ARC Refreshments Corp. Inc (ARC) has provided immediate relief assistance to its employees, business partners and communities where its manufacturing plants operate, the company said in a press statement Tuesday.
At the same time, it also extended the same benefits to frontliners and other sectors affected by the lockdown, which went into effect on March 16, following the rise of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.
Dubbed “Tulay ng Pangarap,” ARC’s new advocacy showcases the company’s resiliency amid the “New Normal” and highlights its environmental and sustainability efforts to solve pressing environment issues, it said in its statement.
These issues include plastic pollution, and the company has started engaging and empowering the community and key stakeholders to be part of the cause.
At the same time, ARC said it had launched “My Gulay Garden,” which promotes the use of recycled RC Cola PET bottles as plant containers to grow vegetables in urban areas.
This urban gardening program started with ARC employees.
Butch Aves, ARC Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, said: “We are happy to announce the launch of our ‘My Gulay Garden’ project to add to our government’s call towards food security amid the pandemic.
“Since more than a month ago, we have engaged all our plants nationwide to do waste composting and vegetable gardening utilizing our recycled PET bottles.
“All our personnel are also expected to learn from our project to be able to do the same in their homes.”
Meanwhile, ARC launched a digital training to teach their employees how they could reuse and recycle plastic bottles for their urban gardening project.
ARC said since most employees were working from home during the lockdown, they would have more time to pursue meaningful projects that would help them become self-sufficient.
It added ARC employees across the country underwent trainings on the methods of composting kitchen waste, yard waste, wastewater treatment sludge and all other biodegradable waste.
ARC employees started growing varieties of vegetables like tomatoes, eggplant, okra, sili, pechay, mustasa, and herbs like basil, peppermint, tarragon and java mint.
In its statement, ARC said it also encouraged its employees to be a movement in their own communities.
By setting an example of how to reuse and recycle plastic bottles for agricultural purposes, ARC employees can show their neighbors techniques and strategies on how to start their own
vegetable garden, harvest fresh food for their daily needs and develop a resilient and self-sufficient community, the statement said.