Credit Suisse volunteers give back where it counts

MANILA, Philippines - A team of 40 Credit Suisse volunteers from Hong Kong, Singapore and Manila joined Gawad Kalinga recently to help rebuild homes in Cadiz Viejo, Negros Occidental for 170 families whose homes were destroyed by super typhoon Yolanda a year ago. Fifty of these homes are sponsored by Credit Suisse.

Credit Suisse, together with its local partner NGO, Gawad Kalinga (GK), arranged a four-day trip for 40 volunteers to help build homes for families relocating from the fishing island of Lakawon to Cadiz Viejo on the mainland. The volunteers helped lay bricks, paint the exteriors, level the floors and mix cement. Local children joined them in the hands-on building effort, which gave the volunteers a chance to interact with the community.

In the aftermath of the typhoon, Credit Suisse donated P15 million to GK’s emergency relief efforts and to the long-term rebuilding of the devastated communities. Globally, the bank and its employees donated over US$630,000 in 2013 to support the typhoon relief efforts of GK, Habitat for Humanity Philippines, and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

“The impact of volunteerism is less in the house construction than it is in the building of hope and resilience for the families by working side by side with them. The presence of the volunteers sent a deep message that they have not been forgotten nor left behind,” said GK Philippines executive director Luis Oquineña.

For his part, Lito Camacho, Credit Suisse vice chairman Asia Pacific, said: “Volunteerism is a core part of our corporate responsibility. By participating, we gain better insights into the needs of the communities in which we live and work. At the same time, the activities promote team spirit, ultimately strengthening our corporate culture.”

The trip not only gave Credit Suisse volunteers a chance to witness the impact of donations on a community, it also offered them a memorable and physically challenging experience.

Rissa Ofilada, vice president with the general counsel department in Manila, said, “(The activity) allowed us to contribute to making life better for some Filipinos by helping to build their homes and putting smiles on the faces of the residents. At the same time, it also helped to develop a stronger sense of camaraderie among Credit Suisse employees and showcased the generosity of our employees in helping others.”

Since beginning a partnership with GK in 2013, more than 100 Credit Suisse volunteers from Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines have participated in various GK community and home-building activities in the GK Manggahan-Kawayanan and GK Santa Ana Villages, as well as in the GK Alangalang Village. The bank is sponsoring the building of 21 homes in Ticad on Bantayan Island, Cebu, in addition to the 50 in Cadiz Viejo.

Credit Suisse also sponsored the construction of the building and school program of a SIBOL learning center for 30 children at the GK Santa Ana Village in Pateros and supports 11 Filipino students at GK’s Enchanted Farm’s School for Experiential and Entrepreneurial Development.