medical staff who will run the facility and the building that will house the center as its counterpart in the partnership. Partner agencies will provide the equipment and machineries, training of the personnel, as well as drugs and medicines for the treatment.
After five years, the full operation of the TB treatment center will be turned over to the city government.
"At present, patients with multi-drug resistant TB are treated in Metro Manila but the National Lung Center cannot accommodate all the patients. For people in the city and the neighboring cities and provinces suffering from TB, to avail of such treatment is very expensive," he said.
Treatment of MDR cases is also more expensive than the treatment of the normal cases of TB.
"Treatments in the TB center will be free of charge," he added.
The TB center will be put up beside the City Health Office.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Smart engages community, partners in tree planting
Smart engages community, partners in tree planting
Cebu Daily News
November 16, 2010
Raising a child is not the only task that requires a village’s collective efforts.
The saying also holds true for greening one’s locality or area.
This is one of the primary reasons Smart Communications Inc. took time to engage local community and partners in its tree planting program.
In each of its tree planting sites in the country, Smart taps a local partner to draw support for reforestation efforts.
“We involve the community in our reforestation efforts. It makes easier for us to get them to commit to the care and maintenance of the seedlings we planted,” said Smart Public Affairs Group head Ramon Isberto.
In Cebu, Smart, together with Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) employee-volunteers and the Philippine Business for Social Progress already planted 33,500 mangrove propagules and endemic trees in its adopted areas in Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City and Bojo, Aloguinsan in southwest Cebu.
Smart has also been conducting tree planting activities in Tagbilaran City, Bohol; Dumaguete, Negros Oriental; Bacolod, Negros Occidental; Cagayan de Oro; and Lugait in Misamis Oriental.
Smart’s planting activities this year have resulted in the planting of close to 180,000 seedlings and mangrove propagules through the combined efforts of 1,558 community and employee-volunteers.
This year also marks the third year of the three-year tree planting agreement forged in 2008 between PLDT, Smart, the PLDT-Smart Foundation and Japan’s leading mobile telecommunications company NTT DOCOMO Inc.
Smart’s tree planting activities are part of the company’s corporate social responsibility and community service program Kabalikat.
Cebu Daily News
November 16, 2010
Raising a child is not the only task that requires a village’s collective efforts.
The saying also holds true for greening one’s locality or area.
This is one of the primary reasons Smart Communications Inc. took time to engage local community and partners in its tree planting program.
In each of its tree planting sites in the country, Smart taps a local partner to draw support for reforestation efforts.
“We involve the community in our reforestation efforts. It makes easier for us to get them to commit to the care and maintenance of the seedlings we planted,” said Smart Public Affairs Group head Ramon Isberto.
In Cebu, Smart, together with Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) employee-volunteers and the Philippine Business for Social Progress already planted 33,500 mangrove propagules and endemic trees in its adopted areas in Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City and Bojo, Aloguinsan in southwest Cebu.
Smart has also been conducting tree planting activities in Tagbilaran City, Bohol; Dumaguete, Negros Oriental; Bacolod, Negros Occidental; Cagayan de Oro; and Lugait in Misamis Oriental.
Smart’s planting activities this year have resulted in the planting of close to 180,000 seedlings and mangrove propagules through the combined efforts of 1,558 community and employee-volunteers.
This year also marks the third year of the three-year tree planting agreement forged in 2008 between PLDT, Smart, the PLDT-Smart Foundation and Japan’s leading mobile telecommunications company NTT DOCOMO Inc.
Smart’s tree planting activities are part of the company’s corporate social responsibility and community service program Kabalikat.
World-class Cebu exporter trains youths for employment
World-class Cebu exporter trains youths for employment
By Malou Mozo
Manila Bulletin
November 14, 2010
CEBU CITY, Philippines - An internationally acclaimed Cebuano furniture designer and exporter has announced that it has recently tapped out-of-school-youths as additional manpower in an effort to provide them with employment opportunities.
Kenneth Cobonpue, through his company, Interior Crafts of the Island Inc., and in coordination with Filo D' Oro Upholstery Subcontractor Development, has commissioned at least 10 out-of-school-youths, aged 16 to 24 years old, to produce his firm's upholstery requirements, the latest orders being those placed by RugNets owned by international fashion design icon, Giorgio Armani.
This special subcontracting system undertaken by Cobonpue is supported by the German Development Service (DED) in cooperation with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) through the specified Strategic Corporate-Community Partnership (SCOPE).
At present, said 10 out-of-school-youths are housed at the Filo D' Oro mini-manufacturing center located in the property on which stands Cobonpue's ancestral house in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.
The youths are taught how to sew and do customized upholstery required by Cobonpue's clients comprised of a number of name personalities around the world.
According to Eleoterio Bravo, Officer-in-Charge of Cobonpue's Filo D' Oro facility, the youths are endorsed by partner religious organizations, like Focolare and the ''Bukas Palad'' religious community.
By Malou Mozo
Manila Bulletin
November 14, 2010
CEBU CITY, Philippines - An internationally acclaimed Cebuano furniture designer and exporter has announced that it has recently tapped out-of-school-youths as additional manpower in an effort to provide them with employment opportunities.
Kenneth Cobonpue, through his company, Interior Crafts of the Island Inc., and in coordination with Filo D' Oro Upholstery Subcontractor Development, has commissioned at least 10 out-of-school-youths, aged 16 to 24 years old, to produce his firm's upholstery requirements, the latest orders being those placed by RugNets owned by international fashion design icon, Giorgio Armani.
This special subcontracting system undertaken by Cobonpue is supported by the German Development Service (DED) in cooperation with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) through the specified Strategic Corporate-Community Partnership (SCOPE).
At present, said 10 out-of-school-youths are housed at the Filo D' Oro mini-manufacturing center located in the property on which stands Cobonpue's ancestral house in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.
The youths are taught how to sew and do customized upholstery required by Cobonpue's clients comprised of a number of name personalities around the world.
According to Eleoterio Bravo, Officer-in-Charge of Cobonpue's Filo D' Oro facility, the youths are endorsed by partner religious organizations, like Focolare and the ''Bukas Palad'' religious community.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
BiD challenges MSMEs to grace NGO trade fair
BiD challenges MSMEs to grace NGO trade fair
By Mitchel Confesor
PIA News Agency
November 13, 2010
Manila (13 November) -- Entrepreneurs are all set to converge next week at a mall trade fair showcasing products and other initiatives of non-government organizations (NGOs) as the centerpiece of the national commemoration of Social Development Week in the country.
Among their unique and enterprising innovations are virgin coconut oil liniments and scalp-care items from fruit and vegetable skincare extracts, organically grown corn coffee products, organic rice and muscovado sugar foodstuffs, costume jewelry sets from indigenous and synthetic materials, and handmade crafts by former migrant workers to Japan and former prison inmates.
In a statement, the corporate-led social development foundation Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) said these entrepreneurs will display their products and innovations at the NGO Trade Fair to be held at the Trinoma Mall in northern Quezon City from November 15-18.
PBSP said some of these entrepreneurs are previous top Philippine participants of the Dutch-organized Business in Development (BiD) Challenge, including one Filipino entrepreneur who won the women in retail award in the Netherlands in the 2009 edition of this annual international online business plan competition.
The online competition in the Philippines is spearheaded by PBSP together with Citibank in the Philippines and the Citi Foundation in New York, the Dutch group BiD Network Foundation, and United Way.
With the aim of developing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to help spur economic activities in the country, PBSP earlier invited individuals with innovative business ideas to take the BiD Challenge and get the rare chance to compete with international entries from Africa to Latin America.
The PBSP-Citibank BiD Challenge Philippines 2010 aims to promote poverty reduction through enterprise development, with the aim of generating new and innovative business ideas combining poverty reduction and profit where viable ideas are being matched with potential investors.
Entrepreneurs also get exposure to a network of investors, experts, and business partners, receiving professional feedback and assistance from business coaches, plus a chance to win prize money, PBSP said.
The competition further aims to stimulate and support business ideas that combine making profit with the improvement of living standards in the country, as well as stimulate private sector development in the country by creating a platform where entrepreneurs, experts, networks, and investors can meet.
Baycrafts, which won in the category of women in business retail challenge in 2009, has produced and sold costume jewelry made from pearls, wood, fiber, seeds, crystals, and glass, with a complete line of jewelry including necklaces, bracelets, earrings, hair ornaments, rings, and anklets, among others. (PBSP)
By Mitchel Confesor
PIA News Agency
November 13, 2010
Manila (13 November) -- Entrepreneurs are all set to converge next week at a mall trade fair showcasing products and other initiatives of non-government organizations (NGOs) as the centerpiece of the national commemoration of Social Development Week in the country.
Among their unique and enterprising innovations are virgin coconut oil liniments and scalp-care items from fruit and vegetable skincare extracts, organically grown corn coffee products, organic rice and muscovado sugar foodstuffs, costume jewelry sets from indigenous and synthetic materials, and handmade crafts by former migrant workers to Japan and former prison inmates.
In a statement, the corporate-led social development foundation Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) said these entrepreneurs will display their products and innovations at the NGO Trade Fair to be held at the Trinoma Mall in northern Quezon City from November 15-18.
PBSP said some of these entrepreneurs are previous top Philippine participants of the Dutch-organized Business in Development (BiD) Challenge, including one Filipino entrepreneur who won the women in retail award in the Netherlands in the 2009 edition of this annual international online business plan competition.
The online competition in the Philippines is spearheaded by PBSP together with Citibank in the Philippines and the Citi Foundation in New York, the Dutch group BiD Network Foundation, and United Way.
With the aim of developing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to help spur economic activities in the country, PBSP earlier invited individuals with innovative business ideas to take the BiD Challenge and get the rare chance to compete with international entries from Africa to Latin America.
The PBSP-Citibank BiD Challenge Philippines 2010 aims to promote poverty reduction through enterprise development, with the aim of generating new and innovative business ideas combining poverty reduction and profit where viable ideas are being matched with potential investors.
Entrepreneurs also get exposure to a network of investors, experts, and business partners, receiving professional feedback and assistance from business coaches, plus a chance to win prize money, PBSP said.
The competition further aims to stimulate and support business ideas that combine making profit with the improvement of living standards in the country, as well as stimulate private sector development in the country by creating a platform where entrepreneurs, experts, networks, and investors can meet.
Baycrafts, which won in the category of women in business retail challenge in 2009, has produced and sold costume jewelry made from pearls, wood, fiber, seeds, crystals, and glass, with a complete line of jewelry including necklaces, bracelets, earrings, hair ornaments, rings, and anklets, among others. (PBSP)
Smart training may produce online ambassadors
Smart training may produce online ambassadors
Cebu Daily News
November 13, 2010
The province of Guimaras in Western Visayas may get a boost in its effort to become the preferred tourism destination, now that 90 teachers and students from 22 public schools in the province have the skills to promote the island online.
Smart Communications Inc., in partnership with Petron Foundation and the Philippine Business for Social Progress, recently conducted a content generation and Web development training to encourage online content generation under its Doon Po Sa Amin (DPSA) project.
The five-day training held at the Central Philippine University in Iloilo City also drew representatives from the Department of Education Guimaras division.
Participants were given lectures and exercises on research methods, writing for the Web, image editing, photo journalism, blogging, fundamentals of Web design, websites and web servers, website development, publishing and uploading website.
At the end of the training, the 22 schools and the DepEd Guimaras division office were able to upload their websites hosted by Smart for free.
The participating seven public elementary schools and 15 public high schools have become Smart Schools Program online associates and can now join any of the three contests under DPSA.
These contests include the DPSA Learning Challenge, “Ano ang Kwento Mo? (What’s your story?)” and DPSA Quest.
The DPSA Learning Challenge draws on high school teams from SSP partners to perform basic community mapping exercises to generate local content that will help educate their respective communities and/or address pertinent local problems or issues.
“Ano ang Kwento Mo?” is open to all private and public high school students nationwide. It requires student teams, headed by a teacher coach, to create video blogs that feature a distinct characteristic, place or culture in their communities. Teams are then asked to upload their videos.
The DPSA Quest engages grade school SSP partners and online associates to research unique stories about their respective communities and narrate these stories through their blog sites.
Cash prizes and items are in store for the winners of the three competitions. Details can be accessed through www.doonposaamin.ph.
Cebu Daily News
November 13, 2010
The province of Guimaras in Western Visayas may get a boost in its effort to become the preferred tourism destination, now that 90 teachers and students from 22 public schools in the province have the skills to promote the island online.
Smart Communications Inc., in partnership with Petron Foundation and the Philippine Business for Social Progress, recently conducted a content generation and Web development training to encourage online content generation under its Doon Po Sa Amin (DPSA) project.
The five-day training held at the Central Philippine University in Iloilo City also drew representatives from the Department of Education Guimaras division.
Participants were given lectures and exercises on research methods, writing for the Web, image editing, photo journalism, blogging, fundamentals of Web design, websites and web servers, website development, publishing and uploading website.
At the end of the training, the 22 schools and the DepEd Guimaras division office were able to upload their websites hosted by Smart for free.
The participating seven public elementary schools and 15 public high schools have become Smart Schools Program online associates and can now join any of the three contests under DPSA.
These contests include the DPSA Learning Challenge, “Ano ang Kwento Mo? (What’s your story?)” and DPSA Quest.
The DPSA Learning Challenge draws on high school teams from SSP partners to perform basic community mapping exercises to generate local content that will help educate their respective communities and/or address pertinent local problems or issues.
“Ano ang Kwento Mo?” is open to all private and public high school students nationwide. It requires student teams, headed by a teacher coach, to create video blogs that feature a distinct characteristic, place or culture in their communities. Teams are then asked to upload their videos.
The DPSA Quest engages grade school SSP partners and online associates to research unique stories about their respective communities and narrate these stories through their blog sites.
Cash prizes and items are in store for the winners of the three competitions. Details can be accessed through www.doonposaamin.ph.
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Taiyo Yuden Philippines plants 10K seedlings at Buhisan
Employees of Taiyo Yuden Philippines planted 10,000 native and endemic tree seedlings on a four-hectare site in Toong, Cebu City.
The activity is led by their EMR Director Koichi Iguchi, General Managers Toshihiko Uemura and Akira Takahashi, Assistant General Manager Keiichi Kimura, and EMs Shozaburo Kanai, Satoshi Miyamae, Toshiaki Nakano, and Koji Taketome.
Taiyo Yuden Philippines has been a partner of PBSP for its reforestation efforts since 2001. The company will continue to adopt four hectares for reforestation every year until 2015.
Veco employees plant trees with PBSP
More than 70 employees of the Visayan Electric Company (Veco) planted 12,500 seedlings over five hectares of the Buhisan Watershed and Forest Reserve.
This activity is in partnership with the Visayas Regional Office of PBSP.
In 2010, Veco also partnered with PBSP for a five-year reforestation park project in the Cebu Hillylands. The Veco Refo Park Project aims to plant 1 million trees over 540 hectares of the Cebu Hillylands.
Art 'N' Nature's Venus Genson is Woman Entrepreneur of 2012
Congratulations to Ms. Venus Genson for bagging the Women Entrepreneur award for her trailblazing feats in social entrepreneurship and community development through Art 'N' Nature Manufacturing Corporation.
The award is one of the citations given during the recently capped Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines 2012 awarding ceremonies.
Ms. Genson is also the president of the Venus Group of Companies, a member company of PBSP.