Citi and PBSP Volunteers join hands for Global Community Day 2014

“Global Community Day is a unique opportunity for all of us in Citi to convey a simple yet powerful message – that through volunteerism, Citi employees are committed to making a positive impact in the local community globally,”–Citi Philippines CEO Batara Sianturi

Every year since 2005, Citi volunteers around the world have been celebrating Global Community Day (GCD), a time when employees along with their family and friends render service and give back to the communities where they live and work. In the Philippines, however, GCD is a misnomer, because celebrations start way before D-day—and continue to be held long after everyone has wrapped up.

This year was no different as 17 activities were spread across five weeks. From this number, the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) is proud to have partnered with Citi on four occasions, aligning their goals of social development by focusing efforts on collective impact: during the rehabilitation of two public schools, at the tree-planting activity in Rizal, and in similar greening efforts in Cebu.

Citi Philippines is one of the pioneer member-companies of  PBSP and has been very active  in the foundation’s social development and volunteerism projects since 1971. In fact, Citi CEO Batara Sianturi sits on PBSP’s Board of Directors, and has full support of this partnership between Citi and PBSP for GCD.

Tipas, Taguig gets ready for the new school year

To help and assist in the preparation for School Year 2014-2015, Citi volunteers joined two legs of Brigada Eskwela, also known as School Maintenance Week, a program supported by the Department of Education (DepED). 

PBSP is a strong supporter of Brigada Eskwela and has been organizing volunteerism days for its member-companies.

Citi  participated in rehabilitation efforts of two schools in Taguig City: Tipas Elementary School and Tipas National High School.  The eager volunteers accomplished the arduous tasks of cleaning 20 classrooms, covering 1,000 books, and painting 250 chairs per school.

Greening the mountains of Mascap and Tabunan

Citi volunteers also participated in PBSP’s Environment programs through treeplanting activities.

In Barangay Mascap, Rodriguez, Rizal,Citi volunteers planted 1,200 fruit-bearing seedlings,with some of them enduring an uphill climb to reach the planting site as they endeavored to keep the mountains that protect Marikina City green.

In the Visayas, GCD  was celebrated in Cebu through another tree-planting activity in Sitio Cantipla, Barangay Tabunan, wherein volunteers  put 900 assorted indigenous seedlings to soil in an effort to reinforce a critical watershed

Citi’s Global Community Day in Cebu was also attended by Citi Global Subsidiary Group Vice President Tomas Yap, a member of PBSP Visayas Executive Committee.