PLDT-Smart Foundation launched today

The country’s top telecommunications network will be launching today the PLDT-Smart Foundation, its social outreach arm. Formerly known as the PLDT Foundation, the non-profit organization will focus on a lot of areas such as education, sports, community building, arts and culture, among many others. PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications have built several Gawad Kalinga villages in some of the poorest areas in the country, the first of which was in the slum area of Baseco in Tondo.

The PLDT-Smart Foundation is making use of its fiber-optic technology and wide reach to help out people in the most remote areas of the country through several programs such as disaster reduction and management, microfinancing which provides loans to micro-entrepreneurs through partner institutions, and even an MVP leadership series that gives world-class training to students with a lot of leadership potential. As a matter of fact, the Foundation even has a juvenile rehab center to help give a fresh start to children who are in trouble with the law.

Of course, a lot of the initiatives of the PLDT-Smart Foundation are all because of Manny Pangilinan, who will also be celebrating his birthday tonight with friends and close business associates. I have known Manny for many years, but I knew his father Doming Pangilinan even longer, who was president of the Traders Royal Bank under the same group of companies I worked for. Manny’s father worked his way up from messenger to the position of bank president, and his story is also one that could certainly serve as an inspiration for others.

Few are aware that Manny had to work hard for his education, getting scholarships from high school up to his MBA at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. A graduate of Ateneo’s Class ‘66, Manny credits his success to his father who instilled in him the value of discipline as well as the love for sports. That’s probably the reason why “MVP” is regarded as a “hero” by various sports associations – basketball, boxing, badminton – who have benefited from his generosity. Even Ateneo was also a recipient of the businessman’s generosity through a donation to the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health that is set to pioneer a program that produces “clinicians who are also public health specialists.”

There are many rich people in this country who don’t deserve to be rich. Many of them inherited their fortunes built by their ancestors and give nothing back to society and make their life more meaningful. But Manny, a wealthy person on his own, worked hard to be where he is today and has been unselfish in sharing his wealth especially to the underprivileged.

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I received a reaction from Ted Haresco, president of the R.T. Haresco Foundation, on our columns regarding outgoing Ambassador to South Korea Susan Castrence who was reportedly involved in a shoplifting incident at the Yongsan military base PX store. The story first came out at The Korea Herald saying an unnamed diplomat has been caught on camera trying to steal two items from the store. Subsequent stories identified the diplomat as Ambassador Castrence, who has denied the allegations. The Korea Herald, however, has stuck to its story, even running a statement from an OFW group that accused the DFA of covering up the incident and claiming they had direct information that a security camera clearly shows Ambassador Castrence took the items – a karaoke microphone chip and an expensive Gucci perfume.

Mr. Haresco, a personal friend of the Ambassador, believes that she is being maligned by these stories, saying the allegations are totally absurd. In his letter, Mr. Haresco pointed out that “Ambassador Castrence has supported the goals and objectives of Kasangga, an NGO directed towards assisting the marginalized community secure livelihood, financial assistance, employment generation, among other programs that the NGO espouses... Ambassador Castrence is also actively involved in our family foundation, Razon T. Haresco Foundation… She is also involved in the educational scholarships of children or murdered journalists and the undersigned has seen her work with passion and commitment… As a friend of many years, I believe it is my duty to rally behind a good person whose character is punctuated with integrity, loyalty, dedication to public service and love of country.”

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It’s good that Migs Zubiri has finally been proclaimed as the 12th winning senator. Perhaps now the Senators can buckle down to work and forget all the animosity and rancor that the previous election has undoubtedly generated. This early, there are already a lot of speculations that Opposition solons will give the young senator a hard time – but Migs is confident he can work well with the other senators regardless of party affiliations, considering that a number of them were his colleagues in Congress. It was good to see both Koko Pimentel and Migs Zubiri displaying such goodwill when the court finally announced its decision junking the petition of Koko for a temporary restraining order, which would have stopped the proclamation of Zubiri. Both Koko and Migs are capable young men, and both would have made good legislators. But unfortunately, as the popular saying goes – there can be only one – and it so happened that Migs edged out his rival on this one. I’m certain Migs will do well as a neophyte senator.

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