Three years after super typhoon Yolanda hit Leyte, efforts to help the Visayan province recover from the destruction continue to come in—and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) joins the legion of supporters to help the hard-hit area get back on its feet.
TPB employees recently visited Leyte as part of its corporate social responsibility program.
TPB started their outreach program by bringing cheer to the orphaned and underprivileged children from the Social City Welfare, as well as the elderly from the Pope Francis Complex Center for the Poor. They donated school supplies, toys, books, canned goods, toiletries and clothes to children and elderly.
To help in protecting the coasts of Leyte from another fortuitous event, TPB employees also planted mangroves along the shores.
To cap off their charitable mission, they visited some of Leyte’s tourist attractions, such as the Sto. Niño Church, Palo Church, Sto. Niño Shrine and Museum, San Juanico Bridge, MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park and the Leyte Provincial Capitol.
They also visited M/V Eva Jocelyn, one of 17 cargo ships that was washed ashore by the storm surge during typhoon Yolanda from the waters of the Port of Tacloban City to a side of a hill in Barangay 37 which was turned into a monument and a mini-park; and the Tzu Chi Great Love Village in Palo, a Taiwanese Buddhist foundation which provides livelihood and shelter for the victims of the typhoon.
“Apart from promoting the country’s wonderful tourist spots, we at TPB are also committed to help communities and preserve the environment. We hope that in our humble efforts, we not only protect our natural wonders, but more importantly, uplift the spirits of our fellow Filipinos,” says TPB Chief Operating Officer Domingo Ramon Enerio III.
TPB’s visit to Leyte is the 2nd leg of its CSR program this year, which started in Occidental Mindoro and will conclude in Palawan. They also had similar activities in Boracay, Bohol and Camiguin last year.
By setting an example, TPB’s charitable works hope to inspire not just its employees, but also other agencies and the general public to help the country in restoring its beauty and making the Philippines more fun.