Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. 2020 Annual Report

RAMON ABOITIZ FOUNDATION INC. ANNUAL REPORT 2020

About the Cover The cover for this year’s Annual Report draws inspiration from Roberto E. Aboitiz’s Bugsay Principle as the foundation navigates through the rise and fall of turbulent waves.

The image of two people paddling through rising waves celebrates every RAFInian and each of our partners, beneficiaries and key stakeholders with whom we have navigated through tumultuous waters. Paddling together, we remained undeterred and focused on our destination – the impact we create together.

Equipped with a paddle, the foundation pushed onwards. By paddling together through the challenges of the times, we found ourselves charting new territories and reaching new destinations.

The swell of waves may have been high, the territories may have been uncharted, and we had to paddle harder through the year, but with a compass and a destination in our hearts and minds, we continue padding towards our True North. Padayon.

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Table of Contents 2 ABOUT THE COVER 5 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN 7 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO

8 ABOUT RAFI 11 ACCOMPLISHMENT CHARTS Wellbeing Domains

RAFI Strategic Support Services

34 Humanitarian Disaster

Preparedness and Response

36 SPECIAL FEATURES HDPR Photos

38 GROWTH AND STABILITY 40 PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATION 42 SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES 45 STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT AND BRAND DEVELOPMENT GROUP

47 GOVERNANCE - RISK, COMPLIANCE, AUDIT

50 PEOPLE TESTIMONIALS 52 BOARD OF TRUSTEES NAVIGATION STORIES

14 ECONOMIC WELLBEING

53 BOARD COMMITTEE

15 Microfinance

54 PROGRAM CHAMPIONS

18 SOCIAL WELLBEING

55 MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

19 Cultural and Heritage Unit

21 Center for Leaders

24 Education Unit

26 PHYSICAL WELLBEING 27 One to Tree

29 Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund

32 Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center

RAFI Programs

56 MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

RAFI Corporate Shared Service

57 AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 102 CONTEXT OF THE THEME

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RAMON ABOITIZ FOUNDATION INC. ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Our Core Values

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GOD-CENTEREDNESS

INTEGRITY

RESPECT

SERVICE

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Message from the Chairman 2020 was planned to be a year of growth and acceleration for the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI). Having come from a year of meticulously reviewing our processes in order to best serve our beneficiaries and building the strength of our leadership team, we were primed to tackle bigger program goals and elevate more lives throughout the country.

As we well know, however, 2020 brought unforeseen circumstances. The COVID-19 global pandemic challenged what our organization had planned for the year. COVID-19 proved to be a major public health crisis, straining the capacity of our hospitals and government facilities. Restricting people’s mobility in an effort to curb the spread of the virus created a subsequent economic crisis as well, with many losing their source of livelihood.

The rapid and unexpected onset of the pandemic required swift response to support the immediate needs of our government partners. RAFI activated its Humanitarian Disaster Preparedness and Response (HDPR) team to meet the needs of hospitals, healthcare workers, local governments, and those struggling financially. Even amidst lockdown, dozens of RAFI employees volunteered to organize relief efforts for the community as Cebu City, where RAFI is headquartered, was one of the hardest hit areas in the country at the onset of the pandemic.

With the majority of our workforce operating on a work-from-home basis, we accelerated digital transformation efforts to maximize our interactions with one another as well as to make our processes more efficient internally and for our partners and beneficiaries. Considering the unique challenges brought on by the pandemic, our Human Capital team prioritized the financial and mental well-being of employees. RAFI focused on restructuring the organization to optimize the existing talent pool of employees and align with the strategic direction to strengthen the backend processes of our programs.

Despite the uncertainty brought about by the pandemic, RAFI remained steadfast in delivering its programs. We took a step back to assess the situation we were in, restrategized, and focused on the impact that we could still make amidst the circumstances.

While we had no control over the turn of events in 2020, RAFI strived to adapt and ensure that the quality of service we bring our beneficiaries remained uncompromised. Moving forward, the “New Normal” will mean a different approach in how we operate, but I believe that RAFI’s resilience will carry the organization through the years to come and allow us to continue to fulfill our vision of “Touching People, Shaping the Future.”

RAFI, confronted with the challenge of meeting our commitment to elevate the lives of our beneficiaries, also had to balance our commitment to taking care of our 2,000+ employees who are the driving force behind our organization’s efforts towards our mission of elevating lives. Our continuous efforts to strengthen and improve internal processes provided the base to successfully transition RAFI’s operations into the “New Normal.”

MIKEL ALBERTO M. ABOITIZ RAFI Chairman

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283%

Overall Strategic Excellence Score

Total Program Spending

PHP 316M

Target: Php 409M Variance: Php 93M

Total Number of Lives Touched

9,1M

Target: 4.1M Variance: 5.0M Target Exceeded by

233.%

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Message from President & CEO The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedented and unexpected. Its immediate impact left the world reeling as its effects transcended a public health crisis to become an economic and social one as well.

RAFI was among the organizations to respond during disasters and emergencies. Despite the limitations we and other private sector organizations faced, we responded to the calls for support from the government and people as the magnitude of the crisis demanded.

To support our frontline heroes, we provided personal protective equipment when these items were hard to come by. We distributed relief packages to address the basic needs of the affected communities, reaching a total of more than 75,000 families. RAFI partnered with both government agencies and local government units as well as other private sector groups to fill in the gaps where the need was highest, especially in the establishment and operationalization of isolation centers in Cebu and the emergency operations center of Cebu City.

The pandemic affected all aspects of our lives, and our organization was not exempted. While we tried to support the economic, social, and physical well-being of the community, we also attended to the well-being of our employees. Mobility restrictions compelled our entire team to shift to a work-from-home set-up in a short amount of time.

To pivot our strategic direction in the context of this new environment and to continue the delivery of our programs and services to our beneficiaries, partners and stakeholders, RAFI had to change the ways we operate. We accelerated our online presence by maximizing the use of the digital space through social media and other web applications. In doing so, we reached more participants in our training, community engagements, conferences, and webinars on relevant topics.

In our Microfinance program, we increased the number of clients who could access our micro-credit and other non-financial related services by setting up an online store, the Tindahan Ni Nanay, to serve as a marketing hub for clients’ products and services. This built an ecosystem of supply and demand for external consumers as well as between other microfinance clients.

It may take a while to fully recover from the impact of this pandemic. As a resilient organization, we continue to unleash our team’s creativity and passion, and innovate new means and models in pursuing our vision of Touching People, Shaping the Future. Amidst this challenging environment and the uncertainties of the future, we do not stop but instead look for opportunities where we can better serve our partners and beneficiaries. As architects of change we stay positive and hopeful that we will be able to empower the least, lost and last members of our communities to achieve a higher level of well-being.

DOMINICA B. CHUA RAFI President

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About RAFI

The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation (RAFI) is a nonstock, non-profit organization (SEC Registration 31083) established in 1966 by Don Ramon Aboitiz.

It is accredited by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC no. 021-2020) and a member of the Association of Foundations. RAFI prides itself in being Architects of Change in elevating the Dignity of Man through solutions that enable people to achieve higher levels of well-being.

RAFI’s role is to provide the architecture of participation, setting the stage for partnerships, coalitions and project management by working with local government and civil society in bringing about positive change. RAFI works closely with communities and partners in the development and implementation of new programs and projects, digital transformation support, and grant support.

Its main program domains include Economic, focused on improving the economic well-being of communities; Social, creating opportunities for growth and improving a sense of identity and purpose; and Physical, building healthy, resilient and livable communities.

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RAMON ABOITIZ FOUNDATION INC. ANNUAL REPORT 2020

One of the Foundation’s main purposes is to elevate the lives of individuals and communities through a holistic approach that champions best practices in community development. To address the societal issues that negatively impact the well-being of individuals and communities RAFI operates the following programs: Physical Well-being: The Humanitarian Disaster Preparedness and Response Team provides disaster response activities affecting communities primarily in Cebu and the rest of the country. The Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund addresses the need of early education and nutrition, the Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center promotes cancer awareness and provides treatment and after patient care support, and the One to Tree Program addresses biodiversity conservation and livelihood for farmers.

Social Well-being: Kool Adventure Camp, Inc. (The Center for Leaders) addresses the shortage of leaders and role models, The Culture and Heritage Unit prevents the devaluation of local heritage manifested by a weak sense of cultural identity and pride, and the Education Development Unit helps in the formation of effective learning environments by providing high-quality, costeffective school infrastructure and by capacitating school communities for the continuous improvement of learning outcomes.

Economic Well-being: RAFI Micro Finance Inc., addresses high poverty and unemployment resulting in unmet family needs and poor quality of life.

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Our Impact

9.1M

LIVES TOUCHED

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Economic Wellbeing

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Microfinance FINDING STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

At a time when businesses were closing left and right, one team managed to reignite the entrepreneurial spirit of many client-beneficiaries during the pandemic.

May to November, they disbursed loans totaling Php 202 million. They were able to actively engage close to 148,000 clients thanks to these loans.

RAFI Microfinance Inc. (RAFI-MFI) breathed life into the foundation’s mission of elevating lives and being an architect of change. While the economy was on its knees as COVID-19 took hold in 2020, the RAFI-MFI team rose above adversity and ended the year on a high note.

With over 427,000 clients, including 323,663 borrowers, RAFI-MFI was able to release loans amounting to P5.4 billion, resulting in a gross loan portfolio of P2.6 billion.

In 2020, RAFI-MFI made history with its bold expansion into the Luzon market. Despite the challenges brought about by the nationwide and granular lockdowns, the team successfully opened 42 new branches in Luzon and other areas in the Philippines, bringing its total branch network to 216.

The team also conducted numerous financial interventions in 2020 to assist micro-entrepreneurs in restarting and recapitalizing their businesses. From

Another milestone for the team was the development of the Small Business Loan Unit. The capacity of the new unit was put to the test as soon as it launched at the height of the pandemic. A total of 173 small company borrowers were given access to financial services as a result of this. Up to P20.9 million was released, with a P15.1 million outstanding loan portfolio.

RAFI-MFI’s Bugsay scholars also benefited from the many programs the team implemented within 2020.

They were able to call on community mobile doctors for aid, provide disaster relief, and much more.

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RAFI-MFI’s long list of activities does not end there. They also focused their efforts on developing Sagip, a new product that aims to assist their client-beneficiaries with COVID-19-related medical expenses. Following that, Tindahan ni Nanay (TNN) was created as a means to help their clients continue their businesses through social media channels.

The magnitude of RAFI-MFI’s achievements in the midst of a pandemic is nothing short of remarkable.

However, due to the COVID-19 Recovery Program, as well as the higher Portfolio at Risk (PAR), their 2020 results showed that they were operating at a net loss. The team definitely took a hit because of the aforementioned implementations, but this did not discourage them from pushing forward with their plans and ideas.

Instead, the setback drove them to try even harder.

The team showed no signs of slowing down as they set their sights on bouncing back in 2021. They expect to reap the results of their branch expansion strategy, enhanced client development services, and product

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enhancements implemented in 2020. They remain hopeful that they will be seeing a positive change in the numbers in the coming months.

Throughout the year-long venture, the team met countless people who stood by them in times of defeat and triumph. These people—their exceptional clientbeneficiaries, their fiercely loyal employees, and their headstrong leaders—are the ones who really showed character in the midst of a crisis. And for that, they deserve the best recognition that we can muster.

There’s still so much in store for the year ahead. Life after COVID-19 will surely be different, but the RAFIMFI team’s dedication towards enriching lives and instigating change will remain very much the same. For now, all they can do is forge the way forward, always forward.

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“I joined the RAFI Micro-Finance Tindahan ni Nanay Facebook group and started posting my products there.

Because of online selling, my customers increased, and have broadened my network online. Thank you, RAFI MFI, for helping us during this trying time.“ JOSEPHINE DE LARA TINDAHAN NI NANAY ENTREPRENEUR

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Social Wellbeing

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Culture and Heritage

THE NEW FRONTIER OF TOURISM Perhaps one of the hardest hit industries at the height of the pandemic was tourism. With a deadly virus at large, people sought safety and shelter in their own homes. Suddenly, places that used to be filled with visitors and guests were left desolate and lonely. When there’s a sudden loss of visitors and patrons, how can venues for tourism survive?

This was the question that plagued the team that looks after the beloved Casa Gorordo Museum. The museum is home to many significant artifacts. But aside from being a vessel of Cebuano history and culture, it also provides jobs to staff and workers who ensure the smooth operations of the Culture and Heritage Unit (CHU). But with the pandemic threatening to put their operations to a stop, they had to act quickly.

“The onset of the pandemic resulted in a closure of the museum and halted the launching of the 2020 Gabii sa Kabilin onsite event. Because of this, we had to re-strategize, restructure the team, and develop new competencies to produce digital content and

“RAFI’s CHU was one of the first cultural organizations in Cebu to shift its programs online in response to the new normal.” experiences to continue the promotion of our local culture and heritage,” shared Haidee Emmie Palapar, CHU’s Head of Content.

For the first few weeks of re-strategizing, everything seemed like an uphill battle. They not only had the challenge of having to coordinate everything remotely, they also had to face some hard truths about people’s priorities at the time. Would people really care about museums during a pandemic?

They do.

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RAMON ABOITIZ FOUNDATION INC. ANNUAL REPORT 2020

CHU’s services and products were made available online through various digital channels. This enabled the team to reach 6.9 million as audience, and achieve actual engagement rates of up to 337,000. Against seemingly insurmountable odds, the unit surpassed the targets set before the pandemic hit.

The two virtual exhibits by CGM available to the public, so far, are “Sugboanon Heroes” and “Maria Cacao.” By the end of the year, CGM was able to feature seventeen short film features covering Cebu’s towns and cities. Four online learning modules were also developed.

“RAFI’s CHU was one of the first cultural organizations in Cebu to shift its programs online in response to the new normal,” Palapar said.

On top of this, CGM garnered TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Award, putting it in the top 10% of world attractions.

And it certainly played well in their favor.

CHU grew a strong online presence soon after their new social media strategies were implemented. Their success can be attributed to the solid partnerships they already had with key stakeholders such as local government units, national and local government agencies, private organizations, creatives and key players in the cultural sector.

“This was a big, welcome surprise for us during this difficult time. We are the first cultural spot in Cebu to get this recognition,” Moreno added.

The situation also forced them to incorporate some interesting twists to the annual Gabii Sa Kabilin (GSK) event. During the event, they organized more than 10 webinars that tackled various subjects that further helped CHU to achieve its goal of raising awareness and appreciation of local culture among Cebuanos.

“Our move to online platforms not only opened up a wider audience for CHU programs, it also required the entire team to proactively develop competencies needed for the digitalization push,” Palapar added.

“Casa Gorordo Museum (CGM) had a good head start because it already had a website and social media presence running for a number of years before the pandemic,” said Florencio Moreno II, CHU’s Head of Experience.

He added that, “The main initiative of the museum in the past months was to create more online programs and projects that could draw in more engagement with its audiences that were stuck at home.”

With this goal, they launched virtual exhibits and online content that explored the rich heritage of Cebu, town by town. They also converted their learning activities to online modules so that museum-based learning among their client schools could continue.

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They say that strength is forged in the fire of adversity. The story of RAFI’s Culture and Heritage Unit definitely illustrates how the toughest of times can force the most innovative actions out of us.

The battle against the notorious virus is still far from over. But with this bold move to cultural digitization, CHU might’ve just revolutionized a new way to stimulate tourism and culture all over the country.

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Center for Leaders BRINGING POWERFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCES ONLINE

The global pandemic did not slow down the RAFI Center for Leaders (RAFI CFL). While the team had to momentarily hit the pause button on their regular programs over at the Kool Adventure Camp in Balamban, Cebu, they were still able to push through thanks to the internet.

As concern for public safety grew and health protocols became stricter, schools had to make a big shift from face-to-face to remote learning. Schools were not the only ones who had to make some major adjustments. Companies large and small also had to adjust to the call of the times, urging employees to work from the safety of their own homes.

For CFL, this served as the perfect opportunity to harness the power of the internet to their advantage.

Bringing their powerful learning experiences to the virtual space has proven beneficial, as the synchronicity between their programs and those of their community partners has made it easier for students and leaders to cope with the challenges of the pandemic.

to digital, the RAFI CFL and Session Net Promoter Scores, as well as the Customer Satisfaction rating, still managed to produce astounding results well above the expectations set pre-pandemic.

How They Did It The most difficult problems are best solved in phases.

And that’s exactly what the RAFI CFL team did. A quick trip to the drawing room led to the development of their very first step into digital training: Virtual Learning Sessions.

In response to the growing need for developing “future-ready virtual leaders” who are responsive to the rapidly changing economic and societal landscape, CFL rolled out the Virtual Learning Sessions through social media channels like Facebook.

After all, if there’s anything that can be learned from the events that transpired in 2020, it’s that good leaders are needed now more than ever. The world needs people who can take charge and take control of the situation, no matter how dire the odds might look.

This is what CFL aims to accomplish.

So, for the year 2020, RAFI CFL set out to train at least 6,110 learners. By the end of the year, they more than reached their goal with a grand total of 8,393 trainees. Regardless of the shift in learning from analog

The first few sessions featured a Professional Series which catered to working professionals who need advice and tips on how to be more productive at work.

The series included topics on work effectiveness like ‘Work from Home Like a Pro’ and ‘Effective Learning Hacks.’

The team also developed a leadership development session that aimed to help leaders understand the leadership challenges of the new normal. The CFL team believes that by understanding these challenges, the leaders can maximize their skills to get better results

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despite the resistance they may encounter from their environment. The series entitled ‘Leadership Conversations for Leaders in Service’ focused primarily on this angle.

Another series called ‘Business as Unusual’ took a deep dive into the changes that can be anticipated in the coming months as we continue to deal with the pandemic. The series and others like it are designed to equip leaders with techniques they need to stay afloat and emerge successful.

The Professional Series was a huge success among the working professionals who attended the sessions.

But CFL’s journey to developing leaders does not stop there.

and support budding leaders in the country. CFL has always been known for providing world-class learning and development programs to equip leaders and enable communities through safe, powerful learning experiences.

The Youth Development Programs, for instance, empower youth leaders and youth-serving organizations to create positive change within their areas of influence.

“When the staff saw that the leaders themselves shifted and did the virtual sessions first, they were able to see that it can be done.”

Likewise, the Professional Development Programs help organizations build synergy and improve performance by equipping their leaders and developing their teams through highly engaging interventions.

CFL ended 2020 by completing 170 virtual learning sessions and 10 virtual conferences, as well as 30 inperson courses. It also partnered with 76 organizations in 2020.

Musta na YOUth? CFL also developed a Youth Series called ‘Musta na YOUth?’, a resiliency course which allows youth leaders to reconnect with peers online and identify areas of support during the period of quarantine.

CFL partnered with Facebook and AHA! Behavioral Design to deliver their digital citizenship module, ‘The Digital Tayo: Introduction to Digital Citizenship.’

The course covered key topics on safeguarding online privacy, safety and security, how to engage in respectful discourse, and discerning various types of online information.

A special Safety Series was also available for school and business leaders. The ‘PLANdemic’ learning session offered schools and businesses insights on the necessary re-entry guidelines and measures to ensure everyone’s safety as organizations enter new normal operations.

Being the first and only fully dedicated adventure education center in the Philippines, CFL was determined not to let the pandemic hinder their wish to empower

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Another milestone accomplishment for CFL was the receipt of accreditation from the National Educators Academy of the Philippines as an Authorized Learning Service Provider.

Despite the disruption caused by COVID-19, RAFI CFL remains committed to enabling leaders and communities through powerful learning experiences by offering relevant virtual learning courses.

According to Daphne Dia, CFL Operations Head, while the transition to digital was important and immediate, “the shift to virtual was not abruptly done. The staff was eased into the new modality through daily checkins, a lot of experimentation with new approaches, and different ways of engagement.”

“When the staff saw that the leaders themselves shifted and did the virtual sessions first, they were able to see that it can be done,” Dia adds.

RAFI CFL’s own journey of changes and transitions inspired them to help other organizations and leaders survive what’s yet to come. Nobody knows what lies ahead. But with proper training and education, we have the chance to make the best of this gigantic leap into the virtual space, balancing wellbeing and productivity to thrive in the new normal.

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YEAR OF ADVENTURE IN NUMBERS In 2020, the RAFI Center for Leaders (CFL) trained 8393 individuals through its Professional Development and Youth Development Programs.

It has engaged clients from key sectors, including Corporate Professionals, Government officials, Educators, and Non-Government Organization/Civil Society leaders.

It has also trained student leaders from both public and private schools, youth leaders in government including Sangguniang Kabataan leaders, and community youth leaders.

through world-class, safe, powerful learning experiences. It has its own adventure education facility, the Kool Adventure Camp, the country’s first and fully-dedicated adventure education facility.

The RAFI CFL provides learning and development programs that equip leaders and enable communities

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Education

SWITCHING GEARS, PAVING THE WAY FOR THE NEW NORMAL

In 2020, malls, parks, offices, and countless other establishments all had to be closed down due to the growing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools especially were not spared from the ruinous effects of the deadly virus. What once were lively hubs of learning suddenly turned into desolate hallways, bereft of laughter and curiosity.

Teachers and students had to pack up their learning tools and carry on with their activities at home. For some, this was not a problem. But for many others, it meant that they had to go into debt to purchase devices. Worse, the swift change forced some children completely out of the educational system simply because they didn’t have internet or the devices necessary for online learning.

These were just some of the things that the RAFI Education Development Unit (RAFI EDU) had to combat in 2020. And so, shelving their existing plans, the team found a way to maneuver through the Goliath of a challenge that lay ahead.

Together with the Department of Education and their partner schools, they immediately shifted to shortterm initiatives and implemented interim solutions.

RAFI EDU released Hand Washing and Safety Facilities (HAW-AS) stations in 49 schools across Cebu to ensure the safety of both teachers and students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

They also rolled out the Raise to Reach Project, which set in motion the provision of learning modules for 500 students in Don Vicente Rama Elementary School, Cebu City. 78 senior high students taking up TVL programming in Liloan National High School - Don Bosco Annex Campus have also been provided with laptops and through the partners from PiPoL (Pinoys in Pursuit of Learning), these students were also given modems and communication allowance to support their online learning journey.

The RAFI EDU team also made sure that the social impact of the program was not compromised, achieving

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the same or even superior results while battling the challenges brought about by the global pandemic.

Amid the battle, the program was able to exceed the target of impacting at least 3,470 lives through education. It recorded an unexpected reach of 11,692 learners who benefited from its lineup of projects by the end of 2020.

Ma. Rizza Labao, Senior Program Officer for RAFI EDU, considers 2020 a game changer as the team faced the challenges of the pandemic head-on. Dedicated to helping the education community and learners through the pandemic, RAFI EDU quickly pivoted and achieved its targets.

RAFI EDU maintained strong stakeholder relations with education and community partners, conducted regular situational analysis in the communities, and established active coordination systems during the remote working setup.

Most of all, Labao highlights the flexibility and agility of the RAFI EDU team members in making 2020 a game changer.

The urgent need to take education to the virtual world, in a remote working set up, was a major setback, she admits. But she also reflects that, “The shift to distance learning opened numerous opportunities, particularly the early adaptation to the modernization and democratization of education.”

RAFI EDU helped in the formation of effective learning environments by providing high-quality, costeffective school infrastructure and by capacitating school communities for the continuous improvement of learning outcomes.

“Jovencio N. Masong National High School (JNMNHS) is so grateful with RAFI. With the provision of smartphones to our students, education made it easy for our learners. We are so blessed to have you, RAFI!” ELIZABETH BILAOS, PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL

Its flagship programs include the School Rebuild Program, which has rehabilitated 2,070 classrooms since 2014 and benefited over 80,000 learners annually.

The Seal of Excellence in Education Development (SEED), an annual assessment and awards program, is another powerhouse program that has awarded over P20.4 million in grants to participating schools.

Launched in 2012, the unit aligns itself with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4—ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities. This standard seeks to serve marginalized learners and focuses on addressing the learning crisis attributed to poor teacher competence, poor school performance, and poor learner wellbeing.

RAFI EDU was able to achieve this through (a) Assessment and Awards, (b) Grants and (c) Coalition Building. The unit seeks to promote (a) Teacher Capability, (b) Learning Infrastructure and Tools, (c) Employability and (d) Education Research and Academic Interventions.

Even before the pandemic, the program unit had already been fervently devoted to providing quality education for everyone. This drive to serve the students was pushed even further by circumstances that were completely out of their control—and from the rubble emerged a stronger and better team that has proven their will to go above and beyond.

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Physical Wellbeing

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One to Tree NEW IDENTITY, SAME OLD DUTY What was once known as RAFI’s Biodiversity Conservation Unit has gone through a major transformation to become the all-new One To Tree Program. This move was not without resistance, and the rebranding journey was rife with challenges, especially because of the pandemic. But they were still able to paddle through thanks to the power of technology and dedicated community partners.

Their plan to expand their operations to more places in the Philippines was finally set in motion. This was mainly due to the successful establishment of their Partnerships and Portfolios Team, which led the way in laying the groundwork for their operational expansion, making it one of their major breakthroughs as the new One To Tree Program.

RAFI One To Tree (OTT) also successfully inked a partnership with GCash, the country’s largest eWallet firm, helping the program to cover a wider market scope. This partnership enabled them to set up a treeplanting initiative that was more engaging for the users of the app.

digital channels, particularly on multiple social media platforms.

With the support of their corporate partners, the team managed to plant 400,000 trees in 2020. This activity compensated for the CO2 emissions of over 5,500 people. Moreover, this effort exceeded the target of 51 farmers to support 155 farmers who not only benefited from the program but helped ensure that the seedlings grow into strong and stable trees in the coming years.

In the last two decades, RAFI OTT has been active in numerous reforestation and conservation efforts, and they have consistently achieved an 80% survival rate for tree growing each year. This year, however, they were able to top that record with an impressive 90% survival rate.

The pandemic undoubtedly changed the way that many people work, study, and do things in general. And as the world shifted to digital interactions, so did the program and its constituents. This major digital shift brought unexpected opportunities for RAFI OTT to tap the B2C (Business to Consumer) market, leveraging on

OTT program director Anthony Dignadice says that despite the hurdles encountered by the team in 2020 due to the pandemic—travel restrictions due to community quarantine, diversion of funds to COVID-19 response, etc.—the team overcame the challenges by focusing on building a client prospect database. They also strengthened their dedicated partnerships and portfolio team based in Manila. This focus propelled them to achieving the program goals that they set out before the pandemic came along.

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“We thank everyone from RAFI who came and gave the Lamesa Farmers Association financial support - with them, we were able to get our projects accepted. This program is not only about planting trees, but it’s about creating an impact and making a positive change – no trees are being cut down, but livelihood is improved.”

ELISALDO LAPINID CHAIRMAN LAMESA FARMERS ASSOCIATION

Furthermore, OTT employed data-driven tree growing maintenance and implemented a steady catch-up plan for planting.

Dignadice underscores the opportunities OTT was able to see in the middle of the health crisis. According to him, while rural communities were heavily affected by the economic slowdown, tree-growing emerged as an alternative source of income. This led to the development of agroforestry to provide food and livelihood in rural communities.

“The rise of digital or online consumer-based platforms provided other opportunities for OTT to engage individuals to support tree-growing projects,” Dignadice adds.

Building a greener world has often seemed like an uphill battle. But as our environmentally-damaging habits came to a grinding halt during the pandemic, the world suddenly had more time to breathe and heal.

It is true that the pandemic has caused a lot of pain and distress to many people all over the world.

However, it has also taught us an important lesson on paying attention not only to ourselves, but to the world that has given us so much to live for. The least we can do is make sure it is well taken care of.

This is what the team strives to achieve: a world that is more aware of our responsibility to the planet. Even with its new identity as RAFI One To Tree, the program unit is still very much rooted to its core purpose: creating a better world for the future. Hopefully someday, we will all be united in the journey to building a greener and healthier world.

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CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD

Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center BEYOND NUMBERS Hospitals filled to the brim with patients, hallways crowded with tired nurses, and health centers crammed with never-ending queues—these are just some of the things that dominated news channels at the height of the pandemic. For us viewers watching at home, everything seemed like a modern-day nightmare. But for the health workers who had to work at the hospitals, every single day was a real-life battle.

For the non-COVID patients, it was like being caught in a crossfire with no way out. As the hospitals shifted their priorities to treating critically ill COVID-19 patients, other patients had to think harder about paying a visit to the hospital. Some had to resort to getting home treatment, or worse, had to go months on end without the proper treatment.

Cancer patients, in particular, were gripped with fear of going back to the hospitals. To them, going outside with a virus in the air would be a deadly gamble.

“The patients were already suffering from a compromised immune system, which makes them highly vulnerable to diseases,” says Ronald de los Reyes, Program Coordinator of the RAFI Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center (RAFI EJACC). He shared the many challenges that EJACC’s patient-beneficiaries had to go through during the health crisis.

Aside from the fear and anxiety, the patients also had a hard time getting regular check-ups. These check-ups are essential to detect cancer-related developments early on. Without these check-ups, it is hard to determine whether their condition has worsened or not.

Overwhelmed hospitals could no longer accommodate their laboratory requests quickly. Walk-ins were not allowed. And the whole process took days to weeks to finally come through. Ultimately, most of the patientbeneficiaries were forced to just stay home and wait for things to get better.

“For EJACC, the formula for success goes way beyond following the numbers.

They are guided by a strong need to serve, and their burning passion has proven effective at lighting the way forward.”

The challenge did not stop there.

It was also a struggle to get through to some of the patients who were living in rural areas. Not all of EJACC’s patient-beneficiaries had access to the internet. Days became weeks, and weeks turned to months. But still, nothing from the other end of the line.

How were they doing?

Were they getting the help they needed?

As the world faced the most disastrous health crisis of the century, the members of the EJACC team had to find ways to get their patient-beneficiaries the care and service that they needed despite all the hurdles that came their way.

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members and partners who sacrificed and went out of their way to serve patients—one day at a time.

The pandemic-caused difficulties strengthened EJACC’s partnership with 22 LGU-RHUs in Cebu. “These LGU-RHUs have proven that they can actually conduct screenings on their own. We just need to continue our support with these LGU-RHUs,” he added.

EJACC envisions a world that is kinder to the plight of those who are battling cancer. De los Reyes hopes that hospitals and related institutions will finally get the support that they need to accommodate everyone.

For now, they are focusing on what they can do here and now, as well as how they can safely move forward.

“Amidst the challenges faced by the health sector, I believe that our greatest milestone goes beyond the number of patients that we were able to serve,” de los Reyes continued, expressing gratitude to each team member’s and partner’s drive to serve in spite of all the difficulties they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The future for EJACC involves formalizing its partnership with 12 LGUs. They will actively participate in helping these LGUs pass a Local Cancer Ordinance.

After all, EJACC’s performance is always anchored with the sustained commitment of its partner LGUs.

Instead of succumbing to the pressure, they made a snap decision to switch tactics. Before the pandemic forced the implementation of travel restrictions, the team used to go out into the field and help patientbeneficiaries on the outskirts of the province in person.

Such a strategy would not work in these times. Not all hope was lost, however.

EJACC turned to strong and reliable community partners to coordinate with. Working with the local government units (LGUs) was their best chance of getting in touch with their patient-beneficiaries. And thankfully, their plan worked!

The creation of strong partnerships during the challenging times, particularly with the LGUs, Integrated Cebu Midwife Clinics, Inc. (ICMCI), and Rural Health Units (RHUs), was indeed a great milestone for the team.

The Dalaguete RHU in particular screened almost 2,000 individuals during the year. These helping hands made the job of EJACC team members a bit lighter. “On the screening part, EJACC managed to provide support to its cancer patient-beneficiaries, specifically those who were taking hormonal replacement therapy. And we were able to hit our targets,” says de los Reyes.

Delays in diagnosis and treatment, including patient follow-up care, became a normal occurrence in 2020 due to the disrupted flow of healthcare services.

Despite the hitches, EJACC logged 3,782 individuals screened. The number was far more than the goal they initially set for 2020.

Beyond the numbers, de los Reyes believes that what marked the year 2020 for EJACC was the passion of the

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With all of these developments, it is clear how RAFI EJACC remained committed to providing the highest level of care and support to cancer patients across Cebu. In 2020, EJACC was able to serve 52 patients, screened 3,782 individuals, and impacted over 50 communities in the province.

They were successful at providing financial support for the cancer treatment of their patient-beneficiaries, reaching out for further assistance, getting them all the help they needed in filing the paperwork for laboratory requirements, and many other things.

The future will always be a great unknown. But with a good plan that’s based on data and logic, we have a chance to survive what lies ahead.

For EJACC, the formula for success goes way beyond following the numbers. They are guided by a strong need to serve, and their burning passion has proven effective at lighting the way forward.

CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD

“I’m very much thankful for RAFI. Their assistance helped me a lot during my chemotherapy and treatment. Even during the pandemic, RAFI continued to help us virtually, consistently monitoring us how we are, and the maintenance we needed. Every six months, RAFI also assists me with my mammogram sessions.”

ELSA TAPIC CANCER SURVIVOR AND RAFI EJACC BENEFICIARY

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Dolores S. Aboitiz Children’s Fund TAKING THE HIGH ROAD The societal and economic impacts of the pandemic are unlike anything we have ever experienced. But its effects reach far beyond unemployment and global economic downturn. It has also resulted in children being forced to learn inside the confines of their homes.

Getting your education at home is not new. In fact, there are a handful of private institutions that had successfully implemented this before the onset of the pandemic. But the reality is, the majority of the population simply cannot afford to do this. Lack of learning devices, weak support systems, and not-soconducive learning environments at home contribute to the everyday struggles of distance learners.

That’s where the RAFI-Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund (RAFI-DACF) stepped in. In 2020, the DACF team saw just how challenging it was for children to learn from home. This matter is amplified even more in remote areas of Cebu where the battle is not only against the lack of learning devices, but against the lack of access to the internet as well.

Jenny Lea Menchavez, DACF’s Junior Executive Director, described 2020 as a year that brought both pains and gains for the program, saying, “we were all severely challenged because of the pandemic.”

Due to the pandemic and lockdowns, the team was unable to reach far-flung communities that they typically visit every year. Instead, they had to settle for online conference calls that were often disrupted by limited internet connection.

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“Our ways have changed, our projects have been intensified, but we’re leaning towards a more digital direction. The working environment has become so fast-paced and it’s hard to keep pace with work, let alone move our team forward in the face of disruption,” she added.

Still, they persevered.

DACF worked with partners who went the extra mile in fortifying their initiatives. “With RAFI support for upgraded laptops, improved connectivity, adequate school materials, and in-house teaching, the girls are enjoying their classes amid the challenge of learning in a new mode… We look forward to nurturing this partnership of care and compassion,” stated Victoria Rialp, Treasurer and Trustee of Tahanan Santa Luisa.

“On behalf of the Augustinian Province of Santo Nino de Cebu-Philippines, I would like to express my gratitude to RAFI for being our constant companionpartner in sustaining our journey with the people in the margins. The year 2020 was not easy for all but we were able to display our testimony to this mutual commitment to do things together for the common good. Looking forward to this year’s celebration of the quincentenary of the arrival of our Christain faith, we once again offer our partnership as our service to God and our country. Once again, thank you RAFI for being with us in helping those in need,” said SNAF Executive Director Fr. Aladdin P. Luzon, OSA. They started on the Grants Management System. In the past, the team would take long trips and head out to conduct a turn-over ceremony. Now, they managed to pull off major ceremonies online. This way was not only safer, it was also much faster and efficient.

Their efforts definitely bolstered their reach. Before 2020 ended, a total of 14,011 children benefited from DAFC grants, higher than the 13,7190 target. DACF continued to engage programs with 97 organizations and communities throughout the year.

CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD

“With RAFI support for upgraded laptops, improved connectivity, adequate school materials, and in-house teaching, the girls are enjoying their classes amid the challenge of learning in a new mode.”

VICTORIA RIALP TAHANAN SANTA LUISA TREASURER AND TRUSTEE

The active involvement of DAFC team members to pursue their strategies, priorities and initiatives resulted in a hundred percent completion of the Grants Management System.

DACF also implemented several programs and activities aimed at assisting beneficiaries in their battle against the pandemic, such as Kids on a Mission: COVID-19 Kiddie Hub, Gabii Sa Kabilin for Kids in partnership with the RAFI Culture and Heritage Unit, QuaranKid Diary: Wash Iwas COVID Caravan with RAFI Mirco Finace, and Youth for Kids in partnership with the RAFI Center for Leaders.

“Our partners and the unity of our team contributed a lot to our achievement in 2020. We made sure that we succinctly communicated the intended impact and current progress to our stakeholders and constantly communicated within the team to concretely describe how goals will be met considering the challenge brought by the pandemic,” Menchavez reflected.

that were implemented throughout the year have brought opportunities of learning and a wide array of partnerships that helped them achieve their goals.

Menchavez concludes that the health crisis which disrupted the flow of 2020 actually helped the DACF team to become more responsive and adaptive to the time.

Taking the high road of keeping the mission fulfilled was at the heart of DACF’s 2020 journey. While working remotely was a big challenge, this did not dampen the team’s passion and spirit. In fact, it strengthened the linkages and connection between DACF and its partners.

The team is now more grounded to an innovationled growth in the short term whilst foreseeing the lasting impact from its programs. The short-term goals

As the team steps into the new wave of digital transformation, they expect more challenges and resistance along the way. But they do recognize the opportunity for learning and achieving greater milestones.

They are willing to take the punches, if it means elevating the lives of the children that they swore to serve. For their sake, they would move mountains if that’s what it takes. Because why not?

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Humanitarian Disaster Prepareness and Response CROSSING THE RIVER OF CHANGE When dark times come, who do you turn to for help?

News about a deadly virus quickly spread like wildfire all over social media. The rise of cases and the growing hysteria surrounding this unfamiliar enemy gripped the nation. People’s lives were suddenly shrouded with a gloom unlike any other. During those times, even the slightest hint of light could make a world of difference.

2020 was a hallmark year for RAFI’s newest Humanitarian Disaster Preparedness and Response (HDPR) Program, which stood as the light at the end of the tunnel for many during those challenging times.

were directly afflicted by the virus, as well as those who lost their livelihood due to extended lockdowns coupled with strict stay-at-home mandates.

Under the Humanitarian efforts, RAFI’s HDPR team was able to give out food relief packs and hygiene kits to 106,000 families all over Cebu and neighboring islands. Hygiene kits and food were the two basic needs during the pandemic, but with the state that the country was then in, many could hardly afford to buy a mask or alcohol to protect themselves.

Through these small gestures, the team encouraged many people to continue living well despite the health disaster. Most of the beneficiaries, just like everybody else, were caught unprepared for the crisis, which turned the bustling city of Cebu into a virtual ghost town. While most of us stayed in the comfort of our homes, others had no choice but to battle the virus on the streets, exposed and hungry. Some had to find shelter in ports and isolation centers while waiting for the borders to open.

The program was able to serve 930 homeless, street dwellers and stranded individuals in a time of hopelessness and great despair. The program also extended its hand to recognize the selflessness of uniformed personnel who were also risking their lives.

Fighting for a Mission The team’s mission was to protect the people who were most vulnerable during the pandemic. Despite the short preparation time, the whole program was fully activated and engaged, with team members risking their own safety to accomplish their mission amidst the threat of COVID-19.

Exhausting all possible resources became their first priority. Starting at the onset of the pandemic in the first quarter of 2020, RAFI’s HDPR team led the way in rousing various LGUs and organizations to take action, guiding them on a journey across the river of change.

True to the very fabric of RAFI’s mission, the HDPR program quickly implemented two phases of wellthought-out strategies to protect and help people who

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Continuing Battle The next phase of the HDPR program focused on setting up preventive measures against COVID-19, which involved proper education on how to avoid infection.

“Hunaw” stations were built to give people the proper facilities to perform the preventive measures.

This was especially crucial in dense communities where water supply was inadequate and houses were close together. The program built two types of Hunaw stations—mobile and fixed. These innovative yet basic facilities benefited at least 85,000 users. A water fund was also awarded to 522 families to ensure they had enough water for sustainable hygiene.

CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD

“On our journey forward, we hope for nothing but good health and full hearts to power us through. May we see each other on the other side, free of fear, as we chart our way forward. Together.”

Additionally, 60 bicycles and 93 sets of PPEs were given to Health Care Workers (HCWs). Under RAFI’s HDPR Program, 185 front liners were granted free hotel accommodations, while 5,200 were provided with free transportation services.

The information campaign which was launched at the height of the pandemic, called “Komunidad Kontra Covid,” reached out to 1.4 million individuals. This campaign successfully heightened people’s awareness of how to protect themselves from the infection by following effective measures backed up by science and extensive studies.

Completing the holistic approach in fighting against COVID-19, RAFI partnered with multiple groups, including local government units (LGUs), local government agencies (LGAs) and private institutions, in setting up the two major COVID-19 isolation centers in Cebu for mild to moderate cases. RAFI contributed to the installation of Bayanihan Centers located at the old Sacred Heart School and at the IEC Convention Center.

The RAFI HDPR team took part in the efforts to mobilize rescue teams amid the growing infections and provided free ambulance service to 61 COVID-19

patients. They also extended support to over 500 patients in barangay health centers who were isolated due to suspected infections.

RAFI’s COVID-19 response team also assisted 20 barangays in Cebu in setting up their own isolation centers in a bid to contain the infections.

Meanwhile, a total of 2,145 blood bags from 3,177 donors were generated from RAFI HDPR’s involvement in the blood donation drive in collaboration with the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) and the Department of Health Sub-National Blood Center for Visayas.

The pandemic was literally a matter of life and death. Some were not able to make it, many survived, and most of us are still fighting against its continuing threat. It took not one person, but an entire community to restore a sense of hopefulness in our hearts.

On our journey forward, we hope for nothing but good health and full hearts to power us through. May we see each other on the other side, free of fear, as we chart our way forward. Together.

“We look forward to more partnerships with RAFI on the different undertakings we initiated, to serve more people not only in Cebu but the whole Visayas region. Thank you RAFI for the continuous support and generous donations.”

DR. JAIME BERNADAS DOH REGIONAL DIRECTOR

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CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD

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Growth and Sustainability

THE ESSENTIALS: PROTECTING WHAT MATTERS The newly renamed Finance and Procurement Group (FPG) (formerly Finance and Administration Department) expertly navigated through the COVID-19 disruptions and ensured the foundation’s growth and sustainability.

With the nationwide lockdowns pushing operations into a work-from-home set-up, the FPG was quick to pivot to ensure continued program delivery of the foundation. Where past financial transactions were handled through in-person exchanges, the FPG rolled out digital assets and interventions for ease of carrying out business.

RAFI’s Treasury Department rolled out online payment options for the foundation through UnionBank Electronic Funds Transfer and UnionBank Business

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Banking Bills Payment options. This offered faster and more efficient payment options for the foundation during the height of the pandemic.

Giving and supporting the foundation also took a digital turn, as the FPG helped set up new donation channels for the foundation. Donation facilities through GCash and PayPal were set up to allow the foundation’s donors, local and abroad, to continue supporting the foundation.

RAFI launched its Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Flagship Mall, as part of Lazada’s Laz for Good campaign.

It rolled out a year-long fundraising campaign to support its efforts in providing relief and support to government, healthcare and frontliner workers, and local communities affected by the pandemic.

CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD

Where past financial transactions were handled through inperson exchanges, the FPG rolled out digital assets and interventions for ease of carrying out business.

Supporters of the foundation were able to purchase personal protective equipment, food, and care kits for hospitals and vulnerable groups via the RAFI Lazada Mall. It likewise opened an online donation portal for international donors and their organizations through Benevity.

RAFI’s Procurement Team was the lifeblood of the foundation as it carried out massive relief and humanitarian operations across Cebu. The team managed timely and strategic sourcing of materials, equipment, and food for its relief operations.

Taking procurement management digital, the Procurement Team likewise rolled out its e-bidding and e-procurement process to allow for safer and more efficient procurement. It continued to build and

maintain excellent relations with partner suppliers and built its supplier database.

To ensure smooth and efficient operations at all times, Controllership rolled out several e-learning modules and financial training for employees. It likewise institutionalized its Accounting Manual and reviewed and updated all Service Level Agreements.

While the pandemic may have affected normal day-to-day operations, this did not stop the Finance and Procurement Group to ensure the growth and sustainability of the Foundation. Through innovation, quick solutions, and commitment, the FPG continued to provide optimum support for the foundation’s mission and programs.

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People and Organization

THE ESSENTIALS: PROTECTING WHAT MATTERS Businesses and organizations took a hard hit during the pandemic, leaving them struggling to navigate through the challenges of the global crisis. With this, RAFI had more reasons to power up its business continuity plan to guide the organization to respond, recover, resume and restore operations to a predefined level following the Covid-19 disruption.

As an immediate response, the organization underwent a group-wide review of its structure and manpower complement. The review resulted in the birth of three major well-being clusters for programs: the Economic, Social and Physical well-being clusters. From then on, the support teams were set as shared support teams to maximize talent and cost effectiveness.

For 2020, RAFI, RMF, and KAC’s retention rate stood at 91.75 percent, while RMF Operations was at 85

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percent, much higher compared to 2019. Employee feedback supported the high retention rate with a superior rating (4.15) for employee satisfaction survey and an above-average rating (51) for net promoter score.

The health and safety of each RAFInian remained the utmost priority of the organization. During the onset of the pandemic, the Health and Safety Committee was established to monitor at least 1,200 suspected and COVID-19 positive cases in the entire organization.

The committee was able to facilitate the monitoring and recovery of 31 RAFI employees who contracted COVID-19.

Talent Optimization was a highlight of the year for the Human Capital (HC) team with the successful implementation of the Learning Management System

CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD

“The thrust into the unfamiliar challenges of the pandemic has brought a lot of realizations to the fore. But perhaps the most important lesson it taught to organizations was to cherish their best asset—their people.”

(LMS), which achieved a utilization rate of 90%.

RAFInians clocked in an average of 36 learning hours in the RAFI Online University or LMS. HC was able to create 60 courses with the help of other support teams in RAFI. This was part of the RAFI Talent Development Institute (RAFI TDI), focused on cultivating the culture of learning, coaching, and mentoring among RAFInians. This also yielded the successful start of the Competency Based Management System (CBMS) which will become the framework of Talent Management in RAFI. HC, along with RMF, piloted the ACE Leadership Development Program which screened High Potential Employees (HPEs) in the foundation. These HPEs will undergo a series of leadership trainings to eventually become a part of the Talent Bench for RMF. Together

with the Renoir intervention, RMF was able to promote and transfer 106 staff to branch and area vacancies.

As part of performance management, the new system was kicked off in partnership with the Business Excellence group to ensure that 2021 targets and performance measures will be effectively monitored at the employee level.

The thrust into the unfamiliar challenges of the pandemic has brought a lot of realizations to the fore.

But perhaps the most important lesson it taught to organizations was to cherish their best asset—their people. Looking after the organization’s people has never been more important, a stark reminder that before we can bring about change in the world, we have to start from within.

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Systems and Processes

WELCOMING A NEW ERA OF SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES Information Technology The year 2020 forced a renewed focus and commitment in realizing RAFI’s digital aspirations.

established a data lake warehouse, and deployed RAFI’s first chatbot, EVA (Enterprise Virtual Assistant).

The Foundation achieved wider strides in delivering these initiatives through process improvements, the formation of the Digital Transformation (DX) task force, the creation of an enterprise-wide Technology Committee, and onboarding the Tata Consultancy (TCS).

The completion of the third phase of the CIS 20 projects has increased RAFI’s security posture, ending with a score of 2.5 over 3.0. This was further improved with the completion of the Identity Access Management (IAM) Project and the initial implementation of the Zero Trust Network, a security framework which extends security to employees working anywhere.

The renowned IT consultant was engaged by RAFI to start conversations on improving processes and streamlining systems. This was especially crucial during the pandemic, when employees were forced to work from home and in-person interaction was close to impossible.

RAFI achieved a major milestone in the area of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and analytics. The Foundation

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Digital adoption took a quantum leap during the pandemic. RAFI’s cloud infrastructure was a big win for 2020 as it facilitated the seamless transition of RAFInians from the office to their homes, setting everyone up for success even during the pandemic.

CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD

Business Processes Aligned with top management’s strategic intent to Bugsay from Good to Great, the Business Excellence (BE) Group was created to build organizational capabilities in several areas, namely: Strategy & Performance Management, Business Process Excellence, Knowledge Management, Business Insight, and Analysis and Research.

The Strategy Management Framework created the springboard for the Enterprise Management Strategy of RAFI. This was used as the blueprint of the post-COVID and annual strategic planning utilizing internal strengths.

BE built and strengthened its capability on Knowledge Management by integrating and strengthening disciplines on Business Intelligence and Research, thereby promoting knowledge sharing in RAFI. Dashboards were readily made available to the business units for use. It also initiated Self-Service Business Intelligence to enable real-time interventions and promote datainspired decision-making. It also built its in-house capabilities on data science by building collaborative models.

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The BE Group likewise strongly supported the program units and strategic internal partners (SIPs) through Process Design & Development. It completed the Quality MEAL plans of all programs, which specify the quality standards of products and services of RAFI. BE also provided extensive assurance services to RMF through branch pre-audit services. It successfully completed the audit of 34 new branches in 2020.

Another key achievement was the implementation of the digital channels for RMF clients in response to the new normal, starting with the GCash partnership for digital disbursement and ECpay for digital payment, giving RMF clients additional options to claim their loan disbursements and pay their loans, respectively.

When a crisis strikes hard, the only sensible option is to strike harder. RAFI’s response was calculated and structured, making it one of the strongest defenses that the organization had against the economic threats of the virus. Thanks to these technological pillars, the organization now has a better chance to beat any crisis that the future may bring.

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CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD

Stakeholder Management & Brand Development Group

CREATING NEW CONNECTIONS

Consistent with RAFI’s mission to elevate lives through empowered relationships, 2020 became a milestone year for building meaningful collaborations.

The foundation inked partnerships with several national and local government units, various nonprofit and socio-civic organizations, and multiple commercial corporations. These partnerships were vital in the foundation’s humanitarian efforts, including its Komunidad Kontra COVID-19 interventions and its Ayuda4Luzon recovery operations.

Aside from broadening collaborations, RAFI’s institutional partnership portfolio was further developed upon the creation of the Stakeholder Management Team (SMT) under the Brand Development Group (BDG). The efforts generated a total impact value of at least Php 4 Million with the establishment of new major partners including Amazon UK, LEGO UK, Kenja Japan, VHC Netherlands (Vriendschapsband Haarlemmermeer Cebu), and six other local partners.

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Branding and Marketing As early as March 2020, BDG set high hopes as they aimed to accelerate and adapt to the challenges of the time. Their first hurdle was the implementation of lockdowns, barring them from meeting people in person. But this did not stop them from reaching their engagement goals.

The group turned to digital platforms to boost their presence. Day by day, they continued communicating, engaging, and collaborating with different stakeholders and partners.

This resulted in a 98% increase in Facebook followers as well as an increased number of posts averaging 80 organic posts per month. The team also modified media productions to include music videos and webinars. This proved to be a good supplement to their traditional

press releases seeded both in print and digital channels. Ultimately, their aggressive move to digital engagement resulted in a total media value of Php 53 Million, generating over 10,000 complete leads for distribution to the program units.

To adapt to digitalization, BDG also opened new donation channels in platforms like Lazada and Benevity, which contributed to the success of its humanitarian response efforts.

The team was able to successfully bring the organization’s programs and initiatives into the digital space. Although the times hindered them from conducting traditional marketing activities, they proved that they were more than capable of delivering results even in the midst of a crisis.

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CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD

Governance: Risk, Compliance, Audit FINDING STRENGTH AMIDST ADVERSITY Navigating things in the midst of a pandemic has been a challenging ride, and organizations have stood up to meet many of the new demands.

Risk Management RAFI closed 2020 with an overall risk management maturity score of 3.5. RAFI scored on the high side considering its baseline rate while strategic risk management and operational risk management plans were reviewed and recalibrated to fit the new plans of the units post COVID. In the area of information security and data privacy, RAFI developed critical policies and guidelines and cascaded these RAFI-wide through the development of e-learning modules and advisories.

which will be used as the main reference in completing both manuals by 2021.

For business continuity, RAFI completed its RMF Disaster Management Plan, which covers RMF Branch response for disasters. The Foundation also identified and completed the framework for Credit and Fraud Risk

Throughout 2020, RAFI continued to build a strong culture of risk management through its Risk Champions. Phase 5 of the Risk Champion Program of RAFI culminated in 2020 while RMF culminated Phase 2.

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Compliance The Foundation’s Compliance Framework was established in 2020. Critical compliance processes were reviewed and improved in collaboration with other teams in order to reduce lead times.

Foundation remains compliant to laws and regulations, the compliance processes have been embedded in the programs and support units’ new projects and process improvements.

Moreover, the Foundation was able to standardize the processes of the legal section in 2020. The Obligation register process and the design of its Learning Management System (LMS) courses were launched in the last quarter of 2020. To ensure that the

The Foundation also saw the approval of the BOT code of ethics in 2020 as well as the issuance of CFL endorsement from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). To top it all off, RAFI also passed its DSWD inspection earlier in the year.

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CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD

Internal Audit In 2020, the Internal Audit Group increased its coverage in providing assurance on the Foundation’s internal control, risk management, business processes, and information systems.

The foundation completed seven audit engagements with several RAFI programs (SRP, SEED, OTT, CHU, CFL and FPG) and nine audit engagements with Shared Services (FPG, ITG, HCG, Ops and Fraud).

It also had 26 branch engagements for the third round of Integrated Audit of Branch Operational Controls; 52 branch engagements for Baseline Audit of Branches’ Health Safety and Security, and Social Performance Management; 10 branch engagements for Baseline Audit of Branch Financial Controls; 146 branch engagements for Interim Remote Branch Audit; and 19 branch engagements for the fourth round of Integrated Branch Audit.

Moreover, a pipeline of digital transformation initiatives for the enhancements of the core banking system and adoption of dedicated standalone solutions (e.g., micro-insurance, credit evaluation, fixed assets) were expected to further improve the level of application controls alignment with the company’s operating policies.

There were many challenges that came with the onset of the 2020 pandemic. But on the upside, the team found more reasons to strengthen their strategies to achieve better performance in the unprecedented situation that they were in. These new-found strengths will be incredibly useful for the challenges that lie ahead. Now the team is better equipped to face whatever may come.

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People Testimonials “RAFI made me a very purposeful person. “Let your light shine and be a blessing,” that’s what was instilled to me growing up and here with RAFI, we are given a chance to be a blessing to others in our own little ways.

Salute to all our relief operations volunteers!

Most especially to my procurement team who have equally worked hard since Day 1 of the COVID responses. Being a part of the #1HappyRAFI culture and to #SpreadKindness during these challenging times is something we should be proud of as a RAFInian.”

JOAN PAULA RUIZ PROCUREMENT MANAGER

“RAFI has constantly provided support to employees - I really appreciated the pulse checks and the provision of different trainings and webinars through different platforms. It allows me not to become stagnant and continue my learning despite being at home.

I’m proud to be part of an organization that cares for its employees and at the same time is active in helping the community. With everything that is going on, I can still see how everyone is trying to help one another internally and still has that passion and energy to lend a hand externally.”

MICHELLE ABIGAIL KILANTANG DIGITAL SOLUTIONS ANALYST

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CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD

“A simple smile from our beneficiaries was already enough to keep us going! All of our hard work paid off just seeing them happy.

You can really see how much our help meant to them - “Touching People” indeed.

Just like when we were able to visit a fellow RAFInian staying at a locked down area, you realize how much RAFI has extended its help even to its people. There may be times where fear takes over when we go to these lockdown areas and deliver the relief goods but having that idea that we are there to send help to them makes us stronger. “

CONSTANTINE “TATS” SAMSON HDPR SENIOR OFFICER

“Being one with RAFI’s noble initiatives where I was able to help in the distribution of relief packs and PPEs to RAFI’s partner organizations, hospitals and private institutions who were in need, was something I will treasure for the rest of my life.

In these challenging times, I’m also thankful how RAFI truly knows what its employees’ needs are and addressed them effectively. With this, I was able to secure my family’s basic necessities during this time of crisis.”

MICAH JANE ESTRADA RAFI DACF PROGRAM ASSISTANT

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Board of Trustees

MIKEL ALBERTO ABOITIZ

CARLOS RAMON ABOITIZ

MA. CRISTINA ABOITIZ

ANA MARIA ABOITIZ-DELGADO

AMAYA CRISTINA ABOITIZ-FANSLER

SOFIA ISABEL ABOITIZ

ATTY. MANUEL GO

FR. ERNESTO JAVIER S.J.

DOMINICA CHUA

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Board Committee

MIKEL ALBERTO ABOITIZ

CARLOS RAMON ABOITIZ

MA. CRISTINA ABOITIZ

Chairman - RAFI and RAFI-MFI Executive and Investment Committee

Chairman - Audit and Risk Committee Member - RAFI and RAFI-MFI Executive Committee

Member - RAFI Executive Committee

AMAYA CRISTINA ABOITIZ-FANSLER

EDUARDO ALFRED ABOITIZ

Member - RAFI Executive Committee

Member - RAFI and RAFI-MFI Executive and Audit Committee

TRISTAN ROBERTO ABOITIZ

DAVID MIKEL ABOITIZ

DOMINICA CHUA

CARLOS KAHN

Member - RAFI-MFI Executive, Audit, Risk Management and Compliance Committee

Member - RAFI Executive, Investment, Risk Management and Compliance Committee

Member - Investment Committee

Member - Risk Committee

SOFIA ISABEL ABOITIZ Member - RAFI Executive Committee

ANA MARIA ABOITIZDELGADO Member - RAFI-MFI Executive and Investment Committee

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Program Champions

DAVID MIKEL ABOITIZ

AMAYA CRISTINA ABOITIZ-FANSLER

RAFI One to Tree

CARLOS RAMON ABOITIZ RAFI Education Unit and Center for Leaders

Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund

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SOFIA ISABEL ABOITIZ

EDUARDO ALFRED ABOITIZ

RAFI Culture and Heritage

Infrastructure

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Management Team RAFI PROGRAMS

DOMINICA CHUA President and Chief Executive Officer

RIELLA MAE CHRISTA GUIOGUIO Chief Operating Officer for RAFI

JONAR DORADO Chief Operating Officer for RAFI-MFI

HAIDEE EMMIE PALAPAR

MARI RIZZA LABAO

Program Manager for RAFI Culture and Heritage -Casa Gorodo Museum

Program Manager for RAFI Culture and Heritage - The Kabilin Center

Senior Program Officer for RAFI Education Development Unit

ANTHONY DIGNADICE

JENNY LEA MENCHAVEZ

RONALD DELOS REYES

PET JOHN ROM

Program Director for RAFI One To Tree

Program Manager for RAFI Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund

Program Manager for RAFI Eduardo J. Aboitiz Children’s Fund

HDPR Program Manager

MARIE SOL GONZALVO

FLORENCIO MOREÑO III

Executive Director for RAFI-Social Wellbeing Cluster

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Management Team RAFI CORPORATE SHARED SERVICE

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CARLOS KAHN

MICHAEL GODINEZ

MIRAFLOR ENECIO

Chief Financial Officer

Chief People Officer

Chief Business Excellence Officer

EDWIN MARFIL

ESTEE MARIE PLUNKET

JULIAN VALDUEZA

Chief Technology Officer

AVP for Brand Development Group

Comptroller

ATTY. JASMINE CUIZON

RAMONCHITO JACA

WARREN TOMPONG

Chief Compliance Officer

Chief Audit Executive

Enterprise Risk Manager

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RAMON ABOITIZ FOUNDATION INC. ANNUAL REPORT 2020

2020 was set to be a year of impact for the organization.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, required RAFI to rethink how we could achieve our targets amidst a new set of challenges.

Our Program Units had to be creative and think of new ways to continue to elevate the lives of our beneficiaries even while mobility was limited.

Support Units focused on strengthening the organization’s internal processes and performance to ensure we are prepared to venture into the New Normal.

What is clear is that, despite the unexpected changes, we recalibrated and continued to push forward to create impact to fulfill our mission of “Touching Lives, Shaping the Future.”

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Touching People, Shaping the Future 35 Eduardo Aboitiz St., Brgy. Tinago Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines, 6000 www.rafi.org.ph communicate@rafi.ph www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph

RAFI is a non-stock, non-profit organization since 1966, whose mission is to elevate lives by championing best practices in community development in the Philippines.

The digital copy of RAFI’s 2020 Annual Report is available at www.rafi.org.ph

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