Manuel V. Pangilinan, head of the Philippine Business for Social Progress, has called on the business community to open more opportunities for livelihood and food production through agriculture for more people.
The PBSP, now on its 50th year, has been contributing to sustainable development and poverty reduction as the largest business-led NGO at the forefront of strategic corporate citizenship and business sector leadership. It has been helping to change the lives of Filipinos.
Pangilinan is the longest serving PBSP chair. PLDT Inc., the country’s largest integrated telco, of which he is president and CEO, is one of the active members since 1995.
“PBSP has evolved with the changing times and the changing landscape of the donor community,” Pangilinan said. Its role has become more meaningful as it became more deeply involved in education, livelihood, health and environment, its flagship programs, he said.
By focusing on poverty reduction, zero hunger and health and well-being programs, PBSP heeds the call of the United Nations to develop more sustainable solutions to societal problems.
“We are committed to providing jobs and livelihood. It is key to poverty reduction,” Pangilinan said.
“We are also determined to ensure consistent food production, especially during this pandemic. We have to map out sources of food supplies and manage the logistics of bringing the food to Metro Manila during crises.”
The organization under Pangilinan’s leadership is also at the forefront of the country’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. PLDT and the MVP Group continue to support frontline workers, as well as the government and its response teams by providing hospital and personal safety equipment.
“Our group is prepared to sponsor the procurement of vaccines – not only for our employees and their families but also for the patients in our hospital. We will use our network of hospitals to help deploy those vaccines,” Pangilinan said.
He has also committed to providing storage facilities for the vaccines through MetroPac Movers Inc., the logistics arm of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation.
