2015 RAFI ANNUAL REPORT
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ABOUT THE COVER The rising sun is a harbinger of hope and new beginnings, a renewed sense of purpose. It allows us to envision a future filled with empowered communities ready to step up to the challenge of a better future. The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc., for the past 50 years, has helped communities realize this. Through our five focus areas, we elevate people’s lives and foster architects of change who are able to create a bright tomorrow today.
Contents 11 Messages 15 Integrated Development 20 Micro-finance and Entrepreneurship 24 Culture and Heritage 28 Leadership and Citizenship 42 Education 50 Institutional 52 Board of Trustees 54 Executive Committee 55 DACF Executive Committee 56 Management Committee 60 RAFI Teams 68 Financial Report
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2015 RAFI ANNUAL REPORT
IN ITS 50 YEARS of existence in development w been “Touching People, Shaping the Future.”
Mission Elevating lives through a comprehensi At A Glance – How We Performed INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT Integrated Development
Program Goals
Address the foundations needed to enhance quality of life and community
MICRO-FINANCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center
Improve the quality of life of people and communities by increasing their chance of survival against cancer
Trees Planted
831,082
•
• • •
Screening 3,508 Moonwalk 3,321 Cancer Patients 25 2014
2015
Biodiversity Restoration (Seedling Production, Plantation, Growing Trees, Native Tree Species, Project Partnerships) Community Development (SM Cares and HWA) Governance (Our Cebu, Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council) Mega Cebu Constituency Building
• • • • •
Culture and Herit
Uplift public awareness, und and appreciation of local cu heritage through an enhanc powerful museum experien
Active Clients
Gabii Sa Kabilin Par
3
63,321
Awareness Campaign 5,173
Awareness Campaign 2,757
Milestones/ Key Projects
Elevate lives of RMF clients through the a stable and rewarding livelihood by enhancing and developing marketdriven products and services
11,682 9,611
2014
RAFI Micro-finance
Project Beneficiaries
2,258,422
CULTURE AND H
37,825
3,068
Screening 4,384 Moonwalk 2,098 Cancer Patients 27 2015
Cancer Patients Cancer Registry Moonwalk Screening Programs Awareness Campaigns
2014
• • • • • • •
2015
New Branches Opened Enhanced Loan Products Developed Two New Market-Driven Loan Products Completed Financial Literacy Training Client Awards and Incentive Program Market Research for Expansion Establish Business Development Functions
2014
• • •
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Gabii sa Kabilin Kids at the Museum Kabataan, Kultura ug Kabilin
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work in the Visayas and Mindanao, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) has consistently
ive approach that champions best practices in community development.
HERITAGE
LEADERSHIP AND CITIZENSHIP Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center
tage
EDUCATION
Kool Adventure Camp
derstanding ulture and ced and nce
Capacitate individuals and groups to become proactive citizens and effective leaders of the community
Equip individuals and organizations with the 3 Cs to be leaders of change through powerful learning experiences
rticipants
Stakeholders Engaged, Capacitated and Supported
Participants Reached
3,606
Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund
Help improve learning outcomes of public school students by creating an enabling environment
Classrooms Built and Rehabilitated
Provide younger children with quality care and education ensuring their holistic growth and development
Program Beneficiaries 2,059
8,170
72,602
Advocacy, 446
260
Infra, 15
6,278 247
49,981
Capabuild, 114 995 Infra, 26 Capabuild, 48
Grants, 1,484
Grants, 921
2015
n
Education
2014
• • • • •
2015
Mega Cebu 6th RAFI Triennial Awards YMA Season 9 Planning and Technical Support Communications and Stakeholder Relationship • Building and Administration • Youth Development • Leadership and Governance Institute
2014
2015
• Youth Development Programs • Professional Development Programs • Trainings
2014
• • • •
2015
Gabaldon Rehabilitation Project School Rehabilitation Project School Building Project Comprehensive Educational Improvement Program • Conservation Management Plan
2014
2015
• Provided 43 of 50 day care centers • Training of day care workers and child development teachers • Grants
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2015 RAFI RAFI ANNUAL ANNUAL REPORT REPORT 2015
As architects of change, we believe in hard work to satisfy our desire to be assured of a solid future for the present and next generations. While maintaining our gratitude to all partners who share our dreams and plans, we will persist in elevating the lives of children, parents, families, youth, mothers, teachers, leaders, organizations and ordinary people.
2015 RAFI RAFI ANNUAL ANNUAL REPORT REPORT 2015
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE We hold annual celebrations of milestones not only to cherish memories and review our accomplishments, but also to valuate what more needs to be done in creating our tomorrow today. For us in the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), the year 2015 was another year of new and strengthened collaborations that enabled us to carry out our expanded and upscaled programs and initiatives under our focus areas of integrated development, micro-finance and entrepreneurship, culture and heritage, leadership and citizenship, and education. We also extended our arms to clench with partners that have significantly helped us in disaster risk reduction and management and in our vision for a livable and sustainable Mega Cebu. With the same arms, through the RAFI Triennial Awards, we thrust into
the limelight and empowered many ordinary people, all role models, who have prevailed despite the overwhelming odds through their extraordinary acts of courage and heroism. All these show that, as architects of change, we believe in hard work to satisfy our desire to be assured of a solid future for the present and next generations. While maintaining our gratitude to all partners who share our dreams and plans, we will persist in elevating the lives of children, parents, families, youth, mothers, teachers, leaders, organizations and ordinary people. Tracing RAFI’s long history of community development, we
have seen the need to double our efforts in adhering to an inclusive process as a venue for sharing knowledge to gather the best resources, providing opportunities to create partnerships, creating programs that address multiple issues, drawing out comprehensive solutions, empowering people, carrying out best practices, exploring innovative solutions, and setting an example to other development partners. Hence, we look forward to another exciting year, our 50th year, another sublime opportunity to touch more people and help shape the bright future we deserve.
Roberto E. Aboitiz President
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As we usher 2016 as a milestone year for RAFI, I would like to recognize the strong commitment of RAFInians in delivering our promise of touching people, shaping the future. I would also like to thank our partners who have similarly made the Foundation’s endeavors their priorities. Thank you for lending a hand in helping the people, in touching their lives for the better, as we strive to build a better tomorrow for all of us today.
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CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER’S MESSAGE With the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) celebrating its 50th year in 2016, I take pride in recalling what the Foundation has accomplished thus far in “creating our tomorrow today.” In 2015, we continued to improve our programs and services by expanding and upscaling our reach, and replicating the best practices in our focus areas of integrated development, micro-finance and entrepreneurship, culture and heritage, leadership and citizenship, and education. We continued to nurture our collaborations with local government units and the private sector in implementing our programs and initiatives. Last year, we likewise strengthened our alliances with partners from the international community in urban planning for Metro Cebu and in disaster
risk reduction and management. As architects of change, we created a new mindset in our constituencies and provided them with opportunities to engage and participate in various activities that would promote the development of Cebu. These enhanced the bayanihan spirit of the Cebuanos for them to unify and work as a team in achieving our Cebu vision. Cognizant of the exemplary and outstanding works of individuals and institutions in development, the Foundation chose Anita Castillon of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato as recipient of the 6th RAFI Triennial Awards “Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary Individual” and Kadtabanga Foundation for Peace
and Development Advocates Inc. based in Maguindanao for the “Eduardo Aboitiz Award for Outstanding Institution.” Their exceptional works and character are an inspiration to all the Filipinos, especially in the midst of today’s adversities and challenges. As we usher in 2016 as a milestone year for RAFI, I would like to recognize the strong commitment of RAFInians in delivering our promise of touching people, shaping the future. I would also like to thank our partners who have similarly made the Foundation’s endeavors their priorities. Thank you for lending a hand in helping the people, in touching their lives for the better, as we strive to build a better tomorrow for all of us today. Dominica B. Chua Chief Operating Officer
New homes, big dreams for Yolanda survivors 10
2015 RAFI ANNUAL REPORT
By Chrisley Ann C. Hinayas
SURVIVORS of super typhoon Yolanda start a new chapter in their lives at the SM Cares Village in Barangay Polambato, Bogo City in northern Cebu.
IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS THAT ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE AND COMMUNITIES IN THE GRASSROOTS
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or laundrywoman Maribel Sumayan, having her own house used to be just a dream. In 2014, Sumayan’s dream came true. What she didn’t know was that for her lifelong dream to materialize, she and her family had to endure the fury of super typhoon Yolanda. Sumayan lost her family’s shanty, their home for 15 years, to Yolanda’s strong winds. When Yolanda made landfall on Nov. 8, 2013, Sumayan and her family heard the howling of the wind. Peeping through the wooden windows, they saw roofs and cabinets flying. They ran from one house to another in the hope of finding safer ground. The Sumayans and their neighbors eventually settled in a house built on higher ground. After the storm passed, the group was greeted by the devastation that remained—a landscape of battered homes, debris scattered all over the place, dazed homeless people scrambling
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for belongings to salvage. Moving on Two years after Yolanda, Sumayan said they are slowly trying to forget that fateful day. “The new house has become our symbol of hope and new life. My family and I are now dreaming of big dreams for everyone,” the 39-year-old Sumayan proudly shared. Proof of this are the happy family pictures, school medals, and colorful artworks that adorn the walls of the Sumayan home. The new house was just among the many blessings that the Sumayans and their neighbors received days after Yolanda. Various groups started distributing relief packs to survivors while some gave housing materials to homeless families. Of all these, Sumayan said it was their new home that brought them sheer joy and hope. A day after Yolanda’s first anniversary, 200 families, including
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THROUGH the partnership of SM Cares Foundation, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc., and the heirs of Wenceslao and Margarita Fernan, a total of 200 disaster-resilient homes were turned over to survivors of super typhoon Yolanda in 2014. Sumayan’s, received an early Christmas gift—their new houses—through the SM Cares Village of the SM Group, through its corporate social responsibility arm SM Cares, and the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI). It is located in Polambato, Bogo City. The one-hectare lot where the village stands was donated by the heirs of Wenceslao and Margarita Fernan. “Thank you so much to all the donors. There were so many of us who needed new houses so I never expected that I’d be one of those who would be chosen to get a new house,” she said, smiling. The housing units, painted red, yellow, orange, green, purple, and blue, were designed to exceed the requirements of the Building Code of the Philippines and mandated standards. It can also withstand a Category 5 super typhoon because of its disaster resiliency features. At present, RAFI is implementing livelihood and skills training programs to village residents. Bright future “Our house now has electricity and a comfort room. My children now get to sleep soundly, too,” she said,
looking at the artwork made by her child Rey Jaysson. Her eyes gleamed with pride as she talked about the artworks Rey Jaysson has won in school competitions. She said he was inspired to draw more artworks after they moved into their new home. Her other children— Rosemarie, Joshua, Justine, and John Phillipe—are consistent achievers in school, too. “They draw a lot and study harder now that we have electricity and water connection at home,” she said. The village also has basic amenities such as a community center, streetlights, and basketball court. Aside from what she earns doing other people’s laundry, Maribel earns extra income by working in a small farm managed by her relatives. Her husband Mario is a laborer at a construction company earning P30 a day. Despite these and with the new house as a symbol of hope, Sumayan continues to dream and work hard for a better life for her family. “The house used to be just a dream. But God listens so I know that slowly, we can overcome whatever challenges that come our way,” she added.
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VISITORS are welcomed with the sight of colorful artworks and happy family pictures inside the home of the Sumayan family. For laundrywoman Maribel Sumayan, their new home is a symbol of hope and bigger dreams for the family.
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A cancer survivor’s legacy By Chrisley Ann C. Hinayas
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f you were to paint your life, what colors would you use on your canvas? For cancer survivor Lorna Berondo, she would splash it with pastel colors — yellow for happiness, green for family, blue for hope, and orange for her second life. She would also paint moving patterned lines, which she says best describe her life. “If you’re given a second chance in life, you get to appreciate more how beautiful life is and the all things that you could still do,” she said, smiling. Ten years ago, Berondo shared, her life was a combination of black and white—the colors she doesn’t want to paint anymore in her canvas. Berondo, then 43, was diagnosed with stage II cervical cancer, a lifethreatening disease she never thought would hit her. In April 2004, Berondo bled severely for days. When she found a fist-sized blood mass after urinating, she immediately went to see a doctor. The results confirmed there was a growing six-centimeter lump in her cervix. “I still have so many plans for my children. When I learned that I had cancer, I felt like my world fell apart. Back then, all I knew was that when you have cancer, you will surely die,” she said. Tough battle It wasn’t an easy ordeal or a short battle for the Berondo family. They had no funds to support her radiotherapy treatment. Her slender body was too weak to accept the treatments. She lost her appetite, too; her weight dropped from 60 to 40 kilos. “I started undergoing therapy sessions but it was hard not to lose hope. My body was getting weaker by the day and I heard my neighbors say my days were numbered,” she said. With the help of various institutions and individuals, she was able to complete radiotherapy. In 2005, through the financial aid of the Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center LORNA Berondo almost lost her life to cervical cancer some years ago. After winning that battle, Berondo said that experience became her source of strength and passion to live life to the fullest.
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LORNA Berondo’s advocacy has led her to work with women and children. Aside from her duties as a barangay worker, she also educates people, especially young mothers, about cancer prevention. of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc., she underwent surgery to stop the cancer cells from metastasizing. Four years later, Berondo was told she is free from cancer—a battle not every patient is fortunate to win. Upon hearing the news, she could not contain her sheer happiness and excitement to get up from the rubble. “I would’ve long been gone, had it not been for the help that I received. I am very grateful, especially to God, for having been given a second chance. That’s why I promised to pay the good deed forward by helping other cancer patients,” she said. Paying it forward Berondo said she has helped more than 10 cancer patients look for institutions to fund their medication. Just recently, she served as a buddy of a breast cancer patient undergoing regular checkups. “I have since become an advocate of early detection and
prevention in communities. I tell them they should not be ashamed of being diagnosed with cancer because it is not contagious,” she said. Berondo is also an active organizer of the Hugpong Kababayen-an sa Pajac, a women’s group in Lapu-Lapu City that conducts regular livelihood trainings to its members. As one of the leaders, she meets them to talk about healthy lifestyle, cancer awareness, and early detection and prevention, among others. “Every time we meet, I remind them to always have regular checkups, especially if they feel that something is wrong. Thankfully, they heed my advice because they know what I had been through,” she said. After a year of complete rest, Berondo resumed work at the barangay hall as the in-charge of the Women and Child Protection Unit. She also helps in every medical mission the barangay organizes. “It feels nice to be able to help
others. Life is short so use every opportunity you can get to help others,” she proudly shared. Turning point Closer to home, Berondo said she makes sure her children undergo regular checkups especially since cancer runs in the family. When Berondo was diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago, it became a wakeup call for her and her family. Because of that turning point, she is now working on being able to leave a legacy of helping cancer patients. “I think God chose to make me survive cancer because He knows I can still be of help to others,” she said. Though cancer rings a different bell for many, for Berondo, the disease will forever remind her of the once-impossible battle she and her family won over. It has also changed the way she sees the canvas of life—if you want beautiful results, use bright and lively colors.
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DURING center meetings, trainings are also conducted for nanays and tatays to capacitate them. At right is Vernonica Guillemer, one of RMF’s long-time clients in Palompon, Leyte. Aside from raising hogs, Guillemer now has a newly opened barber shop in the town.
2015 RAFI ANNUAL REPORT
PROVIDE FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND KNOWLEDGE TO POOR ENTREPRENEURS
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Micro-finance and Entrepreneurship
Making dreams of a better life come true By Mary Love Melody T. Cabanag
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hat are dreams? They are figments in our minds that make us get up in the morning and look forward to a kind of future we want to have. And where do dreams toil? Most of us choose the big cities because there, more opportunities exist. For the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) Microfinance (RMF), no matter where you are in this country, you deserve a bridge to help you achieve your dreams. For the nanays in Palompon, Leyte, RMF is that bridge. Palompon is a small second class municipality with over 50,000 residents. It holds a homey feeling to every tourist and has scenic beaches, like the famous Kalanggaman Islands. Here, mothers wake up every day with the hope of being able to fulfill their dreams someday. The first RMF group formed in Palompon was in San Miguel; they started in July 2015 and was led by Nanay Leizel Hilig, who is still the group’s chairperson. “Hilario, a trust staff of Palompon branch, encouraged me and my neighbors to join RAFI Micro-finance,” Hilig said. Their group started with just 15 members until it grew to about a hundred. Now, it is divided into three subgroups—San Miguel 1, 2, and 3. Hilig is proud to say that the group is intact and members pay
NANAY Leizel Hilig, chairperson of the San Miguel group, sells cakes baked using earthen stove. their dues on time. Hilig started her cake business in 2002 and had joined a livelihood training on baking. She started making cakes as a business to help provide for the daily needs of her family. “RMF made my life easier because payments are done weekly and I can see that my business is improving,” said Hilig, who organized their group and currently has a loan of P15,000. Hilig only has simple dreams for her family, especially for her daughter Mercy — to let her finish her studies (she finished cum laude with a degree in Education major in Mathematics last March 2016) and for her to grow as a good person.
Uplifting lives RAFI Micro-finance aims to provide its clients with financial resources and the knowhow to uplift their lives by helping them fulfill their dreams. In 2015, RMF expanded its branches in Visayas, particularly in Bohol and Leyte. Through these branches, now numbering 23, RMF hopes that more nanays could avail themselves of capacity-building initiatives to support their desires to have their own means of livelihood and improve their families’ living conditions. “We want something sustainable for the mothers. We hope that through the new branches, all of us will prosper,” RAFI
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Chief Operating Officer Dominica Chua said during the Sogod branch opening, as she wished for these new branches to be the bridges in achieving the nanays’ dreams. Studying the market Opening these branches, however, is not as easy as Ali Baba saying, “Open Sesame.” It requires thorough processes and research to bring out strong services for all. Identifying locations of future branches needs extensive research about relevant information on all the municipalities’ demographics – accessibility & communications, industry & livelihood, support of the local government unit, peace and order situation, disaster risks, presence of competitors, and potential market size.
For its branches in Biliran and Leyte, RMF’s Business Development Unit (BDU) conducted a market research in these areas for one week. Ma. Theresa Catipay, RMF executive director, said the study made by the BDU was very detailed and was a great help in the planning process. “The challenge is really being able to sift through substantial and relevant data that we need for us to be able to make a good decision,” she added. Aside from the research, the BDU also enhanced existing products; they are now known as Mauswagon I & II and are better, flexible and family-oriented. New products were also developed, such as the Kabuhayan (Livestock Products) and Supplemental
(House Improvement Loan, PhilHealth and Educational Loan) Products. With client education a main thrust of RMF as a micro-finance institution, Financial Literacy Modules were also implemented during Center Meetings to equip the clients in terms of managing their finances and understanding the disciplines and principles of saving. “Our commitment in RMF is to provide holistic and comprehensive financial services that will elevate the lives of people and communities. Thus, we ensure that our products respond to the needs of our clients by conducting needs assessment and surveys as a crucial process of product development,” said BDU deputy director Jonar Dorado.
ONE of the main activities during a center meeting is the collection and releasing of the production loans. With RAFI Micro-finance trust staff Hilario Zurita assigned to go to San Miguel, transactions are made easy for the nanays and tatays.
Micro-finace and Enterpreneurship
THE RMF STAFF in Palompon, Leyte (above photo, from left) Hilario Zurita, Yul Brian Poliquit, Jeniza Batohinog, Jonald Sotto, Joynilyn Singzon, Macgyver Ong and Arnord Barcos are ready to make many nanays’ dreams come true. At right, nanays make sure they pay their dues on time.
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Creating tomorrow’s museum today By Florencio A. Moreño II
Culture and Heritage
T
he Casa Gorordo Museum was one of the first historic house museums in the Visayas - Mindanao region when it opened to the public in 1983. Its mission was to realize Don Ramon Aboitiz’s desire to preserve a part of Cebu’s history, to give people “a sense of those things that make up the “inner” history of the city, the substance of both its ordinary and extraordinary existence through the centuries.” Since then, Casa Gorordo Museum has become a well-known heritage site that has achieved National Historical Landmark status. For three decades, Casa Gorordo engaged the public through innovative programs and events. It also spearheaded projects in local heritage promotion and historic preservation involving various stakeholders, and enlivened Cebu’s dynamism in the culture and heritage sector, PART of the museum’s renovation is the creative re-use of spaces in the 160-yearold structure. For instance, this small room on the ground floor which was used as storage for agricultural produce has been turned into a mini-theater.
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something not seen in other provinces in the country. Always aiming for the best, Casa Gorordo Museum took on a new challenge in 2013. It closed its doors to the public to undergo a thorough enhancement. The main objective was to elevate the services of the museum to be at par with the best in the Southeast Asian region. The enhancement project involved two main components: • Improvement and expan- sion of physical facilities, and • Upgrading of the presentation and museum experience. As part of the first component, the physical integrity of the house was studied and rehabilitation work was done to ensure the 19th century structure’s survival in the 21st century. RAFI engaged the expertise of conservation architect Michael Manalo for this purpose. The auxiliary building, which is set to house the museum shop and café, was renovated and its interiors were redecorated. Innovative use of spaces, safety and comfort were the primary aims that guided the design team. One
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noticeable change museum guests will see is the installation of an elevator to make the upper floor of the museum and the auxiliary building easily accessible to PWDs and the elderly. The museum, shop and café are now also child-proof and child-friendly. The museum complex is further expanded with the construction of a new annex building across the present courtyard. This two-storey edifice will house the offices of the museum staff and galleries for temporary exhibits. Once finished, Casa Gorordo Museum will be able to host more exhibits that will buoy up its value as a cultural destination. These improvements to the museum’s physical assets, however, make up only half of the enhancement project. The more important part was to make the museum visit of each guest an unforgettable one. Thus, a curatorial team, composed of Dr. Jocelyn Gerra, Executive Director for RAFI – Culture & Heritage Unit; Florencio Moreño II, Museum Curator; and external consultants, worked closely with RAFI Chief Operating Officer Dominica Chua
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to develop new ways to present the story of Casa Gorordo and its historical context. Interactivity will be one of the best things added to the museum’s permanent exhibit. The enhancements will invite guests to try their hands on tools and other apparatus on display. Interaction with the house and the artifacts found in it will take the Casa Gorordo visitor experience to a personal level. Through it, they will feel that they are not mere receivers of knowledge but are also partakers in its creation. These activities are designed to involve guests of different age groups and learning requirements. The enhancement project also sought to challenge the prevalent notion of the historic house museum as a place of old
objects and outdated knowledge. To achieve this, a tour of the museum utilizing digital media was configured. With the use of gadgets such as tablets and touch screen panels, Casa Gororodo museum will elicit more and greater interaction from a generation whose means of exploring the world is greatly reliant on digital tools. These devices will also provide a faster method of conveying and creating new knowledge during the tour. This will be an interesting development because an overwhelming portion of Casa Gorordo guests are young people who respond effortlessly and positively to these devices. Video apparatus, sound effects and digital media will combine to bring visitor experience to a virtual level. This will enhance Casa Gorordo’s attribute as a “time
capsule” where people can access, virtually, a part of history that is long gone. Rather than a traditional guided tour, visitor experience will be a simulated experience of the turn-of-the-century lifestyle of the Gorordos and Parian society. But a great museum tour cannot be inscribed fully in the memory of visitors without exceptional mementos. This is why the museum shop merchandise was also scaled up. Everything that the guest will find in the shop has the Casa Gorordo Museum brand. This means that the souvenirs guests get here are exclusively developed for Casa Gorordo and won’t be sold anywhere else. Scheduled to re-open in 2016, Casa Gorordo Museum will be a cultural hotspot Cebuanos will be proud of in years to come.
THE unusually long azotea of Casa Gorordo, a favorite spot of guests, will be a good place for socializing and intimate gatherings.
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AN exhibit on cash crops (left) can be found on the ground floor of the museum (above). The design integrates different weaving patterns seen in Filipino houses – banig, solihiya and abaca cloth.
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2015 ANNUAL GROOMRAFI FUTURE LEADERSREPORT AND INFLUENCERS IN THE COMMUNITY
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By Althea May J. Santillan
f you haven’t been to Samboan, then you probably wouldn’t understand why the town and its famed Aguinid Falls are now buzzwords of local and foreign tourists alike. The six-tiered Aguinid Falls in Barangay Tangbo has been luring thousands of visitors to the town of late. They travel down south for about four hours to conquer the waterfalls, one challenging level at a time. The local government of Samboan makes sure every tourist’s experience is worth the long trip—and a safe one, too. This is why stakeholders take measures to not only preserve the beauty of the place but also to prioritize safety in every activity. In adventure tourism, how do we promote safety and protect the environment at the same time? What are the common safety considerations when engaging in adventure tourism trips? How do we manage medical emergencies if crises arise while doing these activities? With these questions in mind, the local government of Samboan made 28 waterfalls tour guides and personnel from its Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Office participate in the Site-Specific Workshop on Risk Assessment and Management System (RAMS), Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics and First Aid Basic Life Support conducted by Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc – Kool Adventure Camp (RAFI-KAC) in Aguinid Falls last April 2015. The workshop equipped the Samboan DRRM Council and the tour guides with the fundamental RAMS tools to aid individuals and organizations in anticipating emergency response and crisis management. It strengthened the participants’ individual competencies needed to identify, assess and manage risks in their activity areas. It also made them aware of outdoor ethics and basic first aid skills. Samboan DRRM head–designate Irwin Gamallo said the training will not only equip the guides with skills but more importantly, make them aware of and
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practice environmental protection. “The workshop was really effective. What made it better was that it was conducted by an organization that is really knowledgeable. Through this, they will be able to share their learnings down to the other locals in their barangays. At the same time, their learning from the past will be affirmed or corrected as well,” Gamallo said. One participant, Charribie Villahermosa, 34, said the workshop left a big impact on her. “Aside from learning how to prevent risks and manage emergency situtations, I also learned how
Leadership and Citizenship
Aside from learning how to prevent risks and manage emergency situtations, I also learned how to protect and preserve the environment. I have also applied my learnings at home. to protect and preserve the environment. I have also applied my learnings at home,” she shared. As part of the group’s sustainability and disaster mitigation activities, they also planted trees around natural sites in the area. “We went around the areas particularly surrounding the falls. We made sure to plant trees so that the water in the area will be sufficient, ” Samboan Tourism Officer Marivic Calderon said. Peter Jay Alera, RAFI-KAC Operations Support and Safety Manager and one of those who conducted the training, said the activity further enhanced the correct practices of the Samboan tourist guides.
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“The paramount priority of RAFI-KAC is safety. We are regularly implementing risk assessments before we conduct any of our core programs in KAC. I am monitoring the results of the (Samboan) training since they are our pilot program. We have seen the significance of sharing this to the public. We are looking forward to partnering with more areas,” Alera said. Samboan is indeed taking steps in the right direction—working toward preservation and development of the heritage and tourist sites, and empowering the community to manage these sites. That way, visitors get to fully enjoy their experience in Samboan and, with their safety guaranteed, will have every reason to keep coming back.
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RAFI - KAC staff Gabriel Lamparas introduces Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics to the tour guides in Aguinid waterfalls in Samboan.
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YMA SEASON 9
Quake moves young team to make winning board game By Jenny Lea A. Tan
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ow is it possible for an earthquake to “inspire” a 12-year-old to take part in an activity that would make her come up with a board game that teaches players about disaster preparedness? It’s been more than two years since the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that shook Bohol and Cebu last Oct. 15, 2013, but Hilary
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Quiñan could still clearly remember what happened that day. Her guardian rushed to get her out of the bathroom, where she was brushing her teeth, while their househelp kept screaming, “Linog! Linog! (Earthquake! Earthquake!)” Then they rushed to get out of the house and went on their knees. “I was so scared. I didn’t know what to do then,” Hilary said. Hilary was just one of the many young people who felt helpless during the tragedy. Her experience that day drove her to join the Young Minds Academy Season 9 (YMA9) to learn the importance of disaster preparedness and humanitarian response in relation to Urban Development. The youngest among the 92 YMA9 scholars, Hilary and her teammates actively participated in all capability building sessions. Their experience allowed them to gain a lot of learnings, especially on disaster preparedness. Inspired by their learnings, Hilary and her teammates, YMA9 Generation B Team 8, from Dr. Caridad C. Labe Education Centrex (CCL Centrex) Inc. namely, Rupert Raphael Amodia, Persis Faith Pame, Seth Lucas Farre and Kyle Gregory Devaras, developed a board game named “Master of Disaster.” The game aims to increase young people’s knowledge on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) in a fun and youthful way. The game is played when on his turn, a player rolls the dice and move along the board until they land on either a Question and Answer space or a Scenario Space on the game path. The player must read the cards carefully and follow the instructions written in the cards. The player must identify risks and disaster preparedness solutions in response to the situation in the card. STUDENT beneficiaries of the Master of Disaster demonstrate to their peers how to play the DRRM board game, which they used to teach fellow students on disaster preparedness.
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A player gets an energy and power chip to advance to the next path for every correct answer. The total number of power and energy chips collected will be the basis for the player’s score. The board game was pilot tested to 31 students of Basak Night High School in Lapu-Lapu City. Based on the pre-assessment, it showed that only six of 31 had knowledge on disaster preparedness. Darlene Sarmiento, 11, a student beneficiary of the Master of Disaster project, admitted that her knowledge on disasters has increased after she was introduced to the board game. “The board game (teaches us how to prepare for) an upcoming disaster like an earthquake or a fire. I already know how not to get tense when there’s an earthquake. I also learned what to prepare for in case of a disaster. Whatever we learned, we relay it to our own communities,” she said. Kyle Devaras, one of the scholar-implementers, said the goal of the board game is to impart valuable knowledge on DRRM to the students. He added that the youth is the best target since they can influence people faster and their eagerness to learn is much higher than others. “In fact, the increase of knowledge compared to before they played the board game was shocking even for me; about 40 percent more students got to a specific high grade in just 3 to 4 rounds of playing the board game,” Kyle said. The Master of Disasters project of Hilary’s team, YMA9 Generation B Team 8, won the Responsive Young Minds Awards for the best community-based project and the Influential Young Minds Awards for the best presenters during the YMA9 Awards and Graduation last December 2015.
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Leadership and Citizenship
MEMBERS of the Cebu brand team, Mega Cebu and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, key players in the tourism industry and other stakeholders toast to the new integrated brand, “Cebu, where the heart sings.”
Moving forward toward Mega Cebu 2050 By Jiri Othello G. Dinsay
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takeholders working to implement a long-term development plan for Metro Cebu are moving closer toward the realization of the Mega Cebu 2050 vision. In 2015, the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB), with the assistance of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and in collaboration with Yokohama City, Japan, finalized The Roadmap Study for Sustainable Urban Development in Metro Cebu. The study, which involved local and foreign experts and solicited inputs from Mega Cebu stakeholders, will serve as blueprint for the long-term development of Metro Cebu. “The study showed that Central Visayas can become a leading growth center in the country, and therefore has the potential to sustain the Philippines’ economic gains, and jobs for Filipinos,” said JICA Chief Representative in the Philippines Noriaki Niwa. According to JICA, a solid growth of 5.8% and 1 million new jobs would be created by 2050 once the roadmap is fully implemented. The city’s GDP per capita is expected to grow more than US$20,000 in 2050, almost the same as Korea’s level in 2010. Metro Cebu’s GDP is also projected to rise by 8.3% annually between 2010 and 2020; 7.8% per year from 2020 to 2030; and 5.8% per year from 2030 to 2050.
Leadership and Citizenship
Growth pains Historically, Metro Cebu has been a regional trading hub and recognized for its world-class marine resorts. The area, already the second largest city in the Philippines with a population of 2.55 million in 2010, is considered the economic center of Central Visayas such that it has been experiencing high levels of private business investments and industrial expansion in recent years. Along with this rapid urbanization and population growth, various interrelated urban issues have emerged in the areas of transport, drainage, water, and waste management. To address these issues, it has decided that a comprehensive and sustainable development approach is required. JICA first conducted the Study on the Cebu Integrated Area Development Master Plan in1994. However, no study followed then until JICA, in collaboration with the City of Yokohama, supported Metro Cebu in 2013 through MCDCB to come up with a long-term development vision called Mega Cebu Vision 2050 and to agree on a follow-up study to formulate a roadmap and action plan to realize this vision. Flagship projects The study identified 10 flagship projects for implementation until 2020, and outlined 14 anchor programs to be implemented by 2050. Seven subroadmaps were also identified under the study, namely:
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• Metropolitan Competitiveness Enhancement; • Urban Structure and Land Use; • Highway Network and Public Transport; • Water Supply, Storm Water and Wastewater Management; • Solid Waste Management; • Smart SRP (South Road Properties) Development; and • Metropolitan Governance. The Roadmap Study, with its seven Sub-Roadmaps, 14 Anchor Programs, and 10 Flagship Projects were first approved by the MCDCB Research, Program and Organizational Development (RPOD) Executive Committee on June 9, 2015. It was endorsed to the MCDCB Full Board and approved during the second quarter MCDCB meeting on June 17, 2015. The Regional Development Council (RDC) likewise approved the study during its full council meeting in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on June 26, 2015. The MCDCB RPOD subsequently went to the 13 local government units (LGUs) in Metro Cebu and the Cebu Provincial Government, asking for support for and the adoption of the Roadmap Study. Each LGU has ARCHITECT Socorro Atega, vice chair of the Focus Area Based Committee on Environment and Public Safety, explains the topography of Metro Cebu’s major watersheds to the OECD delegation at an overlooking site in Pung-ol, Sibugay, Cebu City.
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Leadership and Citizenship
passed a resolution supporting and adopting the Roadmap Study. MCDA bill in the House Parallel to the completion of the Metro Cebu Roadmap Study is the advice from JICA for MCDCB to get a legislative fiat and institutionalize the Board. Hence, in June 2015, MCDCB Full Board meeting created a technical working group to assist the Board’s Research, Program and Organizational Development (RPOD) in formulating a policy to make MCDCB an official and legal body through a bill creating the Mega Cebu Development Authority (MCDA). The proposed law known as the Mega Cebu Development Authority Act of 2015 or House Bill 6227 will promote and accelerate the sustainable development and balanced growth of Metro Cebu. Comprising the technical working group are representatives of national government agencies, the legal offices of the Cebu Provincial
MEGA Cebu leaders converge in support of the bill filed in the House of Representatives that would create the Mega Cebu Development Authority (MCDA). Pictured are (from left) Valeriano Avila, Rep. Wilfredo Caminero (2nd district), Mayor Jonas Cortes (Mandaue City), Gov. Hilario Davide III, Mayor Teresa Alegado (Consolacion), Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia (3rd district), Roberto Aboitiz (RAFI), Rep. Raul Del Mar (Cebu City, 1st district), Rep. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing (6th district), and Rep. Benhur Salimbagon (4th district).
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and Cebu City Governments, as well as other legal experts. These members were introduced in July 2015 to the Mega Cebu Vision 2050, the Roadmap Study for Sustainable Urban Development in Metro Cebu, and other local and international models of metropolitan governance. Consultants Atty. Liza Osorio and Atty. Jose Maria Gastardo drafted the initial policy, which was reviewed by the Executive Committee and various stakeholders in a consultative meeting on Sept. 8, 2015, and the MCDCB Full Board on Sept. 16, 2015. After several revisions and inputs provided by various sectors, the policy was finally reviewed by MCDCB Chairman and Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III, co-chair for public sector Mayor Michael Rama, and co-chair for private sector Roberto E. Aboitiz. REPRESENTATIVES from JICA and delegates from the City of YOKOHAMA, JAPAN meet with the MCDCB Chair and Co-chairs to renew and strengthen the partnership for technical cooperation between Yokohama, Japan and Metro Cebu.
Legislative support The bill was then signed and filed by Cebu Reps. Raul del Mar (Cebu City 1st district), Rodrigo Abellanosa (Cebu City 2nd district), Gerald Anthony Gullas (1st district), Wilfredo Caminero (2nd district), Gwendolyn Garcia (3rd district), Benhur Salimbangon (4th district), and Gabriel Luis Quisumbing (6th district) on Oct. 9, 2015 and will be taken up after Congress resumes. Under its jurisdiction, the
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MCDA currently covers 13 LGUs. These are seven cities namely Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Danao, Talisay, City of Naga, and Carcar; and six municipalities namely Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, Cordova, Minglanilla, and San Fernando. Mega Cebu is focused on these 13 LGUs as these areas are greatly affected by major urban development issues, such as traffic, drainage and water supply, but would soon include other LGUs.
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NANAY Anita Castillon devotes her time helping the T’Boli Tribe of Lake Sebu, making sure that children go to school and adults have their means of livelihood.
Leadership and Citizenship
6th RAFI TRIENNIAL AWARDS
Leaders of Change: Showing the way
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By Elisabeth P. Baumgart
t 63, Anita “Nanay Anita” Castillon is unfazed by treacherous roads up in the mountains of Lake Sebu in South Cotabato. What worries her more are the needs of the T’Boli Tribe of Lake Sebu and how she can help them. As more outsiders are settling in the land surrounding Lake Sebu, the T’Boli tribe is forced to leave their lands and move higher into the mountains. This has taken them away from rural centers, making access to basic services and education a challenge.
“I’m more afraid and worried that the T’Boli children cannot go to school,” she said. A native of Antique, Nanay Anit rarely thinks of leaving the tribe. She only sees herself living with the T’Boli Tribe—nurturing and educating the children, and promoting the life and work of every T’Boli man and woman. Over in Maguindanao, armed Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) combatants laid down their arms during the signing of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement. In their quest
Leadership and Citizenship
for peace and development, they instead dedicated their lives toward helping rebuild communities torn apart by war. In 2000, they established the Kadtabanga Foundation for Peace and Development Advocates, Inc. (KFPDAI) with the aim of transforming conflict-affected areas into Peace and Development Communities through integrated community development approaches. “It is about changing the perspectives of the communities, that peace can be attained through helping each other,” said Hadja Giobay Diocolano, executive director of KFPDAI. ‘Kadtabanga’ in Maguindanaon means ‘helping each other.’ Instrument For their work in promoting positive change and uplifting the lives of people in their communities, Nanay Anita and KFPDAI both won in the 6th RAFI Triennial Awards (RTA). Nanay Anita was given the Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary Individual, while KFPDAI received the Eduardo Aboitiz Award for Outstanding Institution. Both were chosen from among 295 nominations from all over Visayas and Mindanao that were submitted for the 6th RTA run. After becoming a widow at 22, Nanay Anita devoted her time to raising her only daughter and to teaching.
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She later moved to Lake Sebu while working with the Sta. Cruz Mission, where she became an educator to the indigenous people of Lake Sebu. Falling in love with the T’Boli children and the tribe, she decided never to leave and instead dedicated her life to nurturing and educating the tribe. A staunch advocate of the T’Boli tribe, Nanay Anita works closely with the tribe for their brass casting and abaca planting. Nanay Anita has since set up three Indigenous Learning Schools for the T’Boli tribe. To help send the children to school, parents are required to set up their own gardens with root crops. The parents then contribute the yield from their garden to the daily feeding program of the school and for their own consumption. This new habit has since stopped the practice of neighbors stealing from another’s garden. “RAFI is the instrument (for me to continue my) passion and journey to serve the marginalized children… I want to commit myself to (the tribal children). They make me happy in my everyday life,” Nanay Anita said in her speech during the 6th RTA Awarding Ceremony on Aug. 15, 2015. Motivation For KFPDAI, their win motivates them to work hard to continue helping uplift the lives of people in their community.
ONCE a week, teachers are requiired to wear the traditional T’Boli attire to promote the tribe’s culture and heritage.
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NANAY Anita Castillon and KFPDAI Executive Director Hadja Giobay Diocolano with Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. President Roberto Aboitiz at the 6th RAFI Triennial Awards. “We are grateful for the opportunity to be an awardee. We consider it an honor to work in our respective communities, with the utmost capability of looking into the solution to the centuryold (problems on) poverty and unending conflict,” said Diocolano, herself a former MNLF combatant who was among those who surrendered arms in 1996. KFPDAI has transformed 57 former MNLF combatants into Peace and Development Advocates and established 28 Peace and Development Communities (PDCs) in Maguindanao. These PDCs are post-conflict barangays or cluster of barangays that are now peace zones with various development
interventions. Through their programs, Muslim women have taken a more active role in their communities. The communities are now also actively engaged with government through various multi-level government programs. Through its local and international partnerships, KFDAI has constructed water systems, health centers, resource centers, and classrooms in PDCs. As KFPDAI continues its work in many communities in Maguindanao, the organization
has proven that integrated development and community participation – and not armed conflict – are keys in developing thriving, peaceful communities. KFPDAI Peace and Development Advocates have become peace heroes in Mindanao. Nanay Anita and KFPDAI were two of eight grassroots heroes recognized during the 6th RAFI Triennial Awards. The other finalists recognized were Fr. Carmelo Diola and Rep. Lawrence Lemuel Fortun for the Exemplary Individual
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category; and Western Samar Development Foundation, Sibog Katawhan Alang sa Paglambo, Cantaan Centennial Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and Balay Mindanaw Foundation for the Outstanding Institution category. After months of careful screening, validation, and interviews, the finalists were selected by the 6th RTA Search THE finalists of the 6th RAFI Triennial Awards with the RAFI Board of Trustees.
Committee. It was chaired by Gina Garcia-Atienza, president of Sun. Star Management, with Fr. Dioniso M. Miranda, SVD, University of San Carlos president; Gordon Alan Joseph, Cebu Business Club president; Dr. Ma. Theresa M. Rivera, coordinator of the College of Agriculture Research and Social Outreach of Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan, and Leonilo Rivero, SOS Children’s Village Davao village director, as members.
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The RAFI Triennial Awards is the premier social development award in the Visayas and Mindanao of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. The RTA recognizes individuals and institutions who commit themselves to building a more humane, equitable and caring society. It is conferred every three years in two categories, the Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary Individual and the Eduardo Aboitiz Award for Outstanding Institution.
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2015 RAFI ANNUAL REPORT CREATE A BETTER FOUNDATION AND ENVIRONMENT TO NURTURE THE LOVE OF LEARNING
Education
IT IS in these classrooms in this Gabaldon building in Jampang, Argao where former students like Simplicia “Ma’am Simple” Camporedondo (left) and the thousands more who came after her molded their dreams of a better future.
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Preserving heritage, improving education By Rianne C. Tecson
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implicia “Ma’am Simple” Camporedondo’s education journey has come full circle, culminating at the very same place where it all began—the Gabaldon building at the Jampang Elementary School in Jampang, Argao. In 1948, shortly after the war, Ma’am Simple started primary school in Jampang, a remote upland village located some six kilometers from the main road. Her classroom then was in a two-classroom Gabaldon building constructed in 1939. When she became a teacher, Ma’am Simple found herself assigned as a teacher, by sheer coincidence, to Jampang Elementary School in 1969. She retired in 1986. It’s been 30 years since she retired, yet Ma’am Simple, now 75 years old, still occupies a room in the same building where she stayed when she was in Grades 1-4. This time, though, she stays in one of the classrooms every time she teaches catechism to children. Standing strong Built in 1939, the Gabaldon building in Jampang has stood the test of time. It has borne witness to a war, survived the fury of a deadly typhoon, and served as second home to thousands of children who went to the school to fulfill their dreams. All these left the building in a sorry state, but continued to be used by students nonetheless. Gabaldon buildings are post-American war era school buildings that were patterned after the bahay kubo and symbolized the start of formal public education system in the country. These buildings were named after lawmaker Isauro Gabaldon, whose sponsored bills paved the way for the construction of the schools. Wanting to preserve these education landmarks, a multi-sectoral collaboration was formed in 2011 to
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MA’AM Simple says she is grateful to individuals and organizations that have worked together to preserve the school building that she used to occupy when she was in her elementary years.
bring back pride and glory to the Gabaldon buildings in Cebu. Together, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), Cebu Provincial Government, League of Municipalities of the PhilippinesCebu Chapter and the Department of Education Region 7 embarked on the Gabaldon Restoration Project (GRP), a sub-component of RAFIEducation Development Unit’s School Rehabilitation Program, to make the Gabaldon buildings functional and useful again. Recognizing the value of preserving culture and heritage in the restoration process, the group also worked with the University of San Carlos-College of Architecture & Fine Arts, the Conservation and Heritage Research Institute
Workshop, and United Architects of the Philippines. Since the partnership started, a total of 23 Conservation Management Plans for Gabaldon buildings in the province have been commissioned. Of the 23, five have been implemented while eight will be carried out in 2016. What partnership brings “(Through this project,) we
hope to give the children a better learning experience. We are here to help the community get back the once-famous Gabaldon schools,” said RAFI President Roberto E. Aboitiz. Local and school officials couldn’t be more grateful for the help. Mayor Allan Adlawan of Asturias, one of the towns where the GRP was implemented, said
2015 RAFI ANNUAL REPORT
Education
the local government was very thankful because “RAFI helped us all the way.” “Restoration was very costly. There were so many things that had to be removed, so many things we didn’t know about. We had to collaborate or else this building will collapse,” he shared. Janice Michelle Domingo, principal of Sumaguan Elementary School in Argao, said that after the
Gabaldon building in their school was restored, keeping her students together was no longer a problem. “When we were still staying under the tree, it was hard to keep the students still because it was easy for them to move around and play,” she added. Back to school For Ma’am Simple, who lives right outside the school premises,
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her happiness goes beyond seeing every day the Gabaldon building already restored. “It makes me smile seeing that the children now have decent classrooms,” she said while clutching photographs of the old Gabaldon building. “I get so happy every time I see the Gabaldon building it makes me want to go back to school so I can stay in the classrooms longer.”
THE Gabaldon building of Jampang Elementary School stands to remain as a symbol of hope for these students, even as they march on to pursue their dreams.
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Van library ‘takes’ Guadalupe kids to places through books By Mary Francis V. Yap
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ids love to read. A toddler would even pretend to read upon seeing a colorful book. At times holding the book upside down, she eagerly mumbles words as if she was reading aloud. Now, imagine when she discovers to correctly say those words and actually understand what they mean? Unfortunately, not all kids who are eager to read could get hold of a book easily. Books for kids are quite pricey. A second-hand book would range from P50 to P200, while new books could go from P300 to P1,000. Given these figures, it is
understandable why access to books is hard, especially for children from poor families. Some public schools do not even have libraries and public libraries, like the one in Cebu City, are primarily tailored for research and academic studies. Luckily, one organization heeded to the call of indigent children to provide a library—even if it meant having to transform a container van into one—where every child is welcome. The Rise Above Foundation is composed of a group of child enthusiasts who started reaching
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ELISABET Hansen, project manager and co-founder of Rise Above Foundation, makes sure to devote time to read to these children, the foundation’s regular visitors.
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Education
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out by making each child in a government hospital happy through puppets and clowns. Some would bring puppets that they themselves made to cheer the child patients while others would dress as clowns. They also had feeding activities. Rise Above Foundation reached a turning point in its advocacy when they were asked by Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund Executive Committee member Robin Elizabeth Aboitiz to stage a puppet show during a gathering. Elisabet Hansen, project
manager and one of Rise Above Foundation’s founders, said the invitation opened doors for them to broaden their advocacy. Using a donated container van, Rise Above Foundation set up a library in a depressed area in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City. They thought that they simply needed to clean and decorate the van to make it attractive to kids. They sought help from the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) to provide books for the library. The van library did provide a venue for kids to read. They were
also able to readily borrow and browse through different books. They also went to the library as often as they wanted and stayed for as long as they wanted. But time came when Rise Above Foundation leaders thought the kids deserved better. They hoped for a better place for kids to explore the world through books. With the help of RAFI, a building dedicated to kids who want to read was constructed. The building, into which the van library was integrated, is now being used not only to house the books but also became a place for kids to be comfortable as they learn new things from reading. With the new building, more and more kids came flocking to the library. Rise Above arranged reading session schedules for the convenience of the kids. Smaller kids are accommodated from 10 to 11:30 a.m. while the rest can come from 1:30 to 3 or 4 to 6 p.m. This is done not only to facilitate reading sessions by age group but also to give time for Rise Above staff to process what the kids were reading. To date, more than 400 kids have had the experience of reading in a comfortable area. Rise Above also offered other alternatives for learning. A flat screen television is added for film showing. Computers are also in place for research and printing. Despite the help they are getting for the kids, Hansen said they continue to find other ways of helping the children in Barangay Guadalupe. Aside from the van library, they also offer scholarship programs and free dental services, and hold feeding programs. “We will not grow tired of helping. We believe that you never lose by giving,” Hansen said.
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JENNY Pityo, the foundation’s treasurer and project manager of its Alternative Learning System program, also acts as a puppeteer. With her is her puppet Henry. Together, they hold shows to entertain kids.
Institutional
Setting systems in place to ensure RAFI’s success By Tanya Amanda L. Flores
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new addition to the structure of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) for support is the Process and Systems Development (PSD) Team. The team was formed after the 2014 initiative led by Renoir Consulting, an external consulting group tasked to assess and improve RAFI processes and systems. It started with a pilot project of improving the management control system (MCS) and frontto-end process of the School Rehabilitation Project (SRP) of the Education Development Unit (EDU), and RAFI-Micro-finance. Two groups of task forces were created for each project stream. In the Project Management Task Force, three members were chosen from the different RAFI programs. They were Florencio Moreño (CHU), Tanya Flores (EDU) and Bonifacio Amper (IDU). Four team members
GOLDEN BUGSAI AWARD Most Efficient Team - RMF MAJOR AWARDS Movers of the Year – RMF 4DX Masters – KAC MINOR AWARDS Most Compliant - EADSC Most Engaged - RMF Most Innovative - EADSC
PSD Evaluation Tool
for RMF were chosen as well. They were Dominic Sencio, Raffy Baladjay, Myra Tapinit, Nineveh Mascariñas. Caroline Ballesteros of Mega Cebu was chosen to act as Task Force Manager. In line with the Bugsay philosophy of RAFI President Roberto Aboitiz, the task force decided to call the undertaking “Bugsai Project”, and out of the term came its vision of “Becoming Unified, Globally competitive, Service-oriented, Architects of Innovation”, its mission of “Building Unequalled Growth through Systems Advocating Integrity” and its battle cry, “Bugsai Ta Bai”. After 20 weeks of handson training and project implementation, which was highlighted by RAFI’s very first strategic integration meeting and concluded by a closing and turnover, the project management task force was then tasked to continue the legacy of process and systems development (PSD) in
other areas of RAFI. This led to the creation of the PSD team. Upon the birth of PSD, new processes and tools were introduced like action log, meeting effectiveness, daily recital, weekly team meetings, weekly planners, behavioral audit and Bugsai Awards, among others. PSD also developed the Bugsai Accreditation Levels as a strategy to encourage other teams to undergo process and systems improvement with the guidance of PSD. In addition, PSD continues to monitor team efficiency based on each team’s performance in process development, behavioral audit, 4 Disciplines of Execution, and achievement of targets. This close monitoring aims to put in place a culture of awareness and continuously strive for improvement. Now on its second year, the PSD team continues to move the organization to paddle hard in the same direction to continuously look for opportunities to improve.
Institutional
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THE EADSC team receives their award for being the Most Compliant and Most Innovative Team (top photo). RAFI-Kool Adventure Camp team members, meanwhile, flash their ecstatic smiles after winning the 4DX Masters award (middle photo). At left, RAFI Micro-finance team leaders, together with RAFI Chief Operating Officer Dominica B. Chua, proudly pose with their awards for being the Movers of the Year and Most Efficient Team.
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2015 RAFI ANNUAL REPORT
Board of Trustees
Mikel A. Aboitiz, treasurer; Roberto E. Aboitiz, president; Amaya Cristina Aboitiz-Fansler, member; Jon Ramon Aboitiz, vice president; Romy S. Ronquillo, member; Atty. Manuel S. Go, secretary; Fr. Ernesto O. Javier, S.J., member
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Executive Committee
Ma. Cristina C. Aboitiz, chairperson Mikel A. Aboitiz, member Dominica B. Chua, member
Ma. Cristina C. Aboitiz, chairperson Ma. del Rosario V. Aboitiz, member Dominica B. Chua, member Robin Elizabeth T. Aboitiz, member
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DACF Executive Committee
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Management Committee Program Teams *with their beneficiaries
(Front row, from left) Ernesto Alix, Education Development Unit executive director; Ma. Theresa Catipay, RAFI Micro-finance executive director; Marie Sol Gonzalvo, Kool Adventure Camp camp director; Ma. Iris Andrino, Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund executive director (Back row, from left) Ronald delos Reyes, Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center program coordinator; Evelyn Nacario-Castro, Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center executive director; Dominica B. Chua, chief operating officer; Anthony Dignadice, Integrated Development Unit executive director; Dr. Jocelyn Gerra, Culture and Heritage Unit executive director
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Management Committee Support Teams (From left) Edwin Marfil, IT Manager; Leilah King, HR Manager; Mary Grace Belmonte, Finance and Administration Manager; Rianne Tecson, Communications Head; Caroline Ballesteros, VP-Corporate Services; Eurel Regulacion, Facilities, Safety and Security Manager; (Seated) Chief Operating Officer Dominica B. Chua
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Integrated Development Unit
Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center
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RAFI Micro-finance
Culture and Heritage Unit
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Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center
Kool Adventure Camp
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Education Development Unit
Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund
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Reputation Management
Process and Systems Development; Facilities, Safety and Security; Risk Management
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Information Technology
Human Resource, Office of the COO and Office of the President
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Finance and Administration
Audit
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Architects of Change in Action
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Financial Report
Financial Report
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Financial Report
Financial Report
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EXHIBIT "A" RAMON ABOITIZ FOUNDATION, INC. (A Non-Stock, Non-Profit Organization) STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION December 31, 2015 and 2014 (Amounts Expressed in Whole Philippine Pesos)
Note
2015
2014
P422,116,605 29,382,782 603,613
P425,437,154 44,478,443 793,106
452,103,000
470,708,703
26,750,044,646 444,973,653 162,052,216 7,750,360
24,752,799,182 449,612,911 171,402,318 2,722,455
27,364,820,875
25,376,536,866
P27,816,923,875
P25,847,245,569
P22,847,756 165,898,940
P29,605,484 176,577,942
188,746,696
206,183,426
51,707,241
37,489,760
240,453,937
243,673,186
27,576,469,938
25,603,572,383
P27,816,923,875 -
P25,847,245,569 -
27,363,596,249 188,746,696 584,168,821 (181,662,668) 3,171,492,201
25,394,117,097 206,183,426 596,839,472 (181,763,968) 3,335,516,984
ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents Accounts receivable Prepaid expenses
3 4
Total Current Assets NON-CURRENT ASSETS Available for sale investments Property and equipment - net Trust funds Other assets
5 6 7 and 10 8
Total Non-Current Assets TOTAL ASSETS
LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCE CURRENT LIABILITIES Accounts payable Deferred credits
9 10
Total Current Liabilities NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES Accrued retirement payable TOTAL LIABILITIES FUND BALANCE (Exhibit "D") TOTAL LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCE
19
(See accompanying notes to financial statements) financial assets financial liabilities cash and cash equivalents and trust funds net debt Equity and net debt
67
68
Financial Report
2015 RAFI ANNUAL REPORT
EXHIBIT "B" RAMON ABOITIZ FOUNDATION, INC. (A Non-Stock, Non-Profit Organization) STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS For the Years Ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 (Amounts Expressed in Whole Philippine Pesos)
Note SUPPORTS AND OTHER GAINS Dividend income Counterparty contribution Donation and contribution Interest income Grants and sub-grants Other income
EXPENSES Project utilization General and administrative Grant and sub-grants expenditures
5 13 and 15 12 3 11 14
15 16 11
EXCESS (DEFICIT) OF SUPPORTS AND OTHER GAINS OVER EXPENSES
2015
2014
P488,673,969 212,980,509 37,658,002 14,985,985 1,328,900 3,475,089
P785,362,349 187,369,172 129,844,762 30,855,669 1,328,900 3,292,402
759,102,454
1,138,053,254
893,667,357 28,232,280 1,328,900
806,330,804 24,384,273 1,328,900
923,228,537
832,043,977
(P164,126,083)
P306,009,277
(See accompanying notes to financial statements)
EXHIBIT "C" RAMON ABOITIZ FOUNDATION, INC. (A Non-Stock, Non-Profit Organization) STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME For the Years Ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 (Amounts Expressed in Whole Philippine Pesos)
Note EXCESS (DEFICIT) OF SUPPORTS AND OTHER GAINS OVER EXPENSES OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) Items subsequently reclassified to profit or loss Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value changes of AFS investments Items not subsequently reclassified to profit or loss Actuarial loss on accrued retirement payable TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) FOR THE YEAR
(See accompanying notes to financial statements)
5
19
2015
2014
(P164,126,083)
P306,009,277
2,142,310,375
(859,321,204)
(5,286,737)
(7,901,819)
P1,972,897,555
(P561,213,746)
Financial Report
69
2015 RAFI ANNUAL REPORT
EXHIBIT "E" RAMON ABOITIZ FOUNDATION, INC. (A Non-Stock, Non-Profit Organization) STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS For the Years Ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 (Amounts Expressed in Whole Philippine Pesos)
2015
2014
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Cash receipts from donors and counterparts
P255,430,274
P321,836,851
Cash paid for projects, and to suppliers and employees
(836,720,775)
(844,202,896)
Cash used for operations Income tax paid Contribution to retirement fund
(581,290,501) (41,991) (500,000)
(522,366,045) (3,000,000)
Net cash used in operating activities
(581,832,492)
(525,366,045)
488,673,969 (70,225,148) 14,985,985 145,064,911
785,362,349 (50,902,850) 30,855,669 (1,181,156,360) -
578,499,717
(415,841,192)
-
-
(3,332,775)
(941,207,237)
12,226
(1,615)
425,437,154
1,366,646,006
P422,116,605 422,116,605 -
P425,437,154 425,437,154 -
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES Cash dividends received Acquisition of property and equipment Interest received Additions to AFS investments Proceeds from sale of AFS investments Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES NET DECREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS BALANCE AT BEGINNING OF YEAR CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS BALANCE AT END OF YEAR
(See accompanying notes to financial statements)
Financial Report
2015 RAFI ANNUAL REPORT 70
RAMON ABOITIZ FOUNDATION, INC. (A Non-Stock, Non-Profit Organization) STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE For the Years Ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 (Amounts Expressed in Whole Philippine Pesos)
Balance, January 1, 2014 Excess of supports and other gains over expenses Changes in fair value of AFS investments Actuarial loss on accrued retirement payable Balance, January 1, 2015 Excess of expenses over supports and other gains Changes in fair value of AFS investments Actuarial loss on accrued retirement payable Balance, December 31, 2015
(See accompanying notes to financial statements)
2,142,310,375 -
22,117,286,572
(859,321,204) -
P22,976,607,776
Revaluation Reserve on Fair Value Changes of AFS Investments (Note 5)
(P36,281,878)
(5,286,737)
(30,995,141)
(7,901,819)
(P23,093,322)
Cumulative Actuarial Loss on Accrued Retirement Payable (Note 19)
P3,353,154,869
(164,126,083) -
3,517,280,952
306,009,277 -
P3,211,271,675
Cumulative Excess of Supports of Supports and Other Gains over Expenses
P27,576,469,938 27,576,469,938
(164,126,083) 2,142,310,375 (5,286,737)
25,603,572,383
306,009,277 (859,321,204) (7,901,819)
P26,164,786,129
Total Fund Balance
EXHIBIT "D"
P24,259,596,947
Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. BRAND ATTRIBUTES Collaborative — adhering to an inclusive process as a venue for sharing knowledge to gather the best resources, and providing opportunities to establish partnerships. Holistic — conceptualizing programs that look into multi-issues and draw comprehensive solutions, according to the Foundation’s and the partners’ resources, with the end of empowering people. Role Model — leading communities to sustained change and results by utilizing best practices at the same time exploring innovative solutions, and setting an example to other development partners by promoting their work and causes.
Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. 35 Lopez Jaena Street Cebu City 6000 Philippines
Tel Nos. (+63 32) 411-1700 (Globe) (+63 32) 343-1700 (PLDT) Fax Nos: (+63 32) 411-1790 to 92 (Globe) (+63 32) 343-1790 to 92 (PLDT) www.rafi.org.ph facebook.com/rafi.org.ph Twitter: @rafiorgph