SM Supermalls Regional Operations Head for Bulacan and CAMANAVA, Ana Datu, an SM employee-volunteer, delivers immediate relief to a resident impacted by flooding

A heartfelt embrace from a CAMANAVA resident receiving essential relief. By reaching deep into communities, SM volunteers ensure those affected feels remembered and supported, embodying the commitment of OPTE.

Communities in the Philippines frequently confront the difficult challenge of having to reconstruct lives overnight in a nation that experiences an average of 20 typhoons annually and is prone to earthquakes. Collaboration becomes essential during these times, particularly for thousands of Filipinos whose lives have been turned upside down by natural disasters.

Assisting communities in getting back on their feet is more than simply a duty for the SM Group; it is a shared commitment ingrained in its service culture. Operation Tulong Express (OPTE), the disaster response program of the SM Foundation, is at the center of this endeavor.

OPTE, which is closely coordinated by the SM Foundation, SM Markets, and SM Supermalls, unites committed volunteer teams who are all committed to helping individuals in need. While SM trucks and vans deliver the products to impacted areas, SM Markets workers build Kalinga Packs in warehouse hubs that serve as packing centers. In the spirit of bayanihan, staff volunteers from the foundation and SM Supermalls oversee the relief distribution on the ground. They personally deliver necessities and, in more severely affected areas, assist medical missions that provide free consultations, first aid, and medications.

For Andrea Rodriguez, SM Supermalls Regional Operations Head for Pampanga, service is rooted in lived experiences, especially since her family was among those affected by the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991. Years later, she witnessed devastation firsthand during the 2019 earthquake that affected her province and the rest of Luzon.

“We were at the forefront during that time na tumutulong. In fact, as soon as tumigil ang pagyanig nung time na ‘yun, all hands on deck na kami. Hindi ko pa nun alam kung ano yung OPTE, pero ‘yung mga kasama ko sa mall, sabi nila, may opportunity para makatulong dun sa mga nabaha nearby. Sabi nila, ‘sama tayo. Nung inabutan namin, umiyak siya nang umiyak. Sabi niya, hindi siya makapunta dun sa barangay hall kasi binaha ang bahay niya... Sabi niya, parang akala niya, makakalimutan na siya. Pero ang saya-saya niya na pinuntahan namin siya, na may pag-asa. It’s really great to be part of a team, a group that is able to support and help the community in good times and in bad times.” ~Andrea Rodriguez, SM Supermalls Regional Operations Head for Pampanga

Her first OPTE experience came earlier when, as a new SM employee, flooding hit communities near the San Fernando mall. One of her most vivid memories was when they provided support to an 80-year-old resident in a remote barangay in Angeles following widespread floods during the pandemic.

According to Ana Datu, Regional Operations Head for Bulacan and CAMANAVA, the company’s strong culture of helping others has shaped the way employees live and work. Because of this, lending a hand has become second nature.

“We normally conduct OPTE in basketball courts so that mas marami ‘yung mapuntahan namin. But we also take time to go to the eskinitas — na kung minsan may naiiwan na mga bata at matatanda. Kapag nakita mo sila, parang may lungkot. ‘Nakalimutan kami, naiwan kami kasi nandun sila lahat sa basketball court. But when they see us there with the Kalinga Packs at inabot mo ito sa kanila, they feel ‘Wow! Hindi kami nakalimutan. These are the people who remember us.’ When I joined SM, I learned that community service and social responsibility are a big thing here. It has been a culture. It has been a habit. And it's not difficult to imbibe this because you see it, and it transcends. It starts from the leaders, trickling down to the entire team. So, everybody's moving. If you see the environment and the environment forges you to help and to be empathetic to the plight of everyone surrounding the community, surrounding the mall, your community; then mai-imbibe mo siya.” ~Ana Datu, Regional Operations Head for Bulacan and CAMANAVA

Regional Operations Head Ana Datu delivers essential relief to a flood-impacted resident, embodying the spirit of SM's volunteerism. She ensures even those in hard-to-reach areas feel: "Wow! Hindi kami nakalimutan."

Both Ana and Andrea highlighted how volunteering shaped their outlook on work and in life.

Operation Tulong Express (OPTE), a social good collaboration of SM Foundation, SM Supermalls and SM Markets, is the group’s disaster response initiative that provides immediate relief and essential goods to communities affected by calamities. In heavily impacted areas, it also deploys medical missions that offer basic healthcare and first aid.

Medical care brought closer to low-income families in Cagayan

Medical Mission Tuguegarao and Cauayan

While access to quality healthcare continues to be hampered by challenges, medical missions have become an increasingly vital source of support for low-income communities. Through time, they have gone beyond providing medical care and have taken up a new role: transforming the lives of individuals and communities.

The SM Foundation, Inc. (SMFI) recognizes just this, so it has made its mission to travel from Luzon to Mindanao to provide free medical care and services to thousands of patients from various hard-pressed communities.

Just recently, the medical mission team headed to the cities of Tuguegarao and Cauayan in Northern Luzon and provided services to thousands of low-income families. Two of them are Roland Bariuan and Angeline Cacanindin.

• Strength to do more

Roland has been a tricycle driver in Tuguegarao City since 1994. But, two years ago, he suddenly felt weak and had to spend money on medical consultations and examinations.

Roland Bariuan takes home free medicines after his medical check-up.

“Napansin ko na kahit malakas ako kumain, namamayat ako at nanghihina. Nalaman ko na may diabetes na po ako. Pero hindi pwedeng pabayaan ko ang sarili ko. Hindi pwedeng maging tamad ako dahil may sakit ako. Kung tamad po ako mamasada, wala kaming pangaraw-araw at gagastushin pambili ng gamot. Dahil magastos po magpagamot, kadalasan po akong pumunta sa city health office para sa lahat ng aking checkups. Ngayon, nataon pong nalaman kong mayroon medical mission dito sa SM City Tuguegarao. Ang kinikita ko sa pamamasada ang ginagamit ko at ng pamilya ko para sa aming pangangailangan. Kaya mahalaga sa akin ang aking kalusugan. Ang magandang pangangatawan ang nagbibigay sa akin ng lakas para mas lalo pang pagsumikapan ang pamamasada. Pero bilang tricycle driver, hindi namin maiiwasang magkasakit dahil usok ang kasabayan namin sa pamamasada. Kaya malaking tulong ang libreng check-up sa ang libreng gamot mula sa SM Foundation. Malaking tulong ito dahil kahit papaano, hindi ko muna iisipin ang pang gamot ko.” ~Roland Bariuan, a tricycle driver in Tuguegarao City since 1994

Determined to care for his health, he goes to the city health office for his routine checkups. The same drive to boost his health is also what led him to SM group’s medical mission, led by SMFI:

Through the medical mission, he received free consultation, blood tests, x-ray, and medicines–services that would break the bank if he had it done elsewhere. With the assistance extended to him, he had his scheduled checkup without worrying about the finances and even managed to put aside money originally allotted for medicine and laboratory tests.

• Making quality healthcare attainable

Roland’s fellow resident from Cagayan Valley, Angeline Cacanindin, knows full well the need to maintain a healthy body, for this is her tool to fulfill her duty as a house helper. She also believes that this is what her children can rely on as they strive in school.

However, her youngest daughter has been complaining about a toothache, which was already interfering with her nutrition and attendance in school.

When she heard about SMFI’s medical mission in SM City Cauayan, she immediately brought her daughter for a checkup. Here, her daughter’s tooth was extracted. She also received free paracetamol, antibiotics, vitamins apt for her child’s age, and dental hygiene tips from volunteer dentists.

Angeline Cacanindin (rightmost) hold the hand ofher daughter during the tooth extraction.

“Butas na po ang mga ngipin niya. Kaya tuwing kumakain po siya, pumapasok ang kanin at nasasaktan siya. Hindi na rin po siya makapag focus sa school dahil sa sakit. Nito lang po, tumawag po ang teacher niya at sinabing umiiyak po ang anak ko per hindi umiimik. Nung kinausap ko po siya, nalaman kong sobrang sakit na po ng ngipin niya. Umiyak din po ako dahil ramdam ko ‘yung sakit. Hindi ko siya agad madala sa dental clinic dahil nasa trabaho po ako at mahal din po ang magpabunot. Ang medical mission na ito ay malaking tulong kasi libre po serbisyo pati ang mga gamot. Ngayon po, makakapagsimula muli kaming subaybayan ang kalusugan ng aming anak para maganda po ang kinabukasan niya.” ~Angeline Cacanindin

Through the ongoing medical missions of SMFI, many economically disadvantaged individuals like Roland and Angeline get lifelines–an intervention that provides immediate relief to those in need and a chance to access medical care and resources that are often unavailable or unattainable.

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Sinag Schools program powers up school in Batangas

SM Foundation and Maxeon Solar Technologies formally held the community launch of the Sinag Schools Program at Lemery Pilot Elementary School in Batangas.

SM Foundation (SMFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of the SM group, together with Maxeon Solar Technologies, recently powered up the Lemery Pilot Elementary School (LPES) in Batangas through the Sinag Schools program.

This social good collaboration between SMFI and Maxeon aims to provide clean and renewable energy to schools in grassroot communities by installing solar panels on an SM school building, especially to those that have low operating expenses.

SM Supermalls employee volunteers led the distribution of donations from SM Foundation to the students of Lemery Pilot Elementary School.

In addition to the solar panel installation which intends to power positive change in the way energy is consumed in public schools, the program also aims to enhance the understanding of students in terms of energy management and the need to transition to cleaner energy alternatives with lower environmental impacts.

“Through this program, we want to power up the learning and development of young people. We want to help teach young people about solar energy, about renewable energy. We want to power up the next generation to help save our planet. We have this concept of powering positive change in the world. We are happy to be working together with SM Foundation to power up the Lemery Pilot Elementary School. Individually, we can do so much. But together we can do actually more. For us to bring our solar technology and SMFI to bring in their schools, these things are much better together than they would be apart.” ~Glenn Everett, Maxeon Fab4 General Manager

The SM school building at the LPES, which was donated by SMFI in partnership with SM Prime Holdings (SMPH) in 2017, now boasts 21 solar panels—estimated to produce 6510 watt-p. With the savings on electricity, the school may realign their budget to more efforts and other innovations that will give the students an environment more conducive to learning.

It takes a village to raise a child

SMFI Executive Director Debbie Sy underscored the importance of collective efforts in advancing the learning experience of every student in the country: 

“We believe that collaboration can drive growth and become a force for good in addressing societal challenges. CSR partnerships can create solutions that improve society by fostering learning, promoting innovation and gaining access to new technologies, such as the Sinag schools program. CSR collaboration can pool resources, both financial and human resources - between multiple organizations which can amplify social good impact. The establishment of an ever-evolving CSR strategy and partnerships will help companies and non-government organizations in developing and implementing crucial social good programs over decades while having procedures in place that integrate social and environmental priorities into CSR core strategy – all in close collaboration with stakeholders.” ~Debbie Sy, SMFI Executive Director

Moreover, Everett mentioned how SMFI and Maxeon share the similar set of values and interest when it comes to helping Filipino learners.

Spreading social good all the way

SM Foundation made sure to truly touch the lives of the learners and teachers of LPES as it donated eight desktop computers, 200 bags with school supplies, and more than 160 pcs brand new kinder and elementary books to further promote the love for reading among the students. Clothing items for parents were also distributed.

For more information about this initiative, follow SM Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube: @SMFoundationInc.

Through the Sinag Schools program, SMFI and Maxeon installed 21 solar panels— estimated to produce 6510 watt-p—on an SM school building in Batangas.

Through the Sinag Schools program, SMFI and Maxeon installed 21 solar panels— estimated to produce 6510 watt-p—on an SM school building in Batangas

Maxeon is headquartered in Singapore. The company designs, manufactures, and sells Maxeon® and SunPower® brand solar panels. Maxeon has sales operations in more than 100 countries, operating under the SunPower brand in certain countries outside the United States. Maxeon is a leader in solar innovation with products that span the global rooftop and solar power plant markets through a network of more than 1,700 trusted partners and distributors. A pioneer in sustainable solar manufacturing, Maxeon leverages a +35-year history in the solar industry and numerous awards for its technology.

SM Foundation, through its School Building Program, is an active partner of DepEd’s Adopt-a-School program. This social good initiative aims to promote quality public education by building classrooms nationwide. To date, it has turned over more than 100 school buildings to grassroots communities.