At IHG Hotels and Resorts in the Philippines, we would like to create a more inclusive work environment. The IHG hotel cluster in the Philippines namely Holiday Inn and Suites Makati, Holiday Inn Manila Galleria, Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, Holiday Inn Cebu City, and Holiday Inn Express Manila Newport do support the Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2000 in this initiative.
On your Journey, We Stand by You, Every Step of the Way (OWE)
As per Republic Act No. 8972 – “An Act Providing for Benefits and Privileges to Solo Parents and their Children, Appropriating Funds Thereof and For Other Purposes.”To reinforce this initiative, we support our solo parent colleagues with the benefits and privileges as provided by the existing law where a solo parent is entitled to a flexible work schedule, parental leave benefits, and counseling sessions among others.
And as we move forward, we OWE our valued solo parent colleagues the support they need to have a caring and inclusive work environment.
With this initiative, there is no doubt that Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) is essential. We want to recognize and celebrate differences in our workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and included. As Myra Yamsuan, Area Director of Human Resources Philippines said, “It’s time that organizations like ours take that bold step of easing the challenge, the responsibility and efforts they exert when they are in the workplace. We don’t need to look very far to be motivated and be inspired because in our midst we have colleagues who are a source of great inspiration to their kids for taking on the daunting role of both mother and father.”
Indeed, it is about ensuring that everyone benefits from the same opportunities and experiences and an environment where everyone can feel welcome. We believe that it is necessary to achieve a healthy balance among diverse backgrounds within the company.
At IHG, everyone is welcome to make our business their home. We invite guests and colleagues alike to join us, connect and enjoy an extraordinary world. True hospitality is about joining more people together, in more places, more often, right across the world. We want to open doors, break down barriers and create meaningful differences – so you feel proud to belong here. Our philosophy is built on more than just words and ideas. It is supported by Diversity & Inclusion initiatives designed to create the culture we want.
Davao City, Dipolog City, and Quezon City are representing the Philippines in this year’s leg of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)’s We Love Cities Campaign (WLC)—the organization’s global campaign that supports the creation and development of cities that enable all people to thrive and prosper while respecting the ecological limits of our only planet.
Linked with the One Planet City Challenge (OPCC), which guides cities globally to reach their climate mitigation and adaptation plans, WLC aims to raise awareness and inspire citizens to support the sustainable urban development initiatives of their respective cities. The country’s WLC 2022 representatives have also emerged as the national finalists for the OPCC 2022.
Safer Davao City
Qualifying Davao City in this year’s campaign is its outsized goal for emissions reductions, targeting a 75% reduction by 2030 from a 2017 baseline. Helping the Philippines’ second-largest city by land area and third largest by population size achieve its climate mitigation target are the fifty-four-kilometer cycle lanes that encourage Davao residents to be active on their bikes and reduce their carbon footprint, as well as the ongoing installation of solar street lights, making brighter, safer Davao streets. The city has also launched several initiatives that promote sustainable food production and improved farming practices, including the efforts of local farms to go organic.
100% emissions reduction of Dipolog City
On the other hand, Dipolog City plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and will undertake a 100% emissions reduction compared to its 2018 baseline. As such, the mid-sized city on the northwestern island of Mindanao will convert three-quarters of city street lights to solar to reduce emissions and generate positive savings for the city. The city will also undertake a large forest restoration project covering an area of 589 hectares in the mountain ranges of Barangays Dicayas and Lugdungan, where a variety of flora and fauna, including the endangered Mindanao tarsier, thrive. This project will also increase biodiversity in the area to eventually sequester 4,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually and counter deforestation in the city’s surrounding zone.
Sustainable energy initiatives of Quezon City
As the sole Luzon island representative for this year’s roster of flagbearers, Quezon City is ramping up its sustainable energy initiatives to meet its goal of reducing emissions by 30% in 2030 compared to business-as-usual projections while also committing to reduce 80% emissions, leading to net-zero by 2050. The city is also set to shift to a more sustainable energy source, with solar PV installations set to be installed in city-owned hospitals and schools and eventually, in all viable city buildings and facilities in the next eight years. The City of Stars also doubled its bike lanes to 93 kilometers by the end of 2020, which has earned recognition for its foresight in creating protected bike lanes for cyclists. In addition, the city launched an innovative program that allows citizens to switch to a more sustainable lifestyle by trading their recyclables and single-use plastics for environmental points to buy necessities and pay utility bills.
Atty. Angela Ibay, WWF-Philippines’ Climate and Energy Program Head, expressed her appreciation for the country’s local qualifiers this year as they participate in this campaign to promote sustainable urban development. “As local governments continue addressing the effects of the pandemic, we would like to commend Davao City, Dipolog City, Quezon City, and the other LGUs who have taken part in this call to achieve climate mitigation and enhance their cities’ resiliency. With the pandemic proving the link between planetary and human health, it is important now, more than ever, that cities and citizens do their part to #ChangeTheEnding for the planet.”
This year’s WLC will run until October 31. The city that will receive the most number of website votes, social media posts, and suggestion submissions by the end of the campaign period will be declared the We Love Cities 2022 global campaign winner.
Campaign for your favorite Philippine city on your social media platforms by using the hashtags #WeLoveDavaoCityPH, #WeLoveDipologCityPH, or #WeLoveQuezonCityPH. For more information and updates about the We Love Cities 2022 campaign, log on to https://welovecities.org/.
Overdoughs, famous for its mouthwatering chonky cookies and donuts, stands out not just for its products but for providing employment and opportunities for the deaf.
When his mother was pregnant with him, she contracted German measles. This caused 31-year-old Jan Aldrin L. Lontoc to be born deaf. Lontoc, however, did not allow his condition to affect what he wanted to achieve in life – to be the best version of himself and to be a valuable member of the community.
After graduating from a two-year course in hotel and restaurant services, Lontoc worked as a part-time waiter in a catering company. He also had stints in Bench and Hapee Toothpaste.
“I learned about the Caravan Food Group, Inc. when I submitted my resume at the UNILAB Office. And that was the start of my working relationship with Elait in 2017,” Lontoc said.
The Caravan Food Group Inc. is the company behind Elait and Overdoughs. Elait offers ice cream where customers can witness ice cream being rolled with their favorite flavors right in front of them. Overdoughs, on the other hand, offers their very own versions of donuts or doughnuts, mouthwatering chunky cookies or Chonky Cookies, brownies or brookies, pizza, and fries.
What makes these two establishments stand out is that they provide employment and opportunities for the deaf.
“When I was a teenager, I remember visiting a clothing shop. The employees at the shop were all at the cashier talking to each other. And then there was a guy who approached me but he was not talking. He was trying his best to assist me and it was then that I noticed that there was a name tag and the word deaf was placed,’ recalled Francis Carl Reyes, CEO, and Founder of Caravan Food Group Inc.
That was Reyes’ first experience with a deaf person who he felt was the “epitome of good customer service. No matter who you are, he is going to assist you. No judgment.” That experience made him decide that he would employ deaf partners for his store.
He tried out the deaf partner program initially with Elait. When he saw that it was doing well, he implemented it at Overdoughs. Initially, Reyes started with two tables and two deaf partners and he would be observing how they were doing their jobs.
Before he was deployed in Elait, Lontoc underwent training and he said that it was a good experience for him.
“I learned a lot during my training with Elait. I learned how to roll the ice cream properly and serve customers. After a while, my supervisors allowed me to transfer to Overdoughs. There, I learned to prepare the doughnuts and our best-selling Chonky Cookies,” Lontoc said.
Jan with other colleagues and deaf partners at a training session last March 2022.
Despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lontoc persevered and rose the ranks to become a team leader in just five years.
“As of now, I am currently in training to be an area supervisor and I am very thankful to my managers because they are very supportive,” Lontoc said.
Lontoc will have his hands full in the coming months as Reyes hopes to convert more of their Overdoughs outlets into cafes so that customers can get to savor their other products like pizzas, fried chicken, fries, and empanadas.
Overdoughs currently has one such outlet in Greenhills where customers can not only enjoy good food but do good as well.
“I have learned to do my best, to be patient, trustworthy, dependable. I want to be a successful area supervisor, a position, I hope I can have for a lifetime. Now that I am married, I want to have a stable job for my family,” Lontoc said.
Dipolog City is the national winner of the World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) One Planet City Challenge (OPCC) 2021-2022, joining national winners from 20 countries around the world.
Bogotá, Colombia, and Lund, Sweden were selected as the OPCC Global Winners which saw a total of 280 cities participating from 50 countries.
As the Philippines’ National Winner, Dipolog City representatives were able to attend the OPCC Global Awarding Ceremony in Helsingborg, Sweden, personally last June 2 to receive their award.
Dipolog City Representatives (2nd and 3rd from L) receive their award as OPCC National Winner of Philippines during the OPCC Global Awarding Ceremony in Helsingborg, Sweden, last June 2, 2022. Photo: WWF-Sweden.
Dipolog city was commended by the international jury of the OPCC Core Team in Sweden for its bold emissions reduction plan, which is aligned with science-based targets needed to keep global warming within 1.5°C. Dipolog has reported innovative and impactful action plans that will help achieve these targets and bring long-term co-benefits.
The cities were measured against rigorous criteria that included: ambitious climate targets, bold leadership, ability to meet upcoming challenges, and a holistic climate action plan that is well balanced towards their goals.
One Planet City Challenge is a friendly global competition initiated by WWF to recognize cities for their climate actions and ambitions and assess whether they align with the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement in limiting climate change to 1.5 °C.
Since its inception 10 years ago, close to 600 cities from 53 countries on 5 continents have already participated in this challenge. Dipolog, Quezon, and Davao Cities were the national finalists in the Philippines. Other cities that were included in the country’s roster of qualifiers for OPCC 2021-2022 are Baguio, Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Legazpi, Makati, Ormoc, Pasig, San Carlos, San Fernando (La Union), Santa Rosa, Tagum, Zamboanga and Vigan.
“As highlighted in the recently released IPCC AR6 reports, cities play a key role in avoiding the most severe impacts of global warming,” said Marco Lambertini, Director General of WWF International. “Bogotá and Lund are two inspiring examples of how dedicated local governments from very different contexts can drive the transition toward more liveable and sustainable cities. For the world over, both cities are showing others what can be achieved!”
Impact of Climate Change
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, climate change directly impacts cities and urban life. Increasing global temperatures result in rising sea levels and more extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and storms, particularly affecting coastal communities. Further, increases in the spread of vector-borne and water-borne diseases and heat-related illnesses have affected urban populations as global temperatures increase.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report reinforces these findings, stating that cities are areas of concentrated risk to climate change with losses due to infrastructure damage and disruption in services and affected supply chains already occurring. Cities are also areas where opportunities for delivering urgent climate action abound.
Cities are also key contributors to climate change, as urban activities are significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions. An estimated 75% of global CO2 emissions are from cities, with transport and buildings among the most significant contributors.
However, some cities have started to use renewable energy sources, implement regulations to limit industrial emissions, and institute energy efficiency measures. Many have undertaken climate actions to increase their city’s resilience with its residents and businesses adapting to the changing climate. Others have also enforced laws that help to restore and preserve the environment.
One Planet Cities Project Manager for WWF-Philippines Imee Bellen hopes that more Philippine cities will participate in OPCC in the future. “This is an example that shows OPCC is not about being the most advanced city, but it’s about how holistic the local governments plan for their cities towards low-carbon development,” she said.
Atty. Angela Ibay, Head of the Climate and Energy Programme of WWF-Philippines, encouraged citizens to help their cities boost their capacity to respond to the climate crisis.
“The cities’ plans would not come to life if it wasn’t for the collective action of its residents. However, we as individuals can still make a difference on our own. Even the most trivial habits, such as reducing energy consumption, can have a long-lasting impact on the community and nature.”
“Winners and finalists of this year’s OPCC are also eligible to participate in We Love Cities (WLC) by September 2022. WLC is a WWF campaign interwoven with the OPCC which aims to provide a platform for the citizens to give suggestions for improvement that city leaders can consider in their climate action planning process and sustainable development.”
For more information and updates about the One Planet City Challenge, visit http://panda.org/opcc.
Featured photo: Dipolog City, a 3rd-class component city in Zamboanga del Norte is the National Winner in this year’s One Planet City Challenge. The photo shows the Pagsalabuk Circle or the Dipolog Rotunda, a symbol of diverse culture representing the Muslim, Subanen, and Christian people of the city. Photo: Dipolog City Government
More than a year after its launch in November 2020, Pilipinas Kontra Gutom (PKG) partners share milestones towards the movement’s goal of less hungry Filipinos.
Pilipinas Kontra Gutom is a multi-sectoral movement of Task Force Zero Hunger with the public sector and 80 partner members from private corporations and non-government organizations working hand in hand to address the country’s concerns on involuntary hunger – food production and distribution, malnutrition, food surplus and immediate food needed during times of disasters.
Four-Fold Mission
Divide and conquer is one of the guiding principles of the movement. Multi-sectoral working groups were set up targeting specific beneficiaries and focused on different priorities toward achieving zero hunger in the country.
The first priority is food availability and accessibility with the vision to elevate farming as a dignified, sustainable profession among smallholder farmers and other food producers. The goal is to increase farmer income by as much as 20% in the first year and double productivity by 2025. Key programs include the expansion of value chain projects by partner companies through capacity building and logistics improvement in the farm-to-consumer process.
Second is the nutrition adequacy goal. The group is eyeing zero undernourished Filipino children across all households by 2030. The key program to drive this objective involves a sustainable, nutrition education program for pregnant mothers that guides them during the first 1000 days of a child and teaches them how to build a healthy food culture at home through nutritious, delicious yet budget-friendly recipes for the family.
Food assistance and security during disasters are the third priority of the movement. A strengthened and synchronized public and private sectors’ disaster response initiatives during disasters to ensure efficient food distribution is the end in mind.
Food banking is the landmark project for availability and assistance, the fourth priority. The aim is to establish an effective food banking system in Metro Manila that will help supply and ensure a sustainable flow of food to communities in need.
Milestones
On food availability and accessibility, 4,000 farmers and agripreneurs have been assisted through programs such as Nestle and GIZ’s Project Coffee+, TESDA-Nestle’s Coffee Farmer Scholarship Program, Cargil’s Yellow Corn Project with Aboitiz, Cargill, Bayer, Pilmico, Vitarich, Save the Children and PPSA, and Learning Series led by Jollibee Group Foundation with Harbest and PPSA.
Another program that helps with food availability and accessibility is Feed Back, a community-based vegetable exchange, that helps solve hunger in just 5 weeks. It creates a path for families to source food from their backyards, exchange excess produces with their neighbors, and sell it to their community, nearby villages, and towns.
In the area of assistance during times of crisis, the group collaborates with local and national organizations, corporations, civil society groups, and local government units to execute efforts for the victims of calamities, and pre-evacuation for typhoon-affected families.
On availability of food surplus and repurposing it through assistance, this team has set up a food bank portal where companies and groups can key in their food surplus to be distributed via the Assistance workstream. Through the collaboration of DOLE, Grab, San Miguel Corporation, URC, Scaling Up Nutrition, and Supply Chain Management Association of the Phils., the goal is to establish an effective food banking system that will help supply and sustain food to communities in need.
Lahat kasali, lahat kasalo.
To date, the movement has reached more than 450,000 Filipinos across its four-fold mission where incidences of hunger and malnutrition are high.
In a recent PKG gathering, Task Force Zero Hunger Chair, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles shared that the hunger incidence in the country has improved. “The Philippines also improved its ranking in the 2021 Global Hunger Index. The Philippines ranked 68th out of 116 countries. With a score of 16.8, we have a moderate level of hunger. This is a notch higher than in the 2020 GHI when we ranked 69th with a score of 19.0,” shared Chair Nograles.
PKG invites every Filipino to help. Lahat kasali, lahat kasalo. Individuals may visit kaintayopilipinas.com for details and private corporations, non-profit organizations, and groups who would like to be part of the movement may send an email to pkg@ph.mcd.com.
On March 26 at 8:30 p.m. local time, WWF-Philippines invites Filipinos to turn off their lights during the annual celebration of Earth Hour as a symbol of a broader commitment toward the planet. This global celebration started as a symbolic event in Sydney, Australia in 2007 and has grown into one of the world’s largest grassroots environmental movements spanning over 7,000 cities and 193 countries and territories.
This year’s Earth Hour takes place at a particularly crucial time as it calls for increased ambition and urgent action to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. It also takes place before the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP15, initially scheduled for April 25-May 8, where leaders from around the world will gather to decide on a new global action plan for nature for the coming decade. WWF aims to build a groundswell of actions and noise en-masse, including on the news, to put pressure on world leaders in the build-up to CBD COP15.
Earth Hour 2022 also puts forward a broader call to action for individuals to step towards living sustainably and for companies and governments to help build an equitable, nature-positive, and net-zero carbon future.
WWF-Philippines’ Earth Hour Ambassador Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski shared what this movement means for everyone saying “Earth Hour might be symbolic, but it’s the most powerful reminder that we care, and how many of us all over the world do care.”
For a decade since its inception back in 2007, Earth Hour focused on building awareness of climate change. From 2018, the focus of the movement pivoted to include both climate and nature as their interconnectivity became more evident with human activity causing direct negative impacts on nature and the environment, which then contributes to biodiversity loss and climate change.
Most of the events and campaigns for Earth Hour Philippines 2022 will be celebrated online. The #ShapeOurFuture social media mini-series that ran from March 1 to 11 features select individuals encouraging the public to probe into the election candidates’ platform for the country’s biodiversity conservation.
Earth Hour Virtual Run, a self-paced virtual run that aims to promote a sustainable and healthy lifestyle, raise environmental awareness, and support conservation efforts of WWF-Philippines, will span from March 26 to April 22. Participants can choose their distance from 10 km to 60 km. The registration started February 2 and will end April 9.
Jefferson Lo, founder of Pinoy Fitness, which partnered with WWF-Philippines for the Earth Hour Virtual Run said he believes that “protecting the planet is everyone’s responsibility, especially for us runners and those who are into fitness knows how important the environment is.”
On the day itself, an hour before the switch-off, there will be a Countdown to Earth Hour roundtable discussion hosted by WWF ambassadors Marc Nelson and Pia Wurtzbach. The speaker line-up includes representatives from the Green Thumb Coalition, farmers and fisherfolks, and on-the-ground environmental workers.
The roundtable will be anchored on the importance of legislation and policies for the future of the Philippine environment. With 2022 being a critical year for both the environment and Filipinos, this aims to empower voters with the proper knowledge to create well-thought-of choices in the upcoming national election and elect leaders that will put sustainability on the pedestal.
Follow WWF-Philippines on social media for updates and events related to Earth Hour Philippines 2022.
Globe customers have raised P1,925,284 worth of Globe and TM Rewards points to help survivors of Typhoon Odette, sending critical aid to families reeling from the impact of the deadly December storm.
The donations have been turned over to Globe’s partner organizations — the Ayala Foundation, GMA Kapuso Foundation, and Rise Against Hunger Philippines.
Such support came at a crucial time when typhoon survivors needed life-saving aid, as Odette destroyed over 344,000 houses and damaged more than 1 million others. The destruction displaced over 58,000 families, leaving them straining for basic needs.
A total of 406 people were killed, while 1,265 were hurt and 65 remain missing.
“The devastation left by Typhoon Odette called for a swift response. We are very grateful to our customers who are with us in this undertaking. The Rewards points that they donated will go a long way in helping step up humanitarian efforts to help as many people as we possibly can,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Corporate Communications.
Globe Rewards currently has 15 non-government organizations, charitable institutions, and foundations in its program roster, supporting several advocacies in line with the company’s vision towards national development and upliftment of lives. These include disaster relief, reforestation, child protection, hunger mitigation, education, animal welfare, marine biodiversity, mental wellness, and medical support.
Through Globe Rewards, Globe and TM subscribers can provide support and malasakit to worthwhile causes in time of need within the safety of their homes.
For Odette response, one of Globe’s major partners Ayala Foundation through its disaster relief and recovery efforts under the #BrigadangAyala program continues to provide food packs in heavily affected areas in partnership with the Ayala Group of Companies.
Another partner is the GMA Foundation, which provides aid through the “Operation Bayanihan” program. The organization extends immediate relief and assistance to victims of disasters and calamities nationwide.
Other donation partners that extend support to disaster survivors are ABS-CBN Foundation and the Tzu Chi Foundation.
To date, relief efforts led by Globe and its partner organizations have now reached over 10,000 families in Palawan, Visayas, and Mindanao.
With thousands of Filipinos affected by the disaster still in need of urgent help, Globe continues to send out a call for support to its customers.
Globe and TM customers can still donate their Rewards points to ongoing relief operations for as low as P1 via the New GlobeOne app at glbe.co/NewGlobeONE. Customers can go to the Rewards section, click the “DONATE” icon, choose the organization and corresponding denomination, and then press “REDEEM.” A confirmation message will be sent by 4438 upon successful donation.
The company strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 9, highlighting the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. Globe is committed to upholding the United Nations Global Compact principles and contributing to 10 UN SDGs.
Political candidates in the 2022 national elections must put the climate crisis on their agenda and ensure that the Philippines complies with our international commitments, environmental group WWF-Philippines said.
“The climate, nature, and environment should be on the agenda of candidates along with our advocacies on climate justice and equity. There needs to be a lot of thought and attention on how we will implement the proper actions in line with our international commitments,” Atty. Angela Consuelo Ibay, WWF-Philippines’ Head of Climate and Energy, said.
“I think now is the time to ensure that. We need to lobby with the candidates to put the climate on their agenda and to think of it carefully. All of us will be impacted by climate change and are already feeling it,” she said during an online webinar co-organized by the Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (CREST) and WWF-Philippines titled “Energy Transition to Halt the Climate Crisis.”
The Philippines sent a delegation led by Department of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III to COP26 which ran from October 31 up to November 12. The conference ended one day beyond the schedule due to the negotiations over the text of the Glasgow Climate Pact.
As the election season heats up in the Philippines, Ibay called on those officials to ensure that the agreements they signed in the international conference with hundreds of other countries will become institutionalized and continue to be implemented by the next administration.
PH ranked 7th globally in coal expansion
“Even though historically the Philippines’ GHG emissions are small compared to developed countries, we should not belittle our contribution to the climate crisis because our emissions are higher compared to 100 other countries and in 2020, we are ranked 7th globally in terms of coal expansion,” Atty. Avril de Torres of the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) said.
“That’s how many coal power plants are planned to be built. And there should have been more coal plants operating and in the pipeline, because back in 2012, the forecasted energy mix of the Department of Energy (DOE) was 70 to 80% from coal,” Torres said.
Torres cited the 2020 coal moratorium by the DOE as an important step in the energy transition as this halted 6 gigawatts of coal capacity. However, a CEED study published July 2021 found that proponents of 10 coal projects are still in the process of obtaining permits while 6 proposed projects were allowed to continue.
“That target should be higher but the 35% target is already low and yet very hard to achieve,” Cardenas said. “That should be a reality. We need to make the 35% target an imperative and not merely an aspirational target.”
Bread market leader Gardenia Bakeries sends more bread to regions hit by Typhoon Odette in Eastern, Western, and Central Visayas and Northern Mindanao.
Gardenia president Jun Umali confirmed in a statement that the company is exerting efforts to provide adequate bread supply in areas affected by the onslaught of the tropical cyclone.
“We are doing our best to ship bread products from our plants in Laguna and Cagayan de Oro to typhoon-hit areas in Visayas and Mindanao. To avert food shortage, we continuously resupply goods using our large feeder trucks thru the RORO shipping system. Additional Gardenia stocks are being delivered to Sorsogon, Samar, Leyte, Bohol, Panay, Negros, Cebu, and affected parts of Mindanao,” Umali explained.
He noted the need for ready-to-eat food in times of calamities. “Food is one of the immediate needs of typhoon-affected families in, especially to those areas with no electricity and enough water supplies. Convenient and ready-to-consume goods like Gardenia bread, which do not require cooking, are essential.
Strategic facility location
Umali said that the locations of Gardenia factories in the country are strategically situated to continuously serve the Philippine communities especially during crisis periods like floods, typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural disasters.
“Gardenia currently operates five bakery plants in the Philippines – three in Luzon, one in the Visayas (Cebu), and one in Mindanao (Cagayan de Oro). Our facilities are purposefully located not only for commercial operations. All plants also serve as support to other factories and markets. We can also dispatch bread easily to other areas when the need arises, during unforeseen events or major calamities, or natural disasters. This way we can ensure continuous food supply, especially when it is needed most,” he explained.
Gardenia bread donation bound to Siargao.
Umali also cited the importance of its unique logistics and distribution systems to ensure the proper delivery of products nationwide. “Our extensive and sophisticated distribution system and large fleet of trucks are indispensable to distribute Gardenia loaves across various distribution channels all over the country,” he said.
Bread donation
Gardenia is also at the forefront of relief efforts to alleviate the suffering of the victims in the severely affected areas. Umali shared that Gardenia is also donating bakery products, aside from its efforts to stabilize the bread supply.
Gardenia works with the Philippine Red Cross, government agencies, media foundations, and socio-civic organizations to extend help to damaged communities.
Gardenia plants in Laguna and Cagayan de Oro are operating continuously and set at maximum production capacity to serve bread to consumers and provide bread donations for relief works in the Visayas-affected areas.
Gardenia, the country’s largest bread manufacturer, accounts for more than 60 percent market share of the branded loaf bread market in the country.
Globe ambassadors BLACKPINK have lent their voices to the call for climate action. During the recent UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, the Korean mega-group addressed global leaders and audiences to come together in taking action in the ongoing fight against climate change.
In a video message presented during COP26, BLACKPINK’s members JISOO, JENNIE, ROSÉ, and LISA urged their fans and the younger generation to take a stand and act against the most critical issue affecting everyone.
“Climate change is an established fact. We have learned of the devastating changes to nature, to the global weather, and the air we breathe. And the changes that we feared are already beginning to transform our planet. We have learned that we must act now. Urgently, to prevent much, much, worse,” the group said.
They noted the possible severe impacts on people and nature, with a third of the population being regularly exposed to extreme heat, which may lead to drought, health problems, and death. Almost all warm-water coral reefs would also be destroyed, and sea ice would melt and devastate wildlife.
“We do not want to get there. The important thing is that we all take responsibility because it just won’t be achieved without collective action. Let’s work together for our planet and take climate action in your area,” BLACKPINK concluded.
Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Corporate Communications said, “We are very pleased to share the same advocacy as our brand ambassadors, BLACKPINK. We at Globe have long been advocates of climate action, with our commitment to the Race to Zero movement to achieve Net Zero GHG emissions by 2050 and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius, as aligned with the Paris Agreement.”
In June 2021, Globe became the first and only publicly-listed Philippine company listed by the Science-Based Target initiative (SBTi) to commit to Business Ambition for 1.5 degrees Celsius and has officially joined as a participant of the Race to Zero.
Race To Zero is spearheaded by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and COP26 Presidency and backed by GSMA. It aims to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to Net Zero no later than 2050 through the collective efforts of leaders, businesses, cities, regions, and investors worldwide. Globe’s commitment to establishing science-based targets and net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 is in line with the Paris Agreement and #RacetoZero Campaign.
Globe has already started its shift towards renewable energy, with 13 key facilities operating on 100% renewable energy. In addition, it has deployed over 7,400 green network solutions to achieve energy and resource efficiency in its cell sites nationwide. It has also implemented high standards of environmental management and stewardship through its ISO 14001-certified Environmental Management System to reduce its impact on the environment. The company is also aiming for an ISO 50001 Energy Management System certification for its key facilities by 2022.
The digital solutions platform has been doing its part in the fight against climate change through sustainable business processes and an established active strategy towards reducing both its short-term and long-term emissions.
Recently these efforts have been internationally recognized by GSMA, the largest global consortium of mobile networks. GSMA’s newly created COP26 Digital Hub has included Globe’s decarbonization journey as a case study.
Globe strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 13, which underscores the importance of climate action to save lives and livelihoods to address climate emergencies. Globe is committed to upholding the UN Global Compact principles and contributing to 10 UN SDGs.
