Phinma embraces nation building through volunteerism

MANILA, Philippines - No amount of rain could dampen the spirit of over a thousand volunteers who took part in various community development activities held in different parts of the country last August 12.

Going back to its mission of building a better nation, Phinma Corporation kicked off its 60th anniversary with simultaneous volunteer activities in 38 sites across the Philippines.

“Reaching out to the people and doing everything we can to try and make their lives better while building our nation is at the heart of why the company exists,” Phinma president and chief executive officer Ramon del Rosario Jr. says. “Expect more of these efforts as we continue on while looking ahead to our next milestone.”

As the company celebrates its 60th anniversary, EJ Qua Hiansen, executive director of the Phinma Foundation, tells The STAR that the volunteer activities form part of their commitment to nation building.

“Phinma is really about nation-building from the very beginning. Our founder, Ramon Del Rosario Sr., is really known as a man who wanted to build a greater country,” he says. “We’ve carried that spirit and legacy onwards and we’ve really made it a mission to build a better Philippines.”

Hiansen says the activities fall under three areas: Environmental preservation, community development, and community building.

Under the environmental aspect, the company held several activities including reforestation programs in Bataan, Bulacan, Laguna, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Misamis Oriental, Cebu, Iloilo, Tacloban, and Bacolod.

It also involved coastal clean-ups and the rehabilitation of different tourist spots, which was headed by the company’s hospitality arm Microtel.

Community development activities, such as medical missions and traffic assistance support, were also held in Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Butuan, General Santos and Zamboanga.

In Metro Manila, volunteers took part in housing construction and vertical gardening efforts held in Pasig and Quezon City.

A storytelling activities at Bistekville IV in Barangay Culiat, Quezon City.

Jap Semaña, manager of the volunteer program of the Habitat for Humanity, stresses the importance of volunteerism in nation building.

“Volunteering is a big aspect of Habitat… It is part of community building and nation building,” he says.

Habitat for Humanity, which manages the on-site housing program of the Quezon City local government in Barangay Culiat, is among the partners of Phinma for its nationwide volunteer activities.

More than 50 employees braved the rainy weather to take part in the housing construction and storytelling activities for children at the site, known as Bistekville IV.

In addition to contributing to the development of the community, the volunteers also worked hand-in-hand with the locals who will benefit from the project.

The Bistekville IV project is one of the three sites of Habitat that accepts volunteers.

And while Phinma’s the nationwide volunteer activity only lasted for a day, Hiansen says they believe their employees will find time to return to the sites and continue to take part in such activities even on their own time.

“We really wanted to push volunteerism. We have a target of 100 percent volunteerism this year,” he says. “Our mission is really to make lives better and what better way to do that than to give time to help build a home for people in need, or to help protect the environment?”