Bangon Pinoy, one year after

MANILA, Philippines - In October 2009, Globe launched the “Bangon Pinoy” program to help millions of Filipinos whose homes and livelihoods were devastated after twin typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” submerged most of Luzon.

More than helping rebuild communities through volunteer work and financial assistance, Bangon Pinoy also involved network rehabilitation, consumer rebates and special offers plus assistance to Globe business partners.

Within two and a half months after the catastrophe, Globe subscribers, dealers and partners were firmly back on their feet – as they were determined to be.

“Bangon Pinoy is our way of rebuilding the country, keeping alive our Filipino bayanihan spirit,” stressed Globe president and CEO Ernest Cu. “We have always been optimistic that we as a nation can overcome ordeals with the support and cooperation of the communities, the local government, Globe employee volunteers and partner non-government organizations.”

Cu was among the first to rally after the typhoons wreaked havoc in Metro Manila. He rolled up his sleeves, donned work boots and gloves and helped clean up the nearest flooded community in Marikina, together with Globe employee volunteers armed with wheelbarrows and shovels.

Volunteers distribute relief goods in Pangasinan.

Although a good number of Globe employees were also typhoon victims, the company mobilized over 1,000 of its workforce, a good one fifth of its 5,000 total human resource, to join the relief operations.

Globe partnered with local government units and church groups to establish Libreng Tawag, Libreng Internet and Libreng Phone Charging stations in devastated areas in Metro Manila and North Luzon.

Bangon Pinoy distributed farm implements in Globe-Gawad Kalinga (GK) Bayan Anihan farms in Luzon. GK has been building houses for the homeless while Bayan Anihan is geared towards food production and hunger alleviation.

On top of all these, Globe donated P4.4 million for community rebuilding activities in Marikina, Pasig, Antipolo, Cainta and Tanay, plus P5 million for various foundations helping the flood victims and P400,000 for the Bangon Pinoy program. Its corporate social responsibility program, Globe Bridging Communities, provided relief packages to 17,000 families in Marikina, Rizal, Muntinlupa, Laguna and Pangasinan.

 Beyond relief operations, donating funds and equipment to disaster victims, Globe shelled out a sizeable amount not just to restore its network, but also to assist affected communities, subscribers and business partners through short-term and long-term programs such as replacements and special offers to broadband users – free loads, 50 percent discounts, modem replacements and special offers to subscribers and retailers in affected areas.

Globe likewise provided broadband subscribers with the option to suspend their postpaid broadband service for a period of one to three months to enable them to fix their homes or replace PCs and other equipment.

Globe even provided subscribers with an option to use alternative Globe broadband services available within their areas, at a special rate of 50 percent off the normal monthly service fees for the first month of subscription, without fear of any fees for downgrades or pre-termination of their existing service.

“It was a first of its kind offer to Globe subscribers, especially those located within the damaged areas,” Cu pointed out.

Residents of Brgy. Camacho are back on their feet after weathering the storm.

Seeing opportunity despite the destruction, Globe totally replaced existing equipment with new ones in many cases, not just to unfreeze connections but also to improve quality. Working on a “no service, no charge” policy, the company gave affected broadband customers a pro-active rebate throughout the time its service was down.

Globe allowed subscriber-initiated temporary disconnection, and for dealers, it gave special assistance packages.

 A year after, it was as if the twin calamities never happened. Globe and all program beneficiaries have bounced back. Globe brought in more subscribers than it lost and its network was not just restored but improved.

Everything is back to normal, only better.

After all is said and done, Globe is not letting the lesson of the great crisis go to waste.

Hence, its “Globe Goes Green” environmental sustainability campaign now creates environmental consciousness among employees and the communities hosting its cell sites, ensures its operations meet all state environment rules and encourages volunteerism in reforestation and “Save the Environment” projects.

The Globe Goes Green program starts from the core. Globe reduces its own energy, water, and solid waste footprints in its operations.

“We manage emissions from our energy use and carry out regular assessments within our network to monitor our climate impact and identify opportunities to reduce it,” explained Cu.

And Globe is transparent about it. “We train both our employees and business partners to help us reduce our environmental impact and report our environmental performance to stakeholders.”

As could be expected, reforestation, a natural flood control measure, is a big part of the project. Globe Goes Green targets to plant 50,000 trees. Of this total, some 38,015 trees have been planted in Fort Bonifacio; Banate, Iloilo; Malabanan Watershed; Talisay, Cebu; Duero, Bohol; Nuvali; Lian, Batangas; Taba Ao Kapangan; Sitio Kaisakat, Rizal and Matina Davao from June 2009 to July 2010.

The program sponsored the April 24, 2010 Cordillera Challenge, where 30 Globe Adventure Club Bikers pedaled their way through a 40-km, high altitude, cross-country trail from La Trinidad to Kapangan, Benguet to raise P300,000 to reforest the Cordillera mountains with 15,000 trees.

In addition, Globe partnered with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and became a corporate club member. It ran the Lifeboats and Lifelines learning series in Manila, Cebu and Davao to better understand the effects of climate change on its operations and address the challenge. 

Likewise, together with other local mobile operators, Globe partnered with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) and the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF) on disaster preparedness.

The ground-breaking alliance paved the way for a formal cooperation among telecommunications companies to develop a scientific research and monitoring system to prepare for disaster and assist Pagasa.

Among the first projects lined up was the co-location of rain gauges at designated cell sites of Globe and other mobile operators to help Pagasa forecast floods and give out accurate timely forewarnings to areas to be affected.

“Giving back to the communities we serve has always been part of our operations,” declared Cu. “We gladly take part in this new cooperation among telcos, Pagasa and PDRF to be part of a national effort to improve disaster preparedness and save more lives.”

Globe has also ironed out its own enhanced corporate disaster preparedness plan which entails deploying the latest technology, providing better preventive and restoration processes, and increasing the skills of its people. This is in response to the company’s policy of protecting the lives and guaranteeing the safety of the employees as well as ensuring service continuity.

Because locations that were previously unaffected by floods and landslides are now vulnerable, Globe is further improving its site selection and design as well as network plans to prioritize critical sites and links. It also monitors critical resources, conducting periodic maintenance and review of its power protection equipment and facilities to avert cell site failures.

Already, it has ironed out contingency procedures to bring in field teams from other regions and procured 6-wheeler trucks, rubber boats and other heavy-duty amphibious transport for accessing flooded or avalanched areas plus disaster survival kits containing food, water, medicine and toiletries for the restoration teams.

To date, Globe is deploying more power generation sets for emergencies, continues to audit and improve the way it manages its power system, and regularly tests the generation sets in the most mission-critical sites. It has installed submersible pumps in flood-prone areas and acquired more satellite phones as an alternative means of communication for its sites in case of a massive breakdown.

Ultimately, while many natural catastrophes cannot be prevented, Globe is ready to provide vital communications services to its subscribers even – or especially – during disasters.