CIMB brings light, empowerment to typhoon-hit indigenous community
for CIMB Bank PH
MANILA, Philippines — CIMB Bank in the Philippines continues to embrace what it means to be a non-traditional, digital-only bank—one that is committed to empowerment and sustainability.
Showing the heart in banking, CIMB Bank Philippines has recently taken a significant step in aiding a typhoon-hit indigenous community in San Marcelino, Zambales.
“At CIMB, we understand that the climate emergency is real. This is why, apart from our commitments toward sustainable action, we also encourage our employees to take on small yet impactful actions for local communities,” Chief Executive Officer Vijay Manoharan said.
“We want to be able to foster a purposeful workplace for our employees through volunteer activities like this to help them become responsible corporate citizens,” Manoharan added.
Illuminating hope in San Marcelino
To aid indigenous communities, which had lost power due to the heavy rains and flooding caused by Typhoon Egay, CIMB Bank Philippines partnered with Liter of Light.
Fifty employee-volunteers were equipped with daylight kits and participated in a build event hosted at the CIMB Bank office in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.
Created from recycled plastic bottles and locally sourced materials, the lamps not only bring much-needed light to the community but also symbolize hope and resilience in such difficult times.
”I learned through this activity that providing lights to a community can help minimize crimes at night. It only took 15 to 20 minutes of our time, but what we did collectively will help give them peace of mind and allow them to sleep more soundly at night,” said volunteer Paula Gantioqui, Head of Customer Experience and Digital Channels.
Learning Experience Manager Dana Desamero, another volunteer, was thankful for the experience.
“This experience was both heartwarming and enlightening for me and left a mark on my perception of community-driven change. What we learned was more than just putting together solar lamps, we also learned about how actions like these can bring profound changes to the lives of others in need,” Desamero expressed.
The assembled solar lights will be turned over to the community with the help of the Liter of Light team. The lights will provide much-needed light and assist the recovery of 50 households and small businesses in San Marcelino.
Illac Diaz, founder and executive director of Liter of Light, expressed gratitude for CIMB Bank Philippines’ initiative and assistance to the typhoon-hit communities.
“We thank CIMB for partnering with us in our mission to illuminate the homes of Filipino families still living in darkness. By lending their time and talent to assemble hand-built solar lights, CIMB has demonstrated its commitment to share knowledge and tools while helping to empower 50 households of the recent Typhoon Egay victims,” Diaz said.
“Each of the hand-built solar lights reduces carbon emissions by 200kg, creating not only a more hopeful, but also a more sustainable future for these families,” he added.
Liter of Light is a global, grassroots movement committed to providing affordable, sustainable solar lights to people with little or no access to electricity. To date, it has installed more than 350,000 bottle lights in more than 15 countries.
Making an impact beyond finance
From its inception, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles have been ingrained in CIMB's DNA, fostering a culture of responsibility and environmental consciousness. This ethos has been further reinforced by the bank's digital-only banking model, which allows us to drive financial inclusion across the country.
With a strong emphasis on promoting sustainability practices and making a positive impact, CIMB's recent initiative shines a light not only on the environment but also on the lives of those affected by natural calamities.
According to CIMB Bank Philippines, one of its priorities this year is to strengthen its sustainability programs for its employees and make a bigger contribution towards preserving the environment and getting more actively involved in social causes.
Through CSR programs like this, the bank hopes to further propagate its message of living one’s purpose by giving opportunities to its employees to do good and at the same time help uplift the lives of the beneficiaries.
"Dedication to sustainability and corporate social responsibility runs deep in our corporate culture at CIMB. We view it as our moral obligation to contribute positively to society and the environment,” CIMB CEO Vijay Manoharan enthused.
"We're proud to say that we're not just onboarding our workforce; we're nurturing a family of passionate individuals who genuinely care about making a meaningful impact,” he added.
By empowering its employees to actively engage in meaningful initiatives, CIMB Bank Philippines proves it is not just a digital bank but also a force of good to the communities it serves.
Editor’s Note: #BrandSpace story is created with CIMB Bank Philippines It is produced by the Advertising Content Team that is independent from our Editorial Newsroom.
