201205.15
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PH firms unite for Brigada Eskwela ‘12

The spirit of voluntarism and bayanihan are very much alive in this year’s National Schools Maintenance Week, widely known as Brigada Eskwela.

All over the country, students, teachers, parents, and volunteers are all geared up to prepare and repair classrooms and other facilities in public schools for the opening of classes on June 4.

In sync with this national activity, the corporate-led Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) has started to mobilized its member companies ranging from small to large businesses to take heed of the call to support Brigada Eskwela ‘12.

201205.15
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Bound by blood, backed by purpose

How a mother and son shared the same path of voluntarism

 

If bonding moments typically happen in restos, malls, parks, salons, Ana Ylio and her son  Michael spend their special time together doing volunteer work for the kids in the dumpsite.

Ana, a typical housewife and a mother of three, starts her day preparing food for her family and attending to household chores. Aside from that, she wears her other hat as president of the community’s association— checking on the neighborhood’s concerns and supervising the team’s action plans.

201205.15
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WFP advances way of responding to emergencies

The lifeline of an effective emergency management are the knowledge and tools ready for use when the unknown strikes.

This type of preparation was recently tested when a passenger van traveling from Bauko, Mt. Province to La Trinidad, Benguet fell in a 100-meter-deep ravine at KM33, Topdac, Atok last March 1. With timely response, seven passengers were immediately taken out of the accident site and were rushed to Atok District Hospital and Benguet General Hospital for medical treatment.

201205.04
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Project Zero lauded for locals’ chic tarp bags

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Sporting hip bags made of scrap tarps, the brand ambassadors of Project Zero amazed the crowd with upcycled materials produced with zero electricity, zero carbon footprint, and zero waste.

The fashionable handbags, pouches, knapsacks, and purses under the Nautilus line are created by the international lifestyle designer PJ Arañador in collaboration with Sooc Social Ventures.

The workers who handcrafted the bags were originally earning a living as scavengers in the Manduriao dumpsite before the GK Sooc Arevalo was established. When they were given homes to start a new life, they were also exposed to entrepreneurial opportunities such as making tarp bags and terra cotta.

201205.02
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Businesses asked to fast-track MDG efforts

Philippine businesses are called to fast-track their efforts for maternal and child health care in the final mile to achieving MDG 5.

With only three years left to attain the Millenium Development Goal 5 known as the reduction of maternal mortality ratio (MMR), the private sector was encouraged to use its resources to immediately address the growing gap of poor maternal and child health care in the country.

In response to the alarming issue of engagement and awareness, the Department of Health (DoH) formed the multisectoral consortium called the 162 to 52 Coalition.

 

201204.16
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The Hershey Company donates to NCH, aligns CSR with MDG

Leading multinational chocolate makers The Hershey Company recently donated medical equipment to the National Children’s Hospital (NCH). This philanthropic act aligns Hershey’s CSR project to the Millennium Development Goal No.4 which aims to help reduce infant and under-five mortality rates. One of the reasons for the high occurrence of infant and child mortality is due…

201204.10
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Motolite-PBSP Balik Baterya to merge with Cory school desks project

MANILA— This year’s recognition event of Motolite-Ramcar in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) is slated to merge with a school chairs donation project in honor of former President and global democracy icon Corazon C. Aquino.

The 2012 Motolite-PBSP recognition event in partnership with the Cory Aquino School Desks Project is expected to be held on April 11 in Summit Ridge, Tagaytay City.

Under its Learning Enhancement Assistance Package (LEAP) project, the Motolite-PBSP Balik Baterya Program has involved the collection of used lead-acid batteries (ULABs) for proper recycling and the production of new automotive and industrial batteries.

Since its launching in 2006, the program generated funds that have helped improve basic education courtesy of donors supporting Project LEAP, which includes the provision of text/workbooks, training of teachers, remedial reading camps, and supplemental feeding.

201204.04
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Eco-bikes revive 3Rs for a flood-free Hagonoy

A typical eco-bike projects an image of a bicycle made of bamboo. But this new breed of eco-bike carries a different definition.

Hagonoy’s “eco-bikes” are customized bicycles for collecting garbage from the 26 barangays in the municipality.

Every day, Hagonoy accumulates an average of 20 tons of wastes and this costs the local government PhP 21,750 per month by just hauling these into landfills.

The Eco-bike Project of the Municipality of Hagonoy through its Environment Management Office in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) is an environmental solution to assist the barangays on proper waste management and recycling.

201204.02
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Batangas creates body to fight TB

BATANGAS CITY — Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto on Wednesday led the awarding of local government units (LGUs) that performed the best in detecting cases of tuberculosis in her province-wide goals to finally eradicate the disease, which remains as one of the leading causes of deaths among Filipinos. The governor also led the signing of a provincial…

201204.02
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Earth Hour Reaches Space!

Official Philippine Switch-offs Slated for Makati, Cebu and Davao Finally, Earth Hour breaches Earth! For the first time, the global 60-minute switch-off will extend to the International Space Station, where Earth Hour Astronaut-Ambassador Andre Kuipers shall stand vigil over our imperiled planet as the lights switch off on 31 March, sharing photos and live commentary….

201203.19
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PBSP-Visayas OKs Projects Worth P112M

CEBU CITY, Cebu — The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) Visayas’ Executive Committee said it has approved some P112 million worth of projects in the last two years, even as its head in the region said more projects are expected to be established this year with its partner companies, groups and donor agencies.

The PBSP is the largest corporate-led social development foundation in the country. Committed to poverty reduction, it is the first of its kind in Asia, leading in the promotion and practice of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Jose Antonio Aboitiz, who chairs PBSP’s Visayas executive committee reported during PBSP’s recent annual membership meeting that programs in 2010 and 2011 in the Visayas valued at P112 million were focused on livelihood, enterprise, environment, education and health programs, as well as business advisory for micro, small and medium enterprises.

201203.19
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Cebu business groups vows more projects

CEBU CITY – The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) said millions of projects have been implemented in the last two years even as more activities are expected this year with partner companies, groups and donor agencies, an official said. Jose Antonio Aboitiz, chairman of the PBSP Visayas executive committee, said during the group’d annual…

201203.16
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Sari-sari stores: Social enterprise for ‘people power’

Changing the mind-set of sari-sari store owners from being “just a small store owner” to “an entrepreneur running a business that has potential to grow” is one way to empower people to start their own business.

Paolo Benigno “Bam” A. Aquino IV, founder of Hapinoy Store, said this was the aim of the group behind the network of sari-sari stores which he helped set up in 2006.

“We believe in empowerment. We feel this is a new form of ‘people power.’ We fight the poverty of the mind, spirit and wallet,” said Aquino during last Wednesday’s annual membership meeting of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) Visayas at the Casino Español.

201203.16
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Social enterprises ‘the future’

BEYOND helping the less fortunate, social enterprise is the best business model for the future, said an entrepreneur.

Speaking at the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) general membership meeting, Microventures Inc. president Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV said social enterprise simultaneously addresses spiritual, material and environmental divides in society.

While he lauds the Filipinos for being charitable, especially during times of calamities, he believes there are some poor people who do not need charity. Instead, they need help acquiring skills to better themselves.

Aquino, who organized the Hapinoy stores with his business partner Mark Ruiz in 2006, likened successful social enterprises to “a new form of people power.”

“There is dignity in livelihood. If they (poor) are able to build a business on their own, there is a dignity there that can’t be bought,” he said.

201203.08
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PBSP supports Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines 2012

In Photo (L-R): Co-presenters of the Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 sign a memorandum of agreement to support Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines 2012 – Development Bank of the Philippines Development Banking Sector Head, Benedicto Bitonio Jr., ; Philippine Business for Social Progress Chief Executive Advisor, Klaas F. Oreel; Ernst and Young…

201203.07
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Japanese trader says have a seat and study

japanese trader katsutoshi shimizu l chairman of rk shimizu nagasaki foundation inc. and roberto batongbakal r member of pbsp luzon regional committeee and country manager of dow chemical pacific ltd.jpg

Japanese trader Katsutoshi Shimizu (L), chairman of RK Shimizu (Nagasaki) Foundation, Inc. and Roberto Batongbakal (R), member of PBSP Luzon Regional Committee and country manager of Dow Chemical Pacific Ltd. take some time to know the students’ thoughts on education during the turnover of disaster-resilient tables and chairs to PBSP’s President Corazon Aquino School Desk Project in Concepcion, Tarlac

 

The 73-year-old Japanese businessman who has made a fortune in selling used ships in the Philippines is saying “arigato” to his “second home” by building classrooms and donating tables and chairs to support an ongoing project to close the gap in student seats.

Katsutoshi Shimizu, chairman of RK Shimizu (Nagasaki) Foundation, Inc. recently donated 530 sets of tables and chairs to the President Corazon Aquino School Desk Project under the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), a non-profit organization for social development.

201203.05
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Hard times longer for quake victims

GUIHULNGAN CITY—Whenever a truckload of relief packs pulls over the narrow street of Sitio Larena 1 in Barangay Poblacion, couple Edgar and Casiana Absin drop whatever they are doing and run fast to make it to the line. This has been a common scenario for two weeks since a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck Guihulngan City and…