Subic

I got this from today's issue of The Philippine Star:

Trump, 2 partners to invest over $1B in Subic
By Ma. Elisa P. Osorio
Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Three international real estate firms, including the Trump Organization of real estate mogul Donald Trump, announced yesterday they will invest more than $1 billion in the country for the development of a high-end leisure facility in Subic.

The Trump Organization, which is the primary company of Trump, oversees nearly all of the business development interests of the real estate mogul- such as real estate, hotels, golf clubs, etc. (but excluding the casinos).

The Trump Organization signed a memorandum of agreement with two of its partners, Korean firm Heung-A Property Group (HAPG) and Westgate Resorts Asia Ltd., for the construction of an integrated leisure, sports and entertainment facility.

“Our initial foray in the Subic Freeport zone signals the extreme confidence of various highly funded multinationals with respect to both the near and long- term economic and investment prospects in the Philippines,” Seung Guk Yang, chairman of Subic Neocove Corp. said.
Neocove is a wholly owned subsidiary of HAPG, formed to oversee and manage the project while the Trump Organization will be the lead and master developer of the Subic project.

The billion dollar investment will be built in 457 hectare beachfront facility in Subic. The master plan includes several hotels, residential villas, retail shops, casinos, educational and medical facilities, a convention center, a water park and a spa anchored on a 54-hole golf course.

The entire project will be done in three stages.
The first stage is expected to start in the first quarter of 2009. First to be constructed are the golf course and infrastructure projects like roads. Neocove said they will be spending $250 million for this and will be completed by 2011.
Also expected to be competed first are the basic accommodations like the hotels, the school and the convention center.

The second phase will cost $500 million. The whole project will take 10 years to complete. Youn Jae Lee, chairman of HAPG said the slowdown in the world economy will have no impact on their plan because not only are they adequately capitalized, their target market are high end clients.

The target, he said, are long staying and community tenants mostly coming from the US and Korea. “We hope to maximize the long-term opportunities provided by the various growth areas in this region tapping the future growth of lifestyle, health and real estate investment spending,” Lee added.


My reaction to this is that it's nice that there are still people, let alone a real estate mogul named Donald Trump, who are willing to invest in the Philippines. This also shows a good sign that the Philippines is on the right track on being a "respectable" country and that the we are on our way up as contrary to popular belief that we are spiraling down further. My only concern here is that I hope that they still won't forget their responsibilities and obligations involved, whether it may arise during or after the project.

PACOLI J.

doing our part

“Don’t ask what the government can do for you; ask what you can do for the government.” The words of the great JFK John F. Kennedy himself, it really has impacted a lot of Americans during his time. Hopefully it can also reach all of us Filipinos. The problem with us is that we want everything instant. Instant solutions, instant relief, instant everything, and if we don’t get what we want, we blame it all on the government for their deficiencies and start handing out complaints, instead of just doing their jobs. Sometimes I just wish that I can tell the people that complain to be and the leaders’ shoes and tell them when they say they want out, “I told you so.” I’m not saying that I’m a pro-administration person, I know they really have to clean out some of the mess they did, what I’m saying is that the people should just do their jobs and don’t add to the burden of our leaders. Because in reality, there isn’t anything instant. Our problems here can’t be worked out overnight. We all have our responsibilities to help our country. We need to do our part too. We just can’t rely on our leaders to provide the solution. We need to help them. Don’t be part of the pollution, be part of the solution.

PACOLI, J.

"positive" social rsponsibility

“Positive” social responsibility. In my previous post, I discussed about the negative side, now it’s about the positive one. It is a responsibility that’s an obligation. It arises when some of the entities’ rights have been violated thus an obligation arises to make up for it. It is largely associated with the big companies who expand a lot. They usually build structures that invade into the nature which drives environmentalists nuts. The responsibility of the companies is to make sure that the “nature” will still be there so that everyone’s happy. Another example is that it is a company’s responsibility to give back to society after society has given to them what they want. Popular examples are McDonald’s participation in the Gawad Kalinga, Shell planting trees, and Nescafe’s current projects which are seen on TV commercials.

This is also another way of companies to look good to the public, or in other words, to keep looking good. When people see that they support these projects, they will think that they’re a good company so they’ll buy more products from them.

PACOLI, J.

helping others....

It is very easy for us to fall into the trap of thinking that we must think of what is best for “me”…when in reality what is good for “me” can also be good for someone else…. both purposes can co-exist together. I think most of us in our hearts want to be good…but because of the past or certain experiences we’ve been subjected to in life we tend to get sidetracked and forget in some ways how to be good or look upon goodness as some form of weakness. For me, with the problems that I face I find that each week I have to keep re-learning certain good habits and disregarding the bad ones. What scares me is how easy it is to forget to be kind. With all we deal with we get so caught up in our own lives that we start to forget the things that matter to us the most. I have started each day to try to think of something that I can do to touch someone in a positive light. It could be a smile, or a thoughtful comment, but at the end of the day it does give you a good feeling inside. Yes some people won’t appreciate it….but most will.

Corporations today

Corporations today in our country like HSBC, Smart, Globe, Ayala, Coke and other profit organizations are jumping into the wagon of corporate social responsibility. It has been a big effect. The companies today are now helping their consumers in many ways. Like they are giving back what they have earned. The concept of karma can be applied in these kind of situation. As it is stated in the golden rule “Do not do unto others as you would expect they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same “. This is being applied by the companies today. They are now helping the poor and needy, They have earned a big profit from their consumers. This is just one way to giving them back what they have earned. This is way is through corporate social responsibility.

CSR

Corporate social responsibility is a concept whereby organizations consider the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, communities and other stakeholders, as well as the environment. This obligation is seen to extend beyond the statutory obligation to comply with legislation and sees organizations voluntarily taking further steps to improve the quality of life for employees and their families as well as for the local community and society at large.

There is a tendency for the companies to take a paternalistic view of their role in society, or be reactive to the inequality and poverty around them. Some have been made their community involvement more strategic, however. For example, a logistics company is involved in teaching school kids how to cross the street (because street accidents were hampering their delivery services), while a car manufacturer has engaged college students in road safety planning (because they want to be known not just for selling cars but as advocates of responsible driving too). The company funded the students’ implementation of a plan to redesign the traffic scheme in the school’s vicinity and was taught road safety skills.

Studies have shown that CSR proponents in companies, which have recently joined the bandwagon, are looking outward, rather than inward (how they do business), when they design their CSR agenda. The impulse is to look for target beneficiaries who have no direct impact on how their products are manufactured, sourced, or delivered, or who are investing and managing the company. CSR to them is still largely equated to community philanthropy.


Corporate Social Responsibility in ASEAN. Presented by Dr. Filemon A. Uriarte, Jr.

UNICEF

UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential.

UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children.

UNICEF insists that the survival, protection and development of children are universal development imperatives that are integral to human progress.

UNICEF mobilizes political will and material resources to help countries, particularly developing countries, ensure a "first call for children" and to build their capacity to form appropriate policies and deliver services for children and their families.

UNICEF is committed to ensuring special protection for the most disadvantaged children - victims of war, disasters, extreme poverty, all forms of violence and exploitation and those with disabilities.

UNICEF responds in emergencies to protect the rights of children. In coordination with United Nations partners and humanitarian agencies,

UNICEF makes its unique facilities for rapid response available to its partners to relieve the suffering of children and those who provide their care.

UNICEF is non-partisan and its cooperation is free of discrimination. In everything it does, the most disadvantaged children and the countries in greatest need have priority.

UNICEF aims, through its country programmes, to promote the equal rights of women and girls and to support their full participation in the political, social, and economic development of their communities.

UNICEF works with all its partners towards the attainment of the sustainable human development goals adopted by the world community and the realization of the vision of peace and social progress enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.

The NBA Cares Commitment

BA Cares is the league's social responsibility initiative that builds on the NBA's long tradition of addressing important social issues in the United States and around the world. Through this umbrella program, the NBA, its teams and players have committed to donating $100 million to charity, providing a million hours of hands on service to the community and creating 250 places where kids and families can live, learn or play.

Since October 2005 through NBA Cares, the league, players and teams have raised more than $88 million for charity, donated more than 660,000 hours of hands-on volunteer service to communities worldwide, and built more than 310 places where kids and families can live, learn or play.

The NBA is dedicated to demonstrating leadership in social responsibility, using the popularity and visibility of its teams, players and the league to effect positive change around the world. NBA teams and players understand the responsibility they have to giving back to the communities that support them, and they do so through a diverse array of outreach programs and events. The larger NBA Family (including current and former players and coaches, parents, wives, referees, and league and team employees) is committed to giving back, motivated by the unique opportunity to make a profound difference.

NBA Cares works with internationally-recognized, youth-serving organizations that are geared toward these key social issues:

1. Education
2. Youth and Family Development
3. Health-Related Causes

Starbucks Social Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility

Giving back to communities and the environment. Treating people with respect and dignity. Serving the world’s best coffee. Every day, we demonstrate our beliefs in the guiding principles of our mission statement in the way we do business.

In fact, corporate social responsibility at Starbucks runs deeply throughout our company. Here are some of the commitments they've made to do business in a socially responsible manner.

Helping protect the Environment

By taking steps to reduce waste from our operations and recycle, we can preserve the earth’s natural resources and enhance the quality of lives around the globe. Starbucks actively seeks opportunities to minimise our environmental impact. Starbucks in your Community The local Starbucks coffeehouse has become a central part of many neighbourhoods by serving as a place for people to gather, talk and share. But Starbucks believes it can contribute even more to local communities, by encouraging our partners to become responsible neighbours and active participants in the places where they live, work and play. It is an important part of our company’s culture and values.

Commitment to Partners

More than 5,000 people work for Starbucks in the UK, (over 100,000 people world-wide) and these people – whom we call “partners” – have been instrumental in our success. And because we owe so much of our success to their passion and dedication, we make it a priority to show how much we appreciate, value and respect them. In fact, the first two guiding principles in our Mission Statement speak to our commitment to partners. Provide a great work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity. Embrace diversity as an essential component of the way we do business.

Fuel Responsibility

PETRON FOUNDATION. Corporate citizenship and social responsibility are values firmly held in Petron Corporation. This is highlighted in the company’s corporate mission: caring for the community and the environment. In pursuit of this mandate, Petron Foundation implements programs to secure the future of the Filipino children and fuel their hopes through corporate social responsibility endeavors in the areas of education, environment, health & human services and advocacy.

Fuel HOPE. Petron’s CSR programs are under the umbrella program called Project H.O.P.E. - Helping Filipinos Overcome Poverty through Education. It is focused on providing a specialized learning program for the underserved children and youth. For the children, the focus will be on sending elementary-aged kids from Grades 1 to 6, keep them there, keep them well, and make sure that they learn. Support programs for the scholars’ parents are also provided. Parallel to this is the building of Petron Schools in areas where the need for a venue for education is greatest. The program for the youth, on the other hand, will be focused on promoting entrepreneurship among the youth by undertaking, creating, coordinating and acting as catalyst in entrepreneurship education and development, with the end-goal of making them creators of wealth.

Programs. Petron also undertakes other initiatives on the environment, health and human services, and advocacy. The Bataan Integrated Coastal Management Program, a comprehensive and long-term program with Petron, through the Foundation, is a prime mover. It seeks to manage the coastal and marine resources of the province and, in the long term, help rehabilitate the Manila Bay.

These are the short-term projects initiated by line and undertaken in partnership with the community & business partners. Included in this category are regular medical missions, tree planting/reforestation, coastal clean ups and motorist assistance and air traffic programs (in partnership with the Marketing Division).

Advocacy campaigns, which are deemed essential to promote public awareness, include active participation in the Corporate Social Responsibility Week, engaging the children of Petron employees through a Summer Camp, staging an annual Christmas program for our scholars and other indigent children and other related activities.

Much of the success of every social development program where Petron is involved comes from an active involvement in organizations that foster CSR, such as the League of Corporate Foundations and the Philippine Business for Social Progress. It likewise counts on strategic partnerships with government institutions, business community, international agencies and civil society groups, as well as from its employees, who regularly engage their time and talents to help make a difference in the lives of others.

source: http://www.petron.com/socres.asp

"negative" social responsibility

"Negative" social responsibility. As what I have said in the pervious post, it is responsibility by not doing things that will be harmful to someone or something. It can also be a responsibility arising from a disaster that could have been avoided if the proper procedures were done. Almost all examples of this type of resposibility are associated with corporations. It can create a positive impact or a negative impact, or even both, to a corporation.

One example was with Johnson & Johnson. They had an incident in which it was reported that there were Tylenol bottles that had cyanide in it. Upon knowing that, they immediately recalled all those bottles and had to make a new design to make them tamper-resistant. They had to lose money to be socially responsible. Even though that had to happen, they are now recognized as one of the most trusted brands in the world because they care more about their customers than their pockets. The exact opposite scenario happened when Union Carbide made the news on the infamous Bhopal Disaster in India on 1984 where tons of methyl isocyanate were accidentally released into the atmosphere which caused plenty of deaths and a big rise on cancer and various other diseases in the area. Instead of being responsible for their mistakes, they even hid the true amount of contamination on the area and claimed that they cleaned out the area even though there are still traces left. As a result, the company received plenty of criticisms. The more popular example is the melamin scandal of China. Not only did it affect China, but it also affected plenty of countries around the world. Right now it's not only their milk products, but there's also danger that it could be passed on to their meat products because reports say that there are also traces of melamin on the feeds that they produce.

In my mind, all this incidents taught lessons to the companies the hard way. But it's the way they handled the situations that makes it worthwhile. As for China, (sorry for those Chinese people. don't worry I'm not hating on the Chinese) their "cheap" tactics are now getting exposed. I've always known that products made in China are somewhat "flawed," but I didn't imagine that it would go to this magnitude before they come to their senses and clean up their act.

PACOLI, J.

Beauties for A Cause

Miss Earth, one of the three largest beauty pageants held annually, was mainly organized to promote environmental awareness. From 2001 up to the current year, 2008, the pageant has been held in the Philippines. In the year 2003, Miss Earth adopted created the slogan "Beauties for A Cause."In 2004, Miss Earth Foundation was made to further enhance and promote environmental causes.
The pageant is looking mainly for women who are ready to stand up for environmental protection and preservation. The candidates are toured to different places in the country and engaged in activities like tree planting ceremonies, environmental and cultural immersion programs and sponsor visits. The finalists are asked one environmental question, an assessment necessary to be able to come up with the final decision on who will be crowned as Miss Earth. The winner is then expected to get involved in international environmental activities. She becomes the spokesperson for Miss Earth Foundation, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and other environmental organizations. But in case the winner cannot live up to these responsibilities, the 1st runner-up will assume the title. The projects and activities of the candidates are shown in advertisements like tv commercials all throughout the pageant time so that people can see and get inspired by what the candidates are doing.

by: Fadul, Anthea