KWF at University of the Assumption, Lumagda sa MOU para sa Sentro ng Wika at Kultura

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 




Pormal na nilagdaan ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) at University of the Assumption (UA) noong 15 Enero 2026 ang Memonradum ng Unawaan (MOU) para sa pagtatatag at pagpapalakas ng Sentro ng Wika at Kultura sa pamantasan. Layunin ng kasunduan na paigtingin ang pagtuturo, pananaliksik, at promosyon ng wikang Filipino at mga katutubong wika, pati na rin ang pangangalaga sa kulturang Pilipino sa Gitnang Luzon.



Binigyang-diin ni Atty. Marites A. Barrios-Taran, Tagapangulo ng KWF, sa pamamagitan ni Dr. Reggie O. Cruz, Komisyoner para sa Wikang Kapampangan, na ang MOU ay pangako ng pagtutulungan at pagpapalaganap ng wika. Ipinahayag naman ni Fr. Oliver G. Yalung, DL, PhD, Pangulo ng UA, at ni Prop. Roilingel P. Calilung, Direktor ng Sentro ng Wika at Kultura, ang suporta at tiwala ng pamantasan sa kooperasyon.

Sa ilalim ng MOU, magsasagawa ang KWF at UA ng magkasanib na seminar, pagsasanay, kumperensiya, publikasyon, at iba pang akademiko at pangkulturang inisyatiba, at inaasahang magiging sentro ang UA ng saliksik sa wika, panitikan, at kultura ng rehiyon.



Dumalo rin si Dr. Carmelita C. Abdurahman, Komisyoner sa Programa at Proyekto ng KWF, at binigyang-diin ang kahalagahan ng patuloy na pagtutulungan ng pamahalaan at akademya para sa pagpapaunlad ng wikang Filipino at pagpapayabong ng kulturang Pilipino.

Philippines Hosts World’s Largest Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum, Uniting Civil Society Leaders Worldwide

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

Iloilo City, Philippines / Online – February 2

nd 2026 — The 4th Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum, convened by the Global Mental Health Action Network (GMHAN), is bringing together more than 500 advocates, people with lived experience, policymakers, researchers, grassroots leaders, UN agencies and donors from over 70 countries to advance mental health policy and systems change worldwide.

GMHAN, whose Secretariat is hosted by United for Global Mental Health, is co-hosting the Forum with #MentalHealthPH in Iloilo City, Philippines, marking the first time the global Forum is being held in Asia. It is the largest civil society led mental health advocacy event of its kind globally.

Held under the theme “Reimagining Global Mental Health: No Voice Left Behind,” the Forum has been recognised as one of the leading mental health nonprofit events of 2026, named by the Segal Family Foundation among its Top 30 Nonprofit Events of the Year, and by nest as one of the events shaping what’s next in mental health. Beyond these acknowledgements, the Forum provides a critical space where the future of mental health policy, financing and rights is being shaped by those most directly affected.

“This Forum comes at a pivotal moment for the global mental health sector following the UN High Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health in September 2025. GMHAN led the mental health community in its successful advocacy effort to secure meaningful commitments from governments at the Meeting. Now we are bringing together GMHAN members and partners from around the world to accelerate progress at the national and global levels. Amidst funding pressures and risks to multilateralism, mental health remains strongly on the agenda for hundreds of governments around the world. By placing people with lived experience, young leaders, and grassroots advocates at the centre of decision-making, the Forum ensures that no voice is left behind in shaping inclusive and responsive mental health systems,” said Dr. Antonis Kousoulis, Director of Partnerships and GMHAN Secretariat Lead.

Several topics will be discussed at the forum including:

● Nothing about us without us: Building a meaningful movement of people dedicated to reforming mental health services away from institutions and into community-based care, led by those who have most affected by institutional mental health care

● Experiencing Life in a Criminalised World: Suicide Prevention and how reforming legislation so that suicide is no longer a crime can help save lives

● Rebuilding how mental health systems are financed and resourced at a national level, and how civil society organisations can build their fundraising, at a time of international aid cuts.

● Understanding and acting on the mental health experiences of climate-concerned young people in the Philippines, co-produced with Filipino youth and global research partners

● Youth mental health in a changing world: exploring how young people are shaping advocacy and systems reform

Mental health underpins education, resilience and opportunity. This is why we are proud to support United for Global Mental Health and the Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum. Investing in children and young people is critical, because early support changes lives. By breaking stigma early and expanding access to care, we can help build a generation that speaks openly about mental health and has the resources needed to live healthy, productive and fulfilling lives.” Kate Cavelle, global Head of Social Impact A&O Shearman.

Nearly one billion people worldwide are currently living with a mental health condition, many facing stigma, discrimination and violations of their human rights. As mental health conditions and non-communicable diseases

continue to rise in every country, the Forum underscores that mental health is not only a public health issue, but also central to social cohesion, productivity and sustainable economic growth.

Through shared learning, partnership and advocacy, the Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum will enable the more than 500 participants, joined by over 2000 participants online, to learn from one another and be inspired in their work to achieve rights-based mental health systems that leave no one behind.

The Forum continues through February 4th, 2026, taking place at the Iloilo City Convention Center and online.

“Hosting this Forum in the Philippines is a powerful recognition of the leadership emerging from communities across Asia. In the Philippines, 3.6 million Filipinos are living with mental health conditions, neurological and substance use disorders, access to services is limited with the majority of professionals located in Metro Manila.

This forum will create space for local experiences to inform global solutions and for global solidarity to strengthen national and community-level action.” said Roy O. Dahildahil, co-founder & executive director, MentalHealthPH.

Warning Out on Fluorescent Green and Yellow Spray Paints with High Lead Content

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

(EcoWaste Coalition flags another case of lead paint dumping)

4 February 2026, Quezon City. The EcoWaste Coalition has again discovered a highly leaded spray paint brand with no manufacturer information, which is unlawfully sold on e-commerce platforms Lazada and Shopee.

In a press statement, the group warned the public against buying and using Driveone Off Ultra Bright Fluorescent Night Light Spray Paint, which is being sold online for less than P100 per 620 mL aerosol can.

Using a portable Olympus Vanta M Series X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyser, the group detected and measured the lead content of the two Driveone Off paint samples purchased.

As per XRF screening, the fluorescent green paint contains 63,100 parts per million (ppm), while the fluorescent yellow paint contains 59,510 ppm. Both paints exceed the maximum 90 ppm lead limit in paint.

Despite the extremely high lead content, the product label does not provide any lead content information or lead paint hazard warning to inform and guide consumers. The label also does not offer any clues about the product manufacturer, importer or distributor.

DENR Administrative Order No. 2013-24 established a strict 90 ppm for lead in all paint types, including spray paints. The regulation, also known as the Chemical Control Order (CCO), phased out lead-containing paints during the 2013-2019 transition period.

Specifically, decorative paints containing lead were phased out from 2013 to 2016. Lead-containing industrial paints were phased out from 2013 to 2019.

The analyzed Driveone Off paints were both manufactured in 2025, or several years after the ban on lead-containing paints took effect in the Philippines, making their importation and distribution brazenly illegal.

Spray paints generally fall under the decorative type because they are marketed for consumer use. Driveone Off, for example, is recommended to be “used for motorcycles, car wheels, bicycles, metals, plastics, etc.”

“Paints containing lead pose risks both in their application phase (as new paint) and once applied, giving rise to legacy issues that extend beyond the life of the painted surface due to chipping and deterioration or demolition of the painted surface,” according to the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint (Lead Paint Alliance), which is co-led by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Exposure to lead can result in serious health effects, including permanent damage to the brain and the nervous system, renal impairment, chronic hypertension, and reproductive disorders for both women and men. It can affect the brain development of a child, causing lower intelligence quotient (IQ), behavioural changes such as reduced attention span and increased antisocial behaviour, and reduced educational attainment,” according to the WHO.

“There is no level of exposure to lead that is known to be without harmful effects,” the WHO has stated.

To uphold the country’s lead paint ban from lead paint dumping, the EcoWaste Coalition and the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) are pushing for stronger measures to control the global trade of lead chromates, the most common lead-based pigments used in paint manufacturing, and finished products containing such pigments.

The DENR, Philippine Paint & Coatings Association, Inc. (PPCAI), IPEN, and the EcoWaste Coalition are partners of the Lead Paint Alliance.

UP Scientists Apply Green Method to Produce Silver Nanoparticles for Antibacterial Applications

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

Scientists from the University of the Philippines–Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) have advanced a greener approach to silver nanoparticle (AgNP) synthesis by using gamma irradiation in combination with the natural seaweed-derived biopolymer ι-carrageenan. While gamma-radiolytic routes for AgNP formation have been reported previously, the specific role of ι-carrageenan in stabilizing and influencing nanoparticle formation during radiolysis has remained largely underexplored.

Colloidal silver nanoparticles produced using gamma irradiation at different doses, showing a visible color change from colorless to yellow to brown as silver ions are converted into antibacterial silver nanoparticles. Darker colors indicate higher nanoparticle concentrations. (Photo credit: Gili et. al., 2025)

Instead of using harsh chemicals, researchers Mon Bryan Gili, Wendell Manuel, and Dr. Marienette Vega of the UPD-CS Materials Science and Engineering Program (MSEP); Dr. Marlon Conato of the UPD-CS Institute of Chemistry (IC); and Rakshith Gowda Shankaregowda and Dr. Manh-Huong Phan of the University of South Florida used gamma radiation and a natural seaweed-derived substance called carrageenan to create the nanoparticles.

“In simple terms, we let radiation do the “work” of forming the particles, while the seaweed extract keeps them stable and safe. We then tested how effective these particles are against common bacteria,” Gili explained. Compared to traditional chemical methods, the researchers’ approach is much greener. 

Chemical synthesis often requires strong reducing agents and stabilizers, which can be toxic and difficult to dispose of safely. In their method, gamma radiation completely replaces these chemicals. It also sterilizes the nanoparticles as they form, which is a major advantage for medical applications. “Overall, this means fewer processing steps, less chemical waste, and a safer product for both people and the environment,” Gili added.

As a researcher in nuclear science, Gili was excited to apply radiation technology in a way that directly benefits health and sustainability. Concern for environmental safety and the growing issue of antibiotic resistance motivated him and his team to explore alternative methods for producing silver nanoparticles. Many conventional approaches use toxic chemicals that can harm people and the environment. 

“The next steps include improving their long-term stability, testing them in real-world products, and evaluating their safety for human use.” Gili said. “Ultimately, we hope this technology can lead to affordable, locally produced antibacterial materials using Philippine natural resources and nuclear science expertise.”

Their paper, “Antibacterial evaluation of radiolytically synthesized silver nanoparticles with ι-carrageenan stabilizers,” was published in Radiation Physics and Chemistry, a journal featuring studies which focus on research and developments involving ionizing radiation in radiation physics, radiation chemistry, and radiation processing.

𝐊𝐖𝐅 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐚 𝐊𝐨𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐬𝐲𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐚 𝐖𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐨

 

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

Pinangunahan ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) ang pagpapalakas ng opisyal na komunikasyon sa Filipino—isang mahalagang hakbang sa pagpapatibay ng pamantayan at propesyonalismo sa mga institusyon—sa isinagawang Seminar sa Korespondensiya Opisyal noong 15 Enero 2026 sa University of the Assumption, San Fernando, Pampanga.

Sa naturang seminar, tinalakay ang Korespondensiya Opisyal (KO) at Ortograpiyang Pambansa (OP) bilang mahahalagang kasangkapan sa paglinang ng malinaw, episyente, at epektibong komunikasyon sa loob ng mga institusyong pang-edukasyon at pampubliko. Sa pamamagitan ng mga panayam at talakayan, ipinakita na ang wastong paggamit ng wika ay may direktang implikasyon sa kalidad ng serbisyo, kaalaman, at ugnayan sa loob ng mga tanggapan.

Ibinahagi Bb. Kirsteen D. Abustan ang panayam sa Korespondensiya Opisyal, na nakatuon sa tamang anyo at estruktura ng liham, memorandum, kapasiyahan, at iba pang korespondensiyang ginagamit sa mga institusyon. Samantala, pinangunahan ni Bb. Angelica Ellazar ang pagtalakay sa Ortograpiyang Pambansa na nagbigay-diin sa kahalagahan ng pagtalima sa tamang pagbaybay at pagsulat ng mga salita sa wastong pamantayan at gamit sa layuning mapanatili ang propesyonalismo sa mga opisyal na dokumento.

Dumalo at nagpakita ng suporta sina Komisyoner Carmelita C. Abduhraman at Komisyoner Reggie O. Cruz sa mandato ng KWF sa pagpapalaganap at pagpapaigting sa paggámit ng wikang Filipino sa akademya at serbisyo publiko.

Dumalo rin ang mga mag-aaral, guro, librarian, at iba pang kawani ng pamantasan, na naging aktibo sa pagbabahagi ng kaalaman at karanasan kaugnay ng mga paksang tinalakay. Ang kanilang partisipasyon ay nagpapatunay sa lumalaking interes at pangangailangan para sa pagsasanay sa wasto at epektibong paggamit ng Filipino sa opisyal na komunikasyon.

Ang Kautusang Tagapagpaganap Blg. 335, sa pangunguna ng KWF, ay humihimok sa mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan na gamítin ang Wikang Filipino bilang opisyal na wika ng komunikasyon at korespondensiya sa serbisyo publiko.

Learner voice anchored in policy as DepEd reforms move toward future-ready education

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

MAKATI CITY, 2 February 2026 – The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday said learner participation is helping ground ongoing education reforms on actual classroom experience, as the agency works to strengthen foundational learning and improve how teaching and assessment are delivered in schools.

Speaking at the International Day of Education celebration at Gen. Pio del Pilar National High School in Makati City, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said DepEd’s reform agenda is increasingly learner-centered, particularly in the early grades where learning foundations are built. 

“We will have universal feeding for all public schools in the Philippines for kindergarten and grade 1, all for 180 days for the full school cycle. For the first time in Philippine history. And the budget is now almost 10 times more,” Angara said. 

He said the expansion of the School-Based Feeding Program reflects the Department’s emphasis on foundational learning and learner readiness. 

“Kung titignan natin yung mga bansa na maunlad sa edukasyon, nakatutok po sila doon sa pundasyon. ‘Pag mahina ang pundasyon, mahina din ang itatayong gusali o itatayong halili. So definitely, and it doesn't just involve what we teach in the classroom. It involves what we do at home. How we bring up our children,” Angara said. 

As part of efforts to make learning more engaging, Angara urged schools and teachers to maximize the use of digital and instructional tools, such as Khan Academy Philippines, Canva, Google, and Microsoft, made available by the Department. 

“So by all means, let's make use of the tools being made available to you by the Department to maximize our students' learning. We really want to make things more fun, more engaging. Because we realize this is a system that we all co-create together. And it's for the benefit of everyone,” Angara added. 

Education partners also highlighted the role of young people as active contributors to reform. “As lifelong learners, volunteers, peer educators, innovators, advocates, and future leaders, youth are not just participants in education. They are its driving force,” said Ivan Anthony Henares, secretary general of the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines. 

UNICEF Philippines Country Representative Kyungsun Kim said learner participation strengthens the relevance of education reforms. 

“Your voice, your creativity, your courage, and your power to help shape the future of education in the Philippines and the future of the country,” Kim said. 

The event, themed “The Power of Youth in Co-Creating Education,” brought together student leaders, youth advisers, teachers, and DepEd officials from the National Capital Region.  

DepEd deepens church, civil society ties to reach underserved learners

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 






TAGAYTAY CITY, 3 February 2026 — Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Tuesday said the Department of Education (DepEd) is strengthening partnerships with the Church and civil society groups to reach learners left behind by poverty, mobility, and weak retention, as part of a broader push to place learners at the center of education reform.





Speaking at the 42nd National Social Action General Assembly of Caritas Philippines in Tagaytay City, Angara said education reform, like pastoral work, requires sustained presence in communities and close attention to the daily realities of learners and teachers, particularly in underserved areas.




Angara pointed to DepEd’s collaboration with Caritas Philippines’ nationwide network of 86 diocesan social action centers to extend the reach of key programs, including school-based feeding, learning recovery, and the Alternative Learning System (ALS), particularly for out-of-school youth and other marginalized learners.



“We take our inspiration from all of you. Your stories and successes drive us towards meaningful reforms,” Angara said, noting that partnerships help government programs respond to realities on the ground, from hunger that affects learning to learners who need flexible pathways back to school.





Angara cited the expanded School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP), now covering all Kindergarten and Grade 1 learners nationwide, as an example of how DepEd is responding to evidence linking nutrition and learning.




He also underscored the scale-up of learning recovery through the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program, which provides structured tutoring and remediation for millions of learners. Angara said community and church-based groups can complement these efforts through volunteer tutoring, mentoring, and local learning initiatives, particularly in areas with limited access to formal support.



The education secretary further highlighted the role of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) as a key entry point for out-of-school youth, working adults, and other marginalized learners seeking a second chance at basic education. He acknowledged the contribution of church-led initiatives, such as community-based learning centers, in helping learners return to education through flexible and trust-based approaches.



Angara said supporting teachers remains central to DepEd’s reform agenda, noting recent efforts to reduce administrative requirements, expand welfare support, and promote thousands of teachers.

Fellow Cabinet members Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon and Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian, along with church leaders and civil society representatives nationwide, also joined the gathering, which focused on strengthening partnerships to improve service delivery across social sectors.




Meanwhile, Angara thanked the Society of Jesus Educational Apostolate (SJEA), which brings together Jesuit schools and universities nationwide, for its support of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) and its reform agenda. He acknowledged the Jesuit network’s endorsement of the commission’s findings, which he said helped build momentum for major policy shifts in education.



Angara said the long-standing work of Jesuit schools and other faith-based institutions in communities makes them vital partners in translating national reforms into concrete gains for learners, particularly those most at risk of dropping out or being left behind.

DepEd advances transparency measures in education procurement with Open Ownership partnership

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

MAKATI CITY, 2 February 2026 – The Department of Education (DepEd) has formalized a partnership with Open Ownership to strengthen transparency, integrity, and risk detection in public procurement, particularly in the education sector where government spending is largest and most geographically dispersed.



The partnership was sealed through a memorandum of agreement signed on Monday, positioning DepEd to pilot the use of beneficial ownership data in procurement. Beneficial ownership refers to identifying the natural persons who ultimately own, control, or benefit from companies participating in government contracts, beyond the names of incorporators or signatories on paper.

“Gusto naming malaman kung sino talaga ang nasa likod ng mga kumpanyang ka-transaksiyon ng gobyerno. Kapag malinaw iyon, mas madaling maiwasan ang problema at mas mabilis na maihatid ang silid-aralan, libro, at tulong na kailangan ng mga bata. Mas siguradong sa paaralan napupunta ang pera, hindi sa bulsa ng iilan,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.


With a record budget this 2026, DepEd is the country’s largest procuring entity, with procurement activities that directly affect classrooms, textbooks, school buildings, and learner support nationwide. The agency sees stronger transparency and risk management as key to ensuring that education funds are delivered more quickly and effectively to schools.


Under the agreement, DepEd and Open Ownership will conduct a retrospective analysis of selected procurement contracts to examine how beneficial ownership information can help flag potential conflicts of interest, undisclosed related parties, bid rotation, and market concentration. The pilot will also test which data points are most useful, at what stages of procurement they matter most, and how their impact can be measured.


Angara said the initiative supports ongoing reforms to improve budget execution and reduce procurement risks, ensuring that public investments translate into timely delivery of classrooms, learning materials, and services for learners.


The initiative aligns with the New Government Procurement Act, which institutionalized beneficial ownership transparency as a safeguard against corruption and collusion in public contracting. The law requires suppliers to disclose information on who ultimately controls or benefits from their companies, shifting procurement oversight from a purely compliance-based approach to a more risk-based and evidence-driven system.


Open Ownership, an international organization that supports governments in implementing beneficial ownership transparency, will provide technical assistance, capacity-building, and analytical tools to DepEd procurement officials. This includes hands-on workshops and the co-development of an impact measurement framework to assess how beneficial ownership data improves procurement outcomes.


DepEd emphasized that the pilot is a learning and system-strengthening exercise, not an investigation or a finding of wrongdoing. Results are expected to inform future policy refinements, internal controls, and procurement processes across the department.


DepEd is one of the first government agencies in the Philippines to pilot the systematic use of beneficial ownership data in public procurement, marking a significant step in operationalizing procurement reforms and advancing data-informed governance, as education continues to receive one of the largest allocations in the national budget.

𝐀𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐤𝐨𝐥 𝐬𝐚 𝐊𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐧𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭, 𝐈𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐚 𝐀𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐧𝐢 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝𝐚

Wazzup Pilipinas! 



Inilunsad ng KWF ang aklat na Ubbóg Ti Asin: Kuwento at Kuwenta ng mga Babaeng Manunurat ng Nueva Vizcaya sa Gawad Julian Cruz Balmaseda na ginanap sa awditoryum ng PIA noong 28 Enero 2026.

Ang aklat na isinulat ni Dr. Lovella Gamponia-Velasco ay tungkol sa danas ng mga babaeng manunulat sa Nueva Vizcaya na madalas naisasantabi o hindi nabibigyang-pagkilala ang malikhaing talino sa larangan ng panitikan.



Ayon sa awtor, ang ubbóg ti asin ay Ilokanong termino na literal na nangangahulugang “salt spring” sa Ingles at ipinahahayag bilang metapora ng kababaihang manunulat na hindi kilala.



Sa konteksto, mayroong ubbóg ti asin na dating dinarayo sa Nueva Vizcaya na tumigil sa pagluwal ng tubig at asin noong dekada 90 dahil sa isang lindol. Pagkatapos ng maraming taon, nagkaroon ng bagong ubbóg ti asin na patuloy pang lumalaki at pinangangalagaan sa lalawigan.



Inuugnay ito ni Gamponia-Velasco sa kaniyang akda sa pagbawi, pagkilala, at pagbibigay-boses sa mga babaeng manunulat mula sa Nueva Vizcaya.



Mula ang aklat na ito sa nagwaging disertasyon sa Gawad Julian Cruz Balmaseda noong 2017. Ang Gawad Balmaseda ay pagkilala sa pinakamahusay na tesis at disertasyon na nakasulat sa Filipino bilang ambag sa intelektuwalisasyon ng wikang pambansa.



Si Gamponia-Velasco ay kasalukuyang nanunungkulan bilang Professor 6 sa Research and Development Office at Campus Coordinator ng Nueva Vizcaya State University.

Disaster relief led San Miguel Foundation’s nationwide initiatives in 2025

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

 

San Miguel Foundation (SMF), the social development arm of San Miguel Corporation, said disaster relief accounted for the largest share of its activities in 2025 following a series of major calamities, even as it sustained community programs in health, nutrition, education and food security nationwide.

 

The foundation reported reaching about 192,000 marginalized and displaced Filipinos during the year, with disaster response generating the highest number of beneficiaries due to the scale of its relief operations.

 

SMF’s nationwide Team Malasakit employee-volunteer network distributed food, water and other essential supplies to at least 156,760 people affected by multiple typhoons, earthquakes in Cebu and Bacolod, and a major fire in Tondo, Manila.

“We deployed as much assistance and volunteers as we could to respond to our countrymen in times of need, while continuing to strengthen programs designed to provide longer-term support,” said SMC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang.

 

Participation increased across SMF’s Better World Centers, which anchor its community programs in some of the country’s most underserved areas.

 

At Better World Tondo and Better World Smokey Mountain, SMF delivered food assistance alongside education, livelihood and health interventions for families in urban poor communities, including learning support for children and skills training for parents.

 

At Better World Cubao, the foundation ran year-long programs for women, including learning sessions, mental health discussions and digital literacy classes, supported by volunteer engagement. The center also hosted medical and laboratory services for women through the government’s Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Services (BUCAS) Center, operated in partnership with Quirino Memorial Medical Center.

 

“This helps close gaps in access to healthcare for underserved communities,” Ang said, noting that a fully operational BUCAS Center is now serving patients at Better World Smokey Mountain.

 

Healthcare services expanded nationwide, with SMF’s Better World Clinics growing to nine sites in 2025 and serving active patients through consultations, diagnostics and medicine distribution.

 

Nutrition programs were sustained through the First 1,000 Days initiative for mothers and infants, implemented with local governments, while food security efforts continued through the Backyard Bukid program, which supports community-based food production.

 

SMF also continued feeding and education programs in institutional settings, including at the New Bilibid Prison, where meals and learning support were provided during the year.

 

Volunteer engagement across SMC’s business units totaled about 57,000 hours in 2025, supporting hundreds of outreach activities nationwide.

 

 

PHOTOS:

SMC Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang visited Cebu, where Team Malasakit employee-volunteers distributed food packs for earthquake victims.

   

Team Malasakit prepared hot meals for typhoon Uwan victims in Quezon City, under Better World Diliman’s food rescue initiative.

 

 

Better World Bilibid funded a fully-equipped computer room and upgraded other facilities at the school operating at the Medium Security Compound of the New Bilibid Prison.