Who cares? Robinsons' iCare does!

MANILA, Philippines -  “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” philosopher Confucius once said. In the same manner, big goals are eventually achieved by taking the initial small first steps. Fourteen years after its launch, The Gift of Change: iCare program of Robinsons Malls has made significant inroads towards improving communities and people’s lives.

In 1997, The Gift of Change project was initiated as part of Robinsons Malls’ corporate social responsibility program. Geared towards helping sustainability projects benefiting underprivileged Filipinos, the program involved seven malls in Metro Manila and Rizal province. These included Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Place Manila, Robinsons Otis, Forum Robinsons,

The concept was simple: Coin banks were placed in the malls so that shoppers could donate their loose change. After a specified campaign period, all the donations were turned over to specific beneficiaries. In the past, these beneficiaries were the Edsa Shrine, Caritas Manila, and Makabata Foundation. 

For the last eight years, however, The Gift of Change has been helping the Jaime Cardinal Sin (JCS) Village in Punta, Sta. Ana, Manila. The village, under the Serviam Foundation, Inc., is administered by Fr. Mark C. Munda and has been transformed into a model community. Throughout the years, The Gift of Change: iCare has helped the Jaime Cardinal Sin Village build a beautiful church that serves the entire Punta, Sta. Ana area; a Montessori-type school offering tuition-free nursery to second year high school students; and seven tenement buildings housing over 900 families.

Lending a hand: The Gift of Change is partnering with Handyman-Do-It-Best Center to provide materials for use in the Jaime Cardinal Sin community. Workshops will also be held to provide liveli-hood training for community members.

The assistance is not limited to infrastructure projects alone. The Gift of Change: iCare has also helped encourage and support thriving community-run and personal businesses, and has supported the building of facilities to further improve the living conditions of community members. Conveniences at the village now include a pharmacy, Bayad Center, activity areas for sports and exercise, and even a mortuary.

Additional donations to the village in kind consist of used but functional computers from Robinsons Land Corporation and trash bins from the various Robinsons Malls. In 2010, the company’s corporate social responsibility program was able to subsidize a Christmas party for the prep students in the community, as well as sponsor arts and crafts activities for the high school students.

The good news for 2011 is that The Gift of Change is partnering with Handyman-Do-It-Best Center to provide more materials for use in the community. Likewise, workshops will be held in support of the JCS Village’s sustainability projects, as well as to provide livelihood training for community members. Handyman is donating materials to be used for a renovation of the village clinic, followed by a termite control workshop, Klerat seminar, and water-proofing seminar facilitated by Jardine, where heads of families are encouraged to attend. Jardine is giving away Solignum products.

Clean and bright: Robinsons donates trash bins from its various malls for use at the Jaime Cardinal Sin Village.

Also featured is a summer woodworking workshop sponsored by Bosch and consisting of a training session where the youth will be taught to fabricate equipment that could be used for the community school. Other training sessions will include a painting workshop by Davies Paints; gardening workshop supported by Ramgo; and Bosch power tools workshop for fathers and a craft-making workshop for mothers.

Other activities planned within the year are a school clean-up brigade and a tree-planting project.

For more information on ways to help the Jaime Cardinal Sin Village, call the corporate public relations department at 397-1888 local 791 or 792.