Chikka bringing Filipinos together for peace through art

MANILA, Philippines - Web-to-mobile communications pioneer Chikka Philippines lends its voice in promoting peace for the first-ever “Project EDSA: Lakbay para sa KapaYapaAn sa EDSA,” an event that aims to spread the message of peace among Filipinos through art.

The company joins thousands of peace advocates and volunteers in the call to participate in the making of what could be the longest peace mural in the world. Project EDSA will feature around four kilometers of colorful paintings along the country’s busiest thoroughfare, each depicting scenarios of harmony, camaraderie and, most of all, positive Filipino values.

“We are honored and thrilled to be part of Project EDSA. The advocacy also brings us back to our own mission as a company; and that is to unite Filipinos wherever they may be,” says Junie Agcaoili, corporate communications head of Chikka Philippines.

Apart from the goal of setting a world feat, Project EDSA seeks to encourage Filipinos from all walks of life to cultivate the practice of bayanihan to achieve peace and to nurture development in the country. 

Organizers of the event, spearheaded by the Asia America Initiative (AAI), a non-profit charitable and educational organization, in partnership with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and iVolunteer Philippines, are now preparing for the grand completion of the project today.

“We believe that every Filipino should partake in helping build a culture of peace in the country and we have been very happy with the positive turnout as more and more people are trying to show their support by volunteering their skills and time to Project EDSA,” says Ralph Samson, program associate of AAI and head organizer for the Lakbay sa KapaYapaAn project.

To share the excitement, Chikka is extending the invitation to its millions of users to jump in on the fun and volunteer to paint for peace.

“Chikka has always been a believer of the creativity and talent of Filipinos and now is the perfect opportunity to set aside our differences, showcase that talent and work together for peace,” Agcaoili adds.

With billions of messages exchanged between online and mobile communities since 2001, Chikka’s flagship Chikka Text Messenger is probably the world’s first commercially successful integration of web and mobile utilities.

The company has since evolved into an incubator for new technologies and innovation, producing telco-grade platforms and real value-added services for the new digital and mobile generation.

Chikka’s mission, first stated in 2000, is “to bring together communities, heretofore separated by geographical barriers and differences in technology.”

Chikka is a subsidiary of Smart Communications.