June 2024

ChildFund Philippines recently discussed its accomplishments and impacts in assisting Filipino children, youth, and local partners, stressing collaborative action as a critical driver in preserving and supporting Filipino children and young.

ChildFund Philippines declared their objective to reach 5 million Filipino children and families by 2026 and every year after that at their event “Connection for Impact,” which drew partners and stakeholders. This will help ChildFund International meet its global goal of reaching 100 million children and families by 2030.

The event also included a panel discussion with representatives from The Civil Society Network for Education Reforms, the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, UNICEF, Psychosocial Support, and the Children’s Rights Resource Center. These organizations stressed the importance of collaboration across sectors in ensuring a sustainable future for Filipino children and youth.

“We aim to scale up our efforts to address the evolving challenges faced by Filipino children and youth,” said Anand Vishwakarma, Country Director of ChildFund Philippines. “Together with our partners, we are driven by the urgent need to create broader and more sustainable impacts through collaborative efforts.”

In 2023, the organization reached 21 provinces, 35 cities and municipalities, 365 barangays, and in partnership with 11 local partners, supporting a total of 54 million children, youth, and adults.

ChildFund supports children and youth through various life stages, focusing on education, health, skilling and livelihoods, child protection and participation, and climate action. “From birth to age five, children should be healthy and secure. From six to their teenage years, they need proper education to build personal agency. By young adulthood, they should have developed skills for employment,” said Dong Waña, Program and Sponsorship Director of ChildFund Philippines.

ChildFund supported 610 learners with disabilities through Project Advancement of Children’s Inclusive Education through Virtual Engagement (ACHIEVE) and developed an e-learning platform that improved children’s participation. They also established neighborhood play programs in remote communities with limited access to early childhood care and development. Additionally, the youth are supported in making informed decisions about sexual and reproductive health through inclusive services and information. Under its new Job Opportunity Building for Youth (JOB for Youth) program, the organization has so far provided industry and technopreneurship training to 396 youths..

In terms of disaster preparedness, the Children and Youth-led Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CYDRM) Program aims to engage children and youth in disaster risk management and climate action initiatives. ChildFund also continuously promotes transparency in disaster relief through Project Relief Allocation Management, Distribution and Monitoring (RAMDAM), integrating technology-based interventions and climate-adaptive innovations.

The organization launched #FunOfAKind campaign that encourages people to volunteer their “time, talent, and treasure” to ChildFund’s programs, supporting children and youth. This will allow the organization to:

• Improve culturally relevant and developmentally appropriate learning experiences  for indigenous children in BARMM through an inclusive education program called Bajau Ongka-kumpit for Access and Transition to School (BOAT School),
• Enhance social and emotional learning for children and promote safe learning environments,
• Withdraw more children from the worst form of child labor,
• Engage more youth in leading their own Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) initiatives; and,
• Rally for wide adoption of the RAMDAM disaster response app by national agencies.

“The challenges faced by Filipino children are complex,” said Vishwakarma. “By working together – government, businesses, non-government organizations, and concerned citizens – we can achieve far better outcomes for them.”

For additional information on how to become engaged, go to https://childfund.org.ph/get-involved.

By introducing cutting-edge ICT services specifically designed for the city’s government and hotel industries, Eastern Communications improves Baguio’s digital landscape. The organization supports Baguio’s efforts to increase economic and tourism growth in order to aid in the post-pandemic recovery of the area.

The economy of the Cordillera is greatly boosted by Baguio City, which is expected to achieve its 2024 collection target of PHP2.74 billion. Baguio City Assistant Treasurer Fernando Ragma announced a 12% increase in collections compared to 2023, with PHP1.205 billion collected from January 1 to April 30. This is 45% of this goal already collected in the first four months.

To sustain this momentum, Eastern Communications is committed to equipping more businesses with digital solutions to help them thrive.

The telecommunications provider will enhance Baguio’s digital landscape with innovative ICT services tailored to the city’s hospitality and government sectors. This initiative aligns with Baguio’s goal of boosting economic and tourism growth, aiming to support the region’s post-pandemic resurgence.

Strengthening Baguio’s Government Sector

Reliable connectivity is pivotal for Baguio’s economic development. It enables efficient communication, access to global markets, and fostering innovation. Both businesses and public services rely on seamless internet access for transactions, research, and networking. Additionally, robust connectivity supports remote work, enhances education, and drives technological advancement, fueling economic growth and competitiveness.

The partnership between Baguio’s local government and Eastern Communications represents a significant step towards enhanced connectivity and progress. Eastern’s comprehensive internet solutions support Baguio’s vision for a digitally inclusive future, providing the robust infrastructure necessary for economic vitality and community empowerment.

“Eastern’s connectivity services offer a transformative opportunity for Baguio City’s development. By providing free fiber connectivity to barangays, Eastern enables seamless communication infrastructure essential for urban planning and public services. Integrating IoT boxes for sensors and CCTV enhances security and resource management, fostering a smarter, safer cityscape,” said City Government of Baguio Officer in Charge – Management in Information and Technology Division (MITD) Francis Camarao.

Boosting Hospitality and Tourism in the Summer Capital

Eastern Communications is also playing a crucial role in the digitalization of Baguio’s hospitality and tourism sectors. The company has recently partnered with several prime hotels in Baguio, including Soto Grande Hotel, Hotel Cosmopolitan, and Newtown Hotel, to provide top-tier ICT solutions.

Clients have expressed satisfaction with Eastern’s personalized services and ICT solutions, noting that digital adoption is essential for businesses to thrive in the modern era.

Soto Grande Hotel

During the official contract signing event with the newly opened Soto Grande hotel, Resident Manager Marco Fetizanan offered a positive outlook on their partnership with Eastern Communications, noting that it “will significantly enhance our digital processes.”

“Their reliable connectivity ensures our guests enjoy a seamless online experience throughout their stay. Eastern has proven to be our partner of choice, and we believe that adopting digital solutions is crucial for businesses to thrive in 2024 and beyond.”

Hotel Cosmopolitan

Hotel Cosmopolitan, located in the heart of Baguio, also recognizes the importance of digital adoption in accommodating the city’s increasing number of tourists. The hotel seeks to meet this need as it officially sealed the deal for Eastern Communications to be its Fiber1 internet service provider.

Glen Flores, owner of Hotel Cosmopolitan, expressed his confidence in the telco’s service, “Eastern Communications is not only fast and effective but also offers friendly and impeccable customer service.”

Newtown Hotel

Eastern also partnered with the popular Newtown Plaza Hotel, located along Claro M. Recto Street, to offer the business an Internet Direct Service (IDS) leased line.

During the official contract signing, Newtown’s Hotel Manager, Josh Ancheta, highlighted the main reasons for choosing the telco as their dedicated internet service provider.

“Our partnership with Eastern was driven by our need for a provider that offers reliable after-sales support and quick response to our concerns. Apart from this, they also helped us exceed our guests’ expectations. We recommend Eastern as the go-to provider for the tourism and hospitality sector due to their personalized solutions and dependable service.”

Eastern Communications wants to be a Partner in Progress for the city, creating a digitally connected and thriving community through its expanding ICT and connectivity relationships in Baguio. This guarantees that improved services and possibilities are available to both businesses and tourists.

• ‘25 Years Young’ celebrates the 25th anniversary of the foundation
• A global call for contributions will award impactful and innovative youth projects

Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, is launching a global campaign to commemorate both this significant milestone and the next generation of young leaders dedicated to creating a fairer, low-carbon society.

‘25 Years Young’: A Celebration of Youth and 25 Years of Action

The Schneider Electric Foundation, founded in 1999 by the Fondation de France, supports changemakers who are advancing sustainable development, promoting social inclusion, and empowering communities around the world. Throughout 2024, the foundation will honor the world’s young by raising awareness of their social and environmental impact and rallying corporate personnel. The highlight of these celebrations is the introduction of a global call for contributions with the foundation’s social entrepreneurship partner, Ashoka.

Since its inception, the Schneider Electric Foundation has been a pioneer in supporting constructive projects to address growing social and environmental concerns, with many solutions spearheaded by young people from throughout the world. The foundation is celebrating its 25th anniversary by recognizing their efforts to make a difference in the fight for a more equitable energy transition.

‘Youth Innovation For A Sustainable Future’: A Global Call for Contributions

The call for contributions titled ‘Youth Innovation For A Sustainable Future’ with Ashoka’s program Changemaker Companies aims to select 25 of the most impactful and innovative youth projects across all five continents (Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East). This global call for contributions focuses on professional engagement and a fair transition, and a 50,000-euro prize will be awarded to the winning project during the COP29 climate summit in Bakou, Azerbaïdjan. Those projects selected will also benefit from increased visibility across the social media channels of both Schneider Electric’s Foundation and Ashoka’s network of countries. In the Philippines, the call for contributions will be launched on June 17, 2024. Entries can be submitted through the program’s website at https://volunteerin.se.com/#/youth-innovation-for-sustainable-future.

“Schneider Electric Foundation has been dedicated to driving sustainable development for the last 25 years by promoting social inclusion and empowering the youth to champion positive change,” said Norman Roland Ocana III, Head of Government Affairs and Sustainability of Schneider Electric Philippines. “We commemorate this momentous milestone, with our strengthened commitment to support NGOs and Foundations who work with the next generation on various initiatives focused on just transition, awareness and inclusion, professional training in energy management, entrepreneurship and gender.”

Discover the newest perspectives shaping sustainability, electricity 4.0, and next-generation automation on Schneider Electric Insights.

Since 1993, SM, through its social good arm, the SM Foundation, has championed education by granting college scholarships to worthy students from economically vulnerable neighborhoods, demonstrating how education and hard work can lead to a life free of poverty.

Henry Sy, the creator of SM, believed that education was the best kind of resistance against poverty. For him, one of the most powerful ways to make a difference in a community is to assist a student in obtaining a college degree; the multiplier effect continues when that graduate eventually becomes capable of aiding his family, the company for which he will work, and society as a whole.

Aside from assisting approximately 4,200 scholar beneficiaries annually, the scholarship program is also working to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by improving youth education, building school facilities, and providing classrooms around the country.

For Fritz Mendez, this journey is anything but straightforward. Living in a vulnerable community, survival was the only thing he could think of. 

His mother was forced to leave her job as a domestic helper due to the war in Lebanon. This and several other familial problems forced him to stop attending school, feeling that escaping poverty was an impossible dream. 

“When you live in our community, it seems expected of you not to go to college or have a degree because poverty is very rampant. I, however, had a dream inside me to show to my community and family that I can have a college degree,” he said. “Having an opportunity to fulfill that dream through the SM Scholarship is indeed a blessing I prayed for. I took all the courage to apply and the SM Foundation gave me a shot.”

Achieving the once-impossible dream

Starting college at the age of 19, and being older than his peers didn’t stop Fritz from developing his skills and making the most of the opportunity given to him. 

The supportive environment of the scholarship program and his involvement in church activities helped him turn his negative experiences into positive actions. He discovered his passion for writing and performing, his outgoing nature, and his leadership skills, which were honed through various church and school activities. 

Fritz also developed practical skills like budgeting and time management, crucial for his survival and success in college and future career. These experiences boosted his confidence and expanded his horizons.

“The scholarship unleashed a new side of me. From merely thinking about survival, I developed a sense of responsibility, discipline, and an appreciation for the value of labor and money. This growth was particularly evident during my participation in the SM Scholarship’s summer job program, where I learned to budget my earnings effectively. I was able to provide for our household needs while still saving enough for my allowance in the upcoming semester.”

Living the dream

After earning his Accounting Technology degree in 2014, he landed his first and only job at BDO Unibank. 

Climbing the corporate ladder, he is now a senior teller while also serving as the Regional Director of the BDO Employees Association for the Visayas region. While managing key accounts in his area, he uplifts his colleagues, leads effectively, and proposes innovative welfare policies for his fellow employees.

“The SM Group has taught me that family is everything. As an SM scholar, their encouragement and support showed me the true meaning of family. Now, working at BDO Unibank, I get to experience and demonstrate how to nurture my family,” he said.  

Fritz is now able to provide for his family’s basic requirements and maintain a healthy living environment, particularly for his mother, who encouraged his desire of a better life.

“Beyond this, the SM Scholarship gave hope to me, a high school student who could have accepted his fate. The SM Scholarship not only made me the only degree holder in a broken family but also provided an opportunity for me to envision a brighter, more promising future. It highlighted the potential for students like me to begin anew and forge our own paths toward success.”