L-R: PNVSCA director Joselito de Vera, First Balfour HROD head Anchel Cruz, ALKFI Training and Development head Mae Quesada-Medina“Volunteerism is about sharing one’s three Ts: time, talent and treasure,” said Joselito de Vera of the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency, the government body that works with volunteers nationwide.

The message that resonated during the toolkit session of the Lopez Group CSR Council on Volunteerism at Rockwell Business Center was that while companies are not new to volunteerism, they need to do it together to create more impact.

The activity, titled “Building a Culture of Volunteerism,” is the first of the 2018 Toolkit Series of Lopez Group Foundation Inc. (LGFI) and was attended by over 30 participants from 14 companies and foundations in the Lopez Group. Joining De Vera as resource speaker was Dondon Marquez of Hands on Manila.

De Vera defined volunteerism as “giving one’s time, skills and resource (3 Ts) to help others to achieve public good.” He added that volunteers do what they do freely, with no financial gain for themselves and for the benefit of a third party.

Marquez shared best practices of various companies in volunteerism as part of employee engagement. He stressed that successful volunteerism programs start with a clear plan and design, with strong leadership from the heads of companies and volunteer champions. Furthermore, employees must be fully engaged and successes measurable to ensure the sustainability and growth of the program.

Four Lopez Group companies and foundations also discussed their volunteer programs.

Mae Quesada-Medina of ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc. (ALKFI) explained the external volunteers mobilization system that permeates their three core programs, Bantay Bata, Bantay Kalikasan and Operation Sagip. According to Mendoza, “volunteerism is an integral moving force in realizing ALKFI’s vision for our country.”

First Balfour focuses its volunteer program on mobilizing employees for four major activities: bloodletting, Brigada Eskwela, coastal cleanup and tree planting, according to HROD head Anchel Cruz.

Energy Development Corporation has an Emergency Response Team where employee volunteers are trained and mobilized during times of emergencies or disasters.

Dimpy Jazmines spoke about SKYcable’s volunteer program which harnesses internal and external volunteers. He also expounded on the Walk the Talk initiative of the Lopez Group HR Council and LGFI, which is a vehicle for Lopez Groupwide employee volunteerism.

Meanwhile, May Ceniza of DZMM noted that the Lopez Group could simultaneously coordinate volunteers’ mobilization efforts across companies to show commitment to volunteer action. This would be a major consideration in forming a Lopez Group volunteerism network in the near future.(Story/Photos by: Faith Bacon)