FROM LEFT: Peter Angelo V. Perfecto, Vice President for Public Affairs, PHINMA Foundation Vice President; Pierry Paul Chua, Chief Operations Officer, Union Solar; Eduardo A. Sahagun, President and Chief Executive Officer, PHINMA Solar; and Edmund Alan A. Qua Hiansen, Deputy Group Chief Financial Officer, PHINMA.

The PHINMA Celebrity Golf Tournament is set to tee off at the Wack-Wack Golf & Country Club in Mandaluyong City on June 28, and it will be graced by several stars.

Among the celebrities expected to grace the event include Marlon Stockinger, Glydel Mercado, Drew Arellano, Amy Perez, etc.

This year's beneficiary is the Kapuso Foundation of GMA Network, a socio-civic organization organized by the GMA Network Inc. to facilitate social programs and outreach to the public, according to Eduardo A. Sahagun, president, and chief executive officer of PHINMA SOLAR.

"With professional and effective management as our distinctive edge, we aim to give communities, not only in the Philippines but wherever else we might find the need, improved access to the essentials of a dignified life," said Sahagun.

In May, the Union Galvasteel Corporation (UGC), a PHINMA subsidiary under its Construction Materials Group, supported GMA Kapuso Foundation in its project to construct a school building in disaster-stricken Binibitinan Elementary School in Polillo, Quezon. 

As part of PHINMA’s making lives better mission and in support of rehabilitation efforts for areas damaged by Typhoon Karding (Noru) last September, UGC donated high-quality roofing materials such as Durarib Prepainted Roofing, Pre-painted End Flashing, and Pre-painted Gutter for the construction of a two-classroom Kapuso type school building. 

“Importante sa atin na maka-provide tayo ng safe environment and classrooms for our children. Kaya importante talaga na when we build, we build strong,” Rikki Escudero-Catibog, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of GMA Kapuso Foundation, said in the news report that aired on 24 Oras.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 5. It was attended by key stakeholders, including Ms. Escudero Catibog, Mayor Angelique Bosque of the municipality of Polilio, and Maj. Gen. Roberto Capulong, Commander of the 2nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army. UGC was represented by its Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Mr. Derik Tabunar.

“Sa pamamagitan ng donasyong ito, hindi lamang kami nagbibigay ng matibay at pangmatagalang mga roofing materials para sa paaralan, kundi inaasam din naming makatulong upang maging mas maginhawa at matagumpay ang kalagayan ng mga mag-aaral at guro dito. Naniniwala kami na ang donasyong ito ay makakatulong sa mga inisyatibo sa pagtataguyod muli sa lugar ng Quezon na naapektuhan ng bagyong Noru at makakapagbalik ng normal na buhay sa mga taong nabiktima nito,” Mr. Tabunar said during the ceremony.

The classrooms to be built by GMA Kapuso Foundation will be able to withstand typhoon winds of up to 300 kph. With the high-quality roofing provided by UGC, these classrooms will not only ensure the safety of students and teachers during times of extreme weather but will also mitigate potential damage and the need for frequent repairs. By providing a resilient and secure learning environment, UGC and GMA Kapuso Foundation improve the well-being and educational continuity of the students.

The PHINMA Group, which includes UGC, is committed to making lives better, especially after calamities hit. With a wide and long-standing presence in far-flung areas, the Group is in a unique position to offer help that is tailored to the needs of the affected communities.

This developed as the Ramon V. del Rosario Siklab Awards or RVR Siklab Awards once again opened its nationwide search for young trailblazers who bring together sustainable entrepreneurship and nation-building efforts.

Following a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RVR Siklab Awards is ready to present the three winners for this year's search in July.

"The RVR Siklab Awards aims to recognize youth entrepreneurs aged 25 to 40 years old who demonstrate exceptional leadership in their respective fields through organizing and managing sustainable businesses, social enterprises, or self-initiated programs that uplift the lives of others," said Peter Angelo V. Perfecto, Vice President for Public Affairs.

Ramon R. del Rosario, Jr., PHINMA Chairman and CEO and RVR Siklab Awards Board of Judges co-chair, said: “The youth has and will always be a key component in building the foundations for a better future. If we want genuine social change to happen, the private sector should not proceed with business as usual. Businesses should empower, lead, and transform the next generation into good leaders and nation builders our country needs."

The 2023 Siklab search committee will recognize young and bright business leaders who pioneered positive change, exemplified exceptional leadership skills in their organization, maintained an entrepreneurial spirit and mindset, and embodied the ideals of the late Ambassador and PHINMA founder Ramon V. del Rosario (RVR): a leader, entrepreneur, and nation-builder at a critical time in Philippine history. 

He was an icon in both business and diplomatic service, having served as the first Filipino General Manager of IBM Philippines, the first Filipino Executive Vice-President of Philam Life, and ambassador to Canada, Germany, and Japan. 

The RVR Siklab Awards was launched as part of the PHINMA Group’s 60 years of making lives better celebration and to mark RVR’s 100th birth anniversary. 

It has recognized five exceptional individuals as its inaugural batch of awardees in 2019: JB Tan, co-founder of iVolunteer and The Good Store PH; Clarissa Delgado, co-founder and CEO of Teach for the Philippines; Edgar Elago, founder of Project Scholar, Project ADAMMS (Adopt a Mamanwa, a Manobo student), and Cooltura Couture; Gary Ayuste, founder of BEEngo Farm; and Melissa Yap, founder and executive director of Got Heart Foundation.

“This year, we hope to expand our search and connect with potential partners to be able to provide a wider platform for young entrepreneurs who have made a lasting impact in their own communities. PHINMA, in line with our business as a force of good advocacy, will continue to recognize the passion, dedication, and energy of our youth in working towards a better future for our country through the Siklab Awards,” Perfecto added.

The Ramon V. del Rosario Siklab Awards is a national search organized by PHINMA and DLSU Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business (RVRCOB) for young entrepreneurs who have made lives better for their communities through their work and shall ignite the spark for other young leaders to become positive changemakers of tomorrow. It seeks to honor individuals who are established leaders, who display an entrepreneurial spirit, who embody a passion to make lives better, and who have a proven commitment to nation-building.