“When the nation went into lockdown, Better World Tondo immediately became a lifeline”
THIS month, San Miguel Corporation’s maiden Better World community center—Better World Tondo—marks its sixth anniversary.
Located along Mel Lopez Boulevard in Manila’s largest district, the center is a repurposed idle beer warehouse transformed in 2019 into a hub for food security, education, and community empowerment.
It seemed providential that its establishment came just months before the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020.
When the nation went into lockdown, Better World Tondo immediately became a lifeline—serving hot meals and distributing food packages to thousands of residents who faced both hunger and uncertainty.
A Vision Rooted in Compassion
San Miguel Corporation Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang recalls that when the San Miguel Foundation launched Better World Tondo, the goal was straightforward: to feed the hungry, care for families with less, and give back to the community where he himself spent many years of his youth.
The flagship programs of Better World Tondo reflect this vision.
Families are provided free weekday meals and monthly groceries, while children receive after-school tutorials through partner organization AHA! Learning Center.
Beyond feeding bodies, the center nurtures young minds, helping children improve academically and regain focus despite the daily struggles of poverty.
Then and incumbent Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, a son of Tondo, was present during the center’s inauguration in 2019.
“We are thankful that there are companies in the private sector, like San Miguel, who are ready to help the government in its effort to improve the lives of the people,” he said, stressing that hunger is often the first barrier to learning.
Partnership and Volunteerism
At the heart of Better World Tondo is the concept of sharing: businesses and individuals contribute excess food, which is collected, stored, and cooked by volunteers for distribution to families in need.
Partners include Rise Against Hunger-Philippines, food manufacturers, hotels, restaurants, convenience stores, and major supplier San Miguel Foods.
This model not only fights hunger but also rescues food that would otherwise go to waste.
Since 2019, the center has rescued 765,000 kilos of food, cutting nearly 500 tons of carbon emissions in the process.
Along the way, it has promoted a culture of volunteerism, as community members themselves help cook, distribute meals, and keep the center running.
More than Meals: A Community Transformed
Better World Tondo’s story is one of steady growth. From a humble soup kitchen, it has expanded into a holistic community hub:
- 580,000 meals served
- 385,000 families assisted
- 100,000 grocery packs distributed
- 1,400 children provided with tutorials and educational support.
The center has also witnessed milestones of human dignity. In 2023, it hosted a Kasalang Bayan where 14 couples, long denied the chance of a legal union, were married in ceremonies supported by SMC employees and the Manila city government.
Recognition soon followed. In 2024, Better World Tondo earned honors at the Pinnacle 16th Annual Global CSR and ESG Summit and Awards, underscoring its role in community and women empowerment.
Part of a Bigger Movement
Better World Tondo is the pioneer of SMC’s Better World Communities, which now include:
- Better World Cubao – a women’s center for health and wellness, now with 600 members.
- Better World Smokey Mountain – an upskilling hub offering sewing, leather craft, embroidery, and electronics repair training.
- Better World Diliman – supporting farmers through access to markets and resources.
Caring, Sharing, and Sustaining Hope
Reflecting on its sixth anniversary, RSA shared: “We have seen children not only nourished but also learning, parents worrying less, and neighbors looking out for one another. That’s what keeps this place alive.”
Better World Tondo stands as a living example of what can be achieved when businesses, communities, and individuals share their blessings and work together.
It reminds us that in the face of crises and challenges, the most sustainable solutions are rooted not just in resources but in compassion and solidarity
(The author, president/chief executive officer of Media Touchstone Ventures, Inc. and president/executive director of the Million Trees Foundation Inc., a non-government outfit advocating tree-planting and environmental protection, is the official biographer of President Fidel V. Ramos.)
