Urban Kamalig food empowers OSY

CEBU, Philippines - Three set menus for breakfast and another three sets for lunch and dinner that change weekly are offered at Urban Kamalig, another blossoming player in the social enterprise scene. But for a surprisingly minimal fee of P80 a set, you don't only experience a combination of healthy and real food items here, you also get to send an initial batch of 16 out-of-school youth (OSY) to a series of empowerment sessions and help them earn their P305-a-day allowance so they can sustain the daily grind while preparing to be sent back to school this June via sponsors.

At Urban Kamalig, along Morales Street (at the back of Harolds Hotel) in Barangay Kamputhaw, one can eat, drink, shop and live! Urban Kamalig is not just about food, it's about transforming lives.

The Alipe children - Gabby (chairman of the board and the vocalist of rock band Urbandub), Monica Enriquez (vice chairman of the board and general manager), Josh (director/vocalist of another rock band Sirens), and Sarah (director/a third-year Architecture student of the University of San Carlos) have been raised with the belief that they have been blessed so that they can be a blessing to others.

In their younger years, they have seen the family sponsor children of relatives and household staff so that these children can have an education. The family has also taken in other young people into their home, some temporarily until they can get back on their feet, and some, as in the case of three Italian siblings, as foster children. In October 2009, the family found a newborn baby girl outside their home in the bushes and has since made her part of the family.

These events inspired in them an advocacy to help other young people who have been disadvantaged by family circumstances, specifically out-of-school youth. Encouraged by their father to be entrepreneurs rather than mere employees, they established Urban Kamalig as a social enterprise, with the food delivery business as its business vehicle.

The first outlet opened in July 30, last year, with 16 OSY as beneficiaries, with the hope that two branches will be opened in Metro Cebu to further help those OSY on the 'waiting list.'

According to Mrs. Lollette Oliva-Alipe, managing director (HRD and Empowerment), it is at the five core beliefs of Urban Kamalig to invest in and empower the youth through education and/or training so that they will be productive. She supported this belief by quoting Psalm 144 which reads: "Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace. Our barns will be filled with every kind of provision."

"Kamalig is Cebuano for barn. We want it to be a place where we can all be filled both physically and spiritually, without having to resort to convert people to change religions," she said.

She cited that Urban Kamalig believes that the future indeed should belong to the youth. "It is the driving force in our purpose to transform and empower out-of-school youth - specifically those unable to continue their college education due to financial constraints - and give them a substantive second chance in becoming productive members of society by providing them with a means to earn within a food business, and by developing their talents, abilities, skills and knowledge through a continuing enabling and equipping training workshop."

The most exciting feature of their delivery service would be a group of attendants out to collect the bento boxes/delivery packs so you won't end up having a problem with disposal. This has not happened ever in any of the fast-food services in town.

This move is also embedded in Urban Kamalig's fourth core belief that the preservation of our environment, which is God's creation, is an integral part of doing business responsibly.

Follow them on Twitter and Like on Facebook to get your fill! Orders for a two-kilometer radius are handled by DSAs (delivery service associates) at 09052118777 (Globe) and 09235600777 (Sun). (FREEMAN)