As an organization, Robinsons Land Corporation has long taken pride in its dedication to create a better future for the communities where it operates.
Prime examples of this commitment toward making Filipinos’ lives better include the establishment in 2011 of the Lingkod Pinoy Center, a common fixture at various Robinsons Malls that make essential government services more accessible to citizens; the launch in 2016 of the RLove corporate social responsibility program, which focuses on philanthropy, volunteerism, and partnerships; and, more recently, the establishment of Robinsons Land Foundation, Inc. in 2020.
A non-stock, non-profit organization, RLFI develops sustainable programs in four focus areas: community development, health and nutrition, emergency response (relief operations), and child welfare and education. Through the foundation’s programs, Robinsons Land is able to create meaningful opportunities that uplift local communities.
Barely three years into its existence, RLFI has reached a new milestone, having been recently accredited by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification. As the designated accrediting entity for nongovernmental organizations in the country, the PCNC’s mandate is to ensure that these entities meet established standards for good governance and management, and demonstrate compliance with existing regulatory requirements.
“To be certified by the PCNC means so much for us as this proves we have met the criteria for financial management and accountability in the service of underprivileged Filipinos,” said Huey E. Silo, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager of Robinsons Land.
Another significant aspect of the PCNC accreditation is that RLFI donors are now entitled to either a full or limited tax deduction on their donations, and are exempt from paying a donor’s tax as stipulated in the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.
“With the certification, RLFI is even more inspired in accomplishing our planned projects for this year,” added Silo.
Health and Nutrition
This April, RLFI is spearheading the R Gift of Health program in Barangay San Miguel in Pasig City. It will provide free consultations, free medicines prescribed by the medical mission's doctors, health and wellness talks, free medical screening packages, and registration into Southstar Drug’s Medsubscribe Program.
The pilot medical mission, held in partnership with Southstar Drug, will be the basis for implementing similar programs in other LGUs nationwide this year.
Child Welfare and Education
RFLI’s Food for Thought Feeding Program, which is held in tandem with the Giving Hope Foundation, aims to fill the nutrition gap of over 100 undernourished students of Ilugin Elementary School in Pasig to help them perform better academically. The project was initiated in November 2022 and is set to conclude by June 2023.
A similar program, which runs from September 2022 to September this year, supports a feeding program for 40 undernourished kindergarten students in Antipolo City. Conducted in partnership with Thrive, a non-profit organization dedicated to delivering healthy food to hungry children, the program benefits students of City Gates Academy Antipolo, a non-profit educational institution providing free pre-school and elementary education to children from indigent families in Barangay Bagong Nayon.
Together with the Department of Education, RLFI is set to launch Brigada Eskwela, which will provide selected schools with cleaning and painting materials, equipment, furniture, school supplies, and more. The foundation will also provide volunteers for the cleaning and repainting activities in preparation for the opening of classes.
Community Development
Starting this month, RLFI will partner with St. Paul University Quezon City in the Social Incubator for Opportunities and Enterprise Development in the Localities (SIBOL) livelihood program, which will benefit members of the Barangay Tatalon Nanay Power Cooperative.
The six-month project is set to provide 50 mothers from Barangay Tatalon with formal entrepreneurial skills training and immersion opportunities, assistance in establishing access to distribution channels and potential markets for their products, and seed capital for their livelihood programs.
In May, RLFI will provide three RLove Food Carts to Eco-Waste Association La Union, a group of 65 local residents displaced by COVID who now work as waste segregators in the city’s sanitary landfill facilities.
Through the assistance of the Local Government of La Union, these residents were provided with a garden area to grow food crops. With the donated RLove Food Carts, the group's members will now be able to go around their community to sell the harvested produce.
Also aligned with this project, Robinsons Malls donated materials for the construction of a 77-square-meter shed for the Eco-Waste Association’s use.
Emergency Response
This month, RLFI is donating cash for the renovation of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary's SPED Learning Center, which was destroyed by Typhoon Odette. The donation will be used for construction materials and to hire workers to renovate the learning center for students with neurodevelopmental disorders.
“Apart from all these activities, RLFI also hopes to provide emergency assistance to communities that will be affected by calamities. The lingering effects of unexpected emergencies and disasters are different for every community and we hope to contribute initiatives to reduce stress and speed up recovery time, so the community can get back to life and work much sooner,” said Silo.
For more information about Robinsons Land Foundation, visit robinsonslandfoundation.com
