In line with its commitment to sustainability and quality education, Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. (PCPPI) partnered once again with the Department of Education to support the latter’s annual Brigada Eskwela program through nationwide, week-long activities.
Almost 500 PCPPI volunteers rendered a total of 2,462 hours to local communities.
“Taking care of the communities that support our trade is part of our core commitment to sustainability. Now equipped with our new three-pronged sustainability framework on Water Stewardship, Circular Economy, and Inclusive Business, we expand our efforts in promoting effective resource management and our green advocacy to contribute to the mutual growth of both these communities and all of our operations,” said PCPPI corporate affairs and communications senior manager Monique Castro.
A total of 27 schools from the surrounding communities of PCPPI’s 14 business units nationwide benefited from the company’s community investment worth almost a million pesos.
For its 2019 initiative, PCPPI supplied safe drinking water for students by donating high-grade drinking fountains to five schools surrounding their Modern Trade Operations, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog Region, Cebu, and Davao offices.
Recipient schools included Muntinlupa Elementary School, San Agustin Integrated Elementary School, and Doña Tiburcia Carpio Malvar Elementary School in Luzon; Cebu’s Tulay National High School; and Talomo Elementary School in Davao.
PCPPI also promoted hygiene and sanitation by conducting proper handwashing demos as well as donating handwashing facilities with hygiene kit sets for 1,280 students. The school beneficiaries were Marcos Elementary School near the company’s North Luzon facility, Echague National High School in Cagayan Valley, and Tanauan National High School in Leyte.
Committed to its mission of doing sustainable business, PCPPI also championed Circular Economy practices through solid waste management trainings for parents and students. The trainings were conducted at F. De Mesa Elementary School, Muntinlupa Elementary School, and Diezmo Elementary School.
“This year’s Brigada Eskwela extended our involvement with the students by reaching out to their parents and teachers. We wanted to impart to them lasting lessons on sustainability that they can continue to put into practice at home or in school,” said Castro.
On top of this, the company promoted recycling and upcycling by turning over a greenhouse made of PET bottles to Echague National High School in Cagayan Valley, 50 modified water sprinklers in Bacolod, and 54 trash bins to the schools covered by its Metro Operations Services, Modern Trade office, Northern Luzon, Central Luzon, and Davao operations.
In support of better education for the local communities, the bottling firm donated a total of 17,200 notebooks and 275 sets of school supplies for students.
“We wanted to get more communities on board with our sustainability efforts to maximize its reach. We are confident that through these, our stakeholders can help us influence and encourage more Filipinos to partner with us so that together we can make a lasting difference,” concluded Castro.
