By Pinky Concha Colmenares
“Operation Better World” which provided communities access to clean water, and Driving Skills for Life which educated drivers with new skills, and a tree planting project with Haribon Foundation were the three corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects judged most outstanding and were recognized with the Platinum Driven To Serve Awards last Wednesday, March 7.
The second Driven To Serve Awards, an annual project of the Society of Philippine Motoring Journalists, recognizes CSR projects which have made the most impact on communities through four categories — road safety, community development, environment and education and training.
DRIVEN TO SERVE — The Platinum Driven To Serve (DTS) Awards recognizes Ford Motor Philippines’ corporate social responsibility programs ‘Operation Better World’ and ‘Driving Skills For Life’ with Ford Vice President for Corporate and Government Affairs Josephine Gonzales and Managing Director Bert Lessard (third and fourth from left, respectively) receiving the award last Wednesday at the Yuchengco Museum in Makati City. Also in photo are (from left) Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., honorary chairman and treasurer of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Administration and Finance Dante M. Lantin, Southeast Asia Region Clorox Company President and General Manager Marites T. Dagdag, and Society of Philippine Motoring Journalists (SPMJ) President Pinky Concha Colmenares, executive editor of the Manila Bulletin. (Manny Llanes)
The top CSR projects in this year’s awards are projects of Ford Motor Philippines, who bagged two Platinum DTS awards with its “Operation Better World” in the community development category, and “Driving Skills For Life,” in the Road Safety category.
Honda Philippines’ “Tree Planting with Haribon Foundation’s Road to 2020” was adjudged the Platinum awardee in the environment category. Honda also brought home two Silver awards for Road Safety and Education and Training.
Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation’s two projects — Adopt-A-Forest and Medical and Dental Outreach Program — each was recognized with the Gold DTS Award for Environment and Community Development. TMP also took home a third DTS trophy for its “Pasiglahin ang Estudyanteng Pinoy Feeding Program” which was given the Silver award.
Isuzu Philippines Corporation’s two projects — the Tree Planting at Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve and the Knowledge Sharing partnership with the Jacobo Gonzales Memorial School — were each awarded the Silver trophy.
Other outstanding CSR projects were: In Road Safety, Volkswagen Philippines’ Child Safety Initiative Campaign was given the Gold award.
In Community Development, the Gold award was given to Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI) for its Rainwater Harvesting System which now provides drinking water to residents of a barangay in Tanay; Mitsubishi Motors Philippines’ Reading Literacy program, and Lexus Manila, Inc.’s Donations to Children’s Hour were recognized with the Silver award.
Bermaz Auto Philippines, the exclusive distributor of Mazda cars here, was cited for its Motorsports Development Program in partnership with the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP).
The DTS Awards is supported by the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., Petron, Yuchengco Museum, Vista Residences, Prestone Motor Oil.
The board of judges is composed of Rodrigo E. Franco, president and chief executive officer of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp.; Michael M. Alba, president of Far Eastern University; Marites Tejero Dagdag, president and general manager of the Southeast Asia Region Clorox Company; Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., honorary chairman and treasurer of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Dante M. Lantin, Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Administration and Finance; and Enrique Da Rosa, veteran marketing practitioner and professor at De La Salle University.
The organization behind the DTS is the Society of Philippine Motoring Journalists (SPMJ), a group of motoring journalists well-known in broadcast, print, radio and digital media. Its founding chairman is Ray Butch Gamboa of Sunshine Television. This year’s president is Pinky Concha Colmenares of Manila Bulletin.