Tuesday, November 04, 2003
Caltex launches project
By Clara Mae Hortelano
DESIGNED to address the growing number of street kids and disadvantaged children in Western Visayas and other parts of the country, Caltex Philippines Inc. launched Caltex Fund Monday at the Calvary Chapel, Barangay Handumanan, Bacolod City.
The community project is one of the oil firm’s corporate thrusts, said Rebecca Alivio, vice president and general manager of Caltex Refining Division.
The project, in partnership with various non-government organizations, she added, has also been existing in Central Visayas and other select areas in Mindanao.
“We do not only see the problem of growing disadvantaged street children but we also formed part of a solution to address this problem,” said Alivio of the project, the latest recipient of which is Western Visayas.
The program offers formal and non-traditional education for disadvantaged children exposing them to practical courses such as automotive and electrical technology, practical electronics, crafts making, culinary arts and food preservation, said Alivio.
It aims to teach and equip them with skills that will free them from the life of poverty and the chance to build their own future.
Caltex will choose the recipient NGOs, which in turn will select those qualified to avail themselves of the scholarship assistance, skills training and livelihood grant.
“We want to arm these children the knowledge and skills to alleviate poverty,” Alivio said, adding they hope to make all these children as productive members of society.
Since it was created in 1999, the program already had a total budget of P22 million nationwide.
“It is our corporate thrust to give back social service to our consumers,” said Alivio.
Alivio added they allocated P2 million as an initial donation to the NGOs in Region 6.
For the region, Caltex has chosen eight NGOs endorsed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
These are the Holy Family Home Bacolod Foundation Inc., Home of Hope Inc., Calvary Chapel of Bacolod, Laura Vicuna Foundation, Center for Community Transformation, Bacolod City Task Force on Street, Iloilo City Task Force and Auxiliary Missionaries of the Assumption.
All the NGOs were chosen based on a thorough screening and evaluation with the assistance of the DSWD, said Alivio.
“God really has a way of reaching out to those in need. He made Caltex as an instrument in propagating His love and compassion and with this, we’re truly grateful,” said Rev. Joseph Rosmarino, director of the Calvary Chapel of Bacolod, and one of the recipients of Caltex Fund.
(November 4, 2003 issue)
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