MANILA, Philippines - Berjaya Philippines helped bring quality learning closer to the underprivileged when it unveiled the Berjaya Culinary Arts Garden during the 10th anniversary of Gawad Kalinga held at the GK Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan.
Envisioned as one of the vital cornerstones of learning inside the GK Enchanted Farm — touted as the first farm village university in Asia — the Berjaya Culinary Arts Garden is a 30-hectare training facility that supports the farm’s dynamic role as incubator-hub for the country’s growing social entrepreneurship.
Serving as the primary food center of the GK Enchanted Farm, which provides livelihood to 200,000 partners, the Berjaya-sponsored facility also serves as a school-within-community for students and social entrepreneurs where they can develop their skills and products. Besides a sizable demo kitchen and service area where guests can eat organically-grown healthy meals prepared by its upcoming culinary arts students, the facility also has its own adjoining herb garden. It also looks up to the preservation of its surrounding environs with its ingenious Biomimicry design, allowing it to tap solar energy through solar panels and rain water harvester roofs.
Besides building houses for the poor, the company provides training and livelihood opportunities for the GK residents.
The groundbreaking was attended by Vice President and Housing chief Jejomar Binay, along with GK founder Tony Meloto and executive director Luis Oquinena, local government officials of Bulacan, and Berjaya Group officials led by Berjaya Group country head Paul Soo, director Tan Eng Hwa and Friendster CEO Iannis Hanen, CEO.