Tzu Chi Foundation and Private Companies Pool Resources to Help in Typhoon Odette Efforts

Tsu Chi Foundation Philippines have already done a lot in the past. Master Cheng Yen founded it in 1996 to inspire people, to put compassion into action. They initially had 30 housewives saving 2 cents from their groceries, but now has a seat in the UN. Tsu Chi reached the Philippines in 1994, and now has volunteers in different areas in the country. Tsu Chi and Master Chung Yen has had the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Presidential Award -Kaanib ng Bayan and more. For now they are doing charity efforts, to provide medical assistance, disaster relief, educational program, livelihood and vocational training. They have worked previously in the restoration of a Tacloban Church, Typhoon Yolanda work and response. 

This year, Typhoon Odette Ravaged the country, making 9 landfalls in Visayas and Mindanao, taking out electricity, water supple, and now they're working with people on ground in Cebu, Bohol and Leyte and with the government units so they could help where there are most affected. This involves isolated towns, coastal ones, where thousands of people are in dire need. Children, mothers, people are going out on streets to beg for food, shelter, so they could survive. They now live in tents and makeshift shelters in the same area where the typhoon hit them as well. Cebu, Ormoc and Palo Leyte Volunteers are serving hot meals and water, Manila is also sending help including blankets, water supply, gen sets. Tzu Chi are calling for donations of water, food and funds. They need construction materials, GI sheets, nails, to protect them from the weather. They are also in need of communications, logistics and support. 

Digital Pilipinas convenor and Geiser Maclang Founder Amor Maclang says "Thank you for all those who came this morning, we all were caught off guard with what happened with Typhoon Odette. One of the reasons of why we're asking for your help to support Tsu Chi Foundation. A few years ago, we were invited to Taiwan wherein I had the pleasure of meeting the founder. A lot of our advocacy areas are in Bicol, Leyte, CAR, and Zamboanga. Digital Pilipinas is working with Tsu Chi Foundation to help scale harness technology, help them move money, to bring help where it's needed the most. They are very transparent. We need leader volunteers for education, environment, and work with the CSR arm of Globe, fintech and payments, beyond just making a donation through digital wallets, repurposing donated electrical appliances and sell them to put profits in Tsu Chi and help people. We need help in logistics, the devastation is massive. We will be calling for meetings, to update you of what's happening on ground. You will hear how you can best help in this crisis. We will have January 2 and 3 some rice donations, we need volunteers to arrange that, work together. Thank you to our friends from the private industry who are here, I wish everyone, the rest of our country have a better Christmas."



If you would like to help, donations can be course through these channels:

Yoly Crisanto of Globe CSR says "This is a test for resiliency, and we need to make things better. Communication is key. The challenge is to respond and build things better next time. When Ondoy struck, Marikina valley was under water, we had to build towers higher after that. We need our cell sites to withstand even greater winds than ever before. We build cell sites that can do that, to hopefully invest and pour out more, and there's no donor fatigue in the country. We should never be in this position again, we need to have more resilient measures. We will be there to help, we need to put together our resources, to help coastal communities, to battle the pandemic and climate change. There is a challenge for everyone, and hopefully we can build on our network. The government is very open, the NDRMMC, the LGU's, Siargao, Cebu, Davao, we need to have a concerted efforts, not just work after the Typhoon and say it's done. Let us understand that we need to put new antennas when the roads are blocked, it's hard to work in disaster response. The power lines are down, you can only repair if there is power. That's the reality on ground and it's a concerted effort. We are doing everything we can right now, every single minute counts before, after disaster happens. It's not easy. I'm appealing to everyone to hopefully get back and be connected again after that strong typhoon."

Tsu Chi Foundation has been doing in environmental protection, we have done it in Taiwan. It's something we can replicate in the Philippines, to make sure we don't experience these climate change caused disasters.

Nauman Mustafa of Coins.ph says "I've experienced the Typhoon while I was in the BPO sector at that time. People have come together and there are many companies who want to do this. We decided to put our own business partners to have their proceeds be given to those who need it most. I am a firm believer that we should help others. We are here to support Tsu Chi, we'll ask our partners to also support the foundation in our capacity. We just have to take this challenge an fight with it."

There were tons more from the private sector, it was really nice to see them connecting and trying to help in their way, so please help if you can in your own capacity.

"When the poor cannot come out, the blessed ones should go in and help." -Master Yeng Chen

What Does It Take to Have a #WorldWithoutWaste?

A couple years ago, Coca Cola launched a global campaign with a very bold and ambitious goal. The aim was to collect and recycle a bottle or can of what the company sells by 2030. Year after year, they stepped up, become successful, and that also included the Philippines. Their movement in the country has spawned different models including this NGO called Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. (AIDFI). A component of what they did in 2019 called Blastik made use of recycling centers that is funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation. In it, they learned to spread awareness about environmental efforts, earn and provide for themselves, and recycle a lot of plastic. As you may know, a lot of companies make products with packaging and these efforts would hopefully make a dent on that challenge. Coca-Cola currently is recycling over 93% of their waste in bottling plants and now utilize plant based renewable material called PlantBottle.

Blastik's success as a pilot project continued in a partnership wtih PeacePond Farmers Organization based in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental. Farmers from this organization have empowered their community and provided environmental education so they would learn waste segregation, recycling and putting up livelihood projects via workshops, webinars which they host in a regular basis. The Blastik Project taught them how collecting, recycling used and clean plastic bottles would be beneficial and create opportunities for townsfolk so they could earn from re-using plastics in projects, so they could feed their families. Beneficiary Jo Guanco (who's a 53yo farmer from the same place) says "The Blastic Project showed us how important it is to teach our neighbors about segregation and recycling. We are also working with other communities these days so they too can coordinate and schedule collection of plastic bottles in towns, nearby areas and offices, of which some personally call us so we could collect it for them. We continue to be Blastic Eco Rangers til now."

The movement has gone to other communities like Bakyas Community in Oringao, Kabankalan Negros Occidental, Elite Ads Corp in Paranaque City, and Elite Ads Corporation in Carmona Cavite. They also have active partnerships with Seda Hotel in Bacolod City plus Southland College in Kabankalan also. During the pandemic, they continue to process almost 17 tons worth more or less of mixed bottles, bottle caps, plastic sachets and labels too. As of now, Coca-Cola Foundation is supporting over 40 zero waste communities around the countries, and are continuing to grow more in the next few months. Ms. Cecile Alcantara puts this as Blastik's initial success, and says "we are really happy and excited about it."

If you want to know more about their initiatives, just head on to coca-colacompany.com/reports/business-environmental-scoal-governance-report-2020 or their social channels and be part of that change, make the #WorldWithoutWaste possible today! 

REEF Holds "Free The Sea Movement 2" in Baler

I missed this event because of my Dad's birthday but that doesn't mean I shouldn't tell you about it. You see, our friends from surf and lifestyle brand REEF just held "Free The Sea Movement 2" last September 29 to October 1 in Baler to promote responsible tourism and environmental conservation in the Philippines. The majestic seascapes in Aurora proved to be an unbelievable backdrop for this cause which they've done with WWF Philippines, I was envious of them because they cleaned up Sabang Beach while my fellow bloggers and volunteers were there.

This campaign has been in line with Reef's "We Heart" campaign as part of their global outreach efforts. Through this, they want to educate travelers and leave a positive impact for all the communities they visit. According to the Marketing Head for Reef Marnelli Gaerlan, they also want to make sure people see how to work together and maintain the adept ecological conditions of it so it could be enjoyed by future generations. A noble cause. 

During the 3 day event, they also got to enjoy a few surfing lessons at the Nalu Surf Camp and later on have a wonderful time with Soundcloud Philippines' Ann Clerigo and indie musicians Banna Harbera. They also had an afterparty with Eazyhead, DJ Doms Badwolf and DJ CC. They also had a beginner surfer competition, and announced Reef's donation to WWF so they can further push for the organization's environmental programs.

I bet it will be a bigger one next year, congratulations REEF! Thank you for doing this gig together with WWF. Your care for nature is evident, I hope this means bigger and better waves for you, and pristine beaches for Filipinos and the citizens of the world! To know more about the cause and the brand, please visit https://www.reef.com/ and WWF's Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/WWF.Philippines.

P.S. I look cute with this cap, thanks for this!