SM joins Earth Hour 2022; Lights switch-off, Virtual Run part of activity line-up

Wazzup Pilipinas!?



As part of the company's sustainability efforts, SM Supermalls, through its corporate social responsibility arm SM Cares, is once again joining the world in observing Earth Hour, with this year’s theme "Shape Our Future," focusing on how we can work together in halting and reversing climate change and nature loss by 2030.

Earth Hour is an annual campaign launched in 2007 by the World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) that encourages the turning off of non-essential lights as part of energy conservation efforts for the planet. Since its first observance in the Philippines in 2008, SM has been joining the campaign every year, being one of the first in the private sector to support it.

This year, SM will continue to promote the campaign by being one of the official partners of WWF for the Earth Hour Virtual Run, to be held from March 26 to April 22. Aside from this, all SM malls will be joining the light switch-off on March 26 from 8:30 PM to 9:00 PM.

"SM is proud to have been supporting Earth Hour throughout the last 14 years. Every year, we partake in this very important movement because we want to inspire people to action and tell them that no matter how small their contribution is, it will go a long way if we work together," said Engr. Liza Silerio, SM’s Vice President for Corporate Compliance and Head of Sustainability.

“Through Earth Hour, we want to engage over a billion people worldwide and engage decision-makers whether in business, institutions, and governments, to move the agenda of nature up the priority list in the global sphere and in the national agenda. We want people to lend their voices as we're shaping our future,


and hopefully, we'll be changing the ending for the positive – for both people and the planet,” said Atty. Angela Ibay, Climate and Energy Program Head of WWF-Philippines

Aside from joining the campaign every year, SM has been active in environmental protection in many ways. For instance, all SM malls are equipped with energy and water conservation facilities. The company also regularly joins tree planting activities, and has waste management initiatives such as Trash-to-Cash, e-waste and used acid lead batteries collection programs, and the plastic waste collection program with the Plastic Credit Exchange.

SM has also been investing more in renewable energy. Eight malls in the country and three in China are now equipped with solar panels, with more to follow in the coming months. SM also pledged to increase its use of renewable energy to 50 percent of its overall energy usage by year-end.

 
SM City Tuguegarao Downtown Solar Rooftop

SM's other sustainability initiatives include the annual Green Film Festival, promoting environmental awareness among students and the youth through films; the AweSMSeas project, promoting awareness on the negative impact of plastic waste on seas and oceans; and the International Coastal Cleanup joined by thousands of volunteers every year, to name a few.

SM Cares is the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Prime Holdings, supporting initiatives that focus on communities and the environment. In addition to its programs on the environment, SM Cares’ advocacies include programs on women and breastfeeding mothers, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, children and youth, and the Bike-Friendly SM Program.

Visit www.smsupermalls.com/smcares to learn more.

Two Time Medalist in the IMO Tops 24th Philippine Math Olympiad

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

A perfect score seals the deal in the recently concluded 24th Philippine Mathematical Olympiad (PMO).

Raphael Dylan T. Dalida of the Philippine Science High School – Main Campus, a veteran and a two-time medalist at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), topped over two dozen finalists in this year’s PMO with a perfect score, a rare feat in the national competition.

Dalida previously won a silver medal in last year's IMO, and a bronze in the year prior.

Joining him in the podium are Filbert Ephraim S. Wu of Victory Christian International School who placed second, and Jerome Austin N. Te of Jubilee Christian Academy who settled for third.

Wu was coached by his brother, Farrell Eldrian, who won the country’s first ever gold medal at the IMO in 2016, while Te is an up-and-coming prodigy.

With the win, Dalida, Wu, and Te bagged P25,000, P20,000, and P15,000 cash prizes, respectively, along with trophies, certificates, and cash prizes for their coaches.

The PMO is organized by the Mathematical Society of the Philippines (MSP) with support from the Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI). Students from all over the country showcased their mathematical prowess in a virtual setup from March 19-20, 2022.

“The student’s performances prove that the Filipino youth is ready to take on the world and make a mark in prestigious competitions in the international level,” said DOST-SEI Director Josette Biyo. “They are world-class and are truly deserving to be called Olympians.”

Biyo added the national finalists’ performances also provide optimism in the country’s continuous rise in its international ranking.

The Philippines notably placed 23rd over 107 participating countries in last year’s IMO, and backers from DOST-SEI and MSP hope to add on the medal tally of 26 honorable mentions, 33 bronze medals, 12 silver medals, and four gold medals this year.

The 63rd IMO will be hosted by Oslo, Norway this July.

Final participants to the world stage competition will be announced in May. MSP will conduct the Mathematical Olympiad Summer Camp to determine the six national bets for the upcoming IMO

Empowering communities through #SocialGood

Wazzup Pilipinas!?



The private sector plays a significant role when it comes to economic growth in the Philippines by generating more jobs and contributing to our gross domestic product (GDP). Beyond that, it is also considered to be a driving force for inclusive and sustainable development in the country as more and more businesses employ corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to address social and environmental concerns within the communities where they operate.

By helping improve the quality of life of the people in these host communities, business is able to flourish. As such, CSR has become a key pillar of successful business management through the years. SM’s visionary founder, Henry “Tatang” Sy, Sr., put it best in his principle that social development and investment go hand in hand with business growth to achieve a better future.

The SM group has embraced the responsibility to contribute to nation building through its social good arm, the SM Foundation, Inc. (SMFI). For nearly four decades, we have focused our resources, time, and reach to ensure that we are able to create opportunities wherever SM is present through social good programs that are geared towards quality education, sustainable agriculture, healthcare, and disaster response.

Anchored on Tatang’s belief that education is the greatest equalizer, SMFI established the SM Scholarship Program in 1993 to provide the youth access to quality tertiary and vocational education. We believe that through our scholarship grants, SM will be able to contribute to eradicating the intergenerational poverty cycle by granting scholarships to economically challenged but deserving students. And to complement this and more importantly, to address the challenges being faced by our public school system, SMFI, together with social good partners such as SM Prime, we have provided school buildings equipped with key facilities and equipment to underserved communities.

Another social good pillar of SMFI is sustainable agriculture that aims to address the dilemma of the aging farmer population in the country as well as the growing gap between supply and demand for local food sources. In 2007, the foundation launched the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan (KSK) program to bring modern and sustainable farming skills and linkages in both rural and urban communities, empowering farmers to have food on their table and creating market linkage to provide them with economic opportunities.

Accessible healthcare and timely disaster response are also at the heart of the foundation’s advocacy. Through its Health and Wellness program, SMFI helps address the shortage of quality healthcare facilities in the country by constructing and upgrading health centers in host communities supplemented by medical mission activities nationwide. The Operation Tulong Express (OPTE), on the other hand, gives immediate assistance in the form of relief goods and medical services in collaboration with SM Supermalls and SM Markets to communities affected by calamities and disasters that frequently occur in the country.



During the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, SMFI was one of the first organizations to assume an active role in assisting in the pandemic response by expanding the reach and impact of the Health and Wellness program and utilizing its partnerships to extend a helping hand to frontliners and Filipinos nationwide, especially those in SM host communities.

Through these social good programs, we continuously aspire to be a development partner for our host communities and serve as model for other organizations in terms of bringing social development specially in areas where they operate.

Implementing CSR involves a dynamic learning process given that social and environmental good are moving targets – and these cannot be fully achieved through one-time activities and decisions. Instead, companies should view and approach CSR as a process of continuous improvement that involves being constantly alert to new issues and considerations, which can be achieved through consistent community consultation and engagement.

And contrary to the notion that CSR is only an approach for large corporations and multi-national businesses, small and medium-scale enterprises can also have the means to benefit their respective communities in their own ways. In fact, they are more likely to effectively facilitate local-level CSR programs as they are more deeply embedded in their communities. Examples of these include sourcing of raw materials from community-based suppliers, matching and encouraging charitable work by employees, and even as simple as going paperless in their daily business operations.

CSR programs, no matter the size or scale, are valuable to the communities they are serving because of their pivotal role in promoting sustainable, just, and balanced development, and contribution in addressing social and environmental challenges.



####



























Photos



SM Scholars General Assembly (File Photo)





SM KSK Urban Farmers from Pasay City











Residents from Foreshore, Tondo Manila can now utilize a fully equipped Super Health Center from SM





Staying true to its commitment, SMFI is one of the first responders after the onslaught of Typhoon Odette







SM Employees show their spirit of volunteerism as they help repaint an SM school building





SMFI donated PPEs and much-needed medical equipment to various hospitals nationwide to help fight the spread of COVID-19





Aside from free medical consultations and medicines, SM also provides free diagnostics and laboratory services to stakeholders specially in grassroot communities