BDO donates land to build skills training center for rural families

MANILA, Philippines - Banco de Oro, through BDO Foundation, has donated a 4,000-square meter land in Barangay Mankilam, Tagum, Davao del Norte to put up a skills training center for rural households to acquire new skills for added income opportunities. The appraised value of the donated property is P3.52 million while the center, once completed, will cost P25 million.

This is the second such center put up by the partnership of BDO Foundation with the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development-Mutually Reinforcing Institution (CARD-MRI), a successful microfinance institution with over 1.4 million members, mostly self-employed women involved in animal farming, tricycle operation, roadside eateries and some working as tailors, vendors and store keepers.

BDO Foundation has likewise been actively financing microfinance projects and small business ventures in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

The CARD-MRI was formed to help landless farmers in Laguna, in the vicinity of San Pablo (where its founder, Dr. Alip hails from). Alip’s expertise is in farm development.

Because of CARD-MRI’s success, it expanded and has become an NGO to encourage people without access to financing to get into livelihood development.

The first venture of the partnership was the construction of the three-story BDO Foundation Micro Finance Center in Barangay Tranca, Bay, Laguna which is now being used by CARD-MRI Development Institute for training and education programs.

The deed of donation between BDO, through the BDO Foundation and CARD MRI Development Institute, Inc. was signed recently at the BDO Corporate Center.

Signatories were Nestor V. Tan, BDO president; Corazon S. de la Paz-Bernardo, BDO vice-chairperson and BDO Foundation Board of Trustee and Dr. Enrique L. Navarro, Institute Director of CARD MRI Development Institute. Witnessing the signing were HR Director of CARD MRI Development Institute, Deverna T. Briones and Managing Trustee of BDO Foundation, Maureen C. Abelardo.