Coca-Cola, TESDA light up Tacloban’s streets

MANILA, Philippines - It’s Christmas time once again in Tacloban after a year of misery and darkness.

Residents of the city are in the mood to celebrate the joyous season after slowly picking themselves up from the massive devastation caused by Super Typhoon Yolanda in November last year.

To help spread the yuletide cheer among Taclobanons, Coca-Cola Philippines, in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), launched its most unique
holiday campaign by lighting up the streets of Tacloban and other areas in the country.

The first Coke parol (Christmas lantern) made from recycled materials was lit on Nov. 8, coinciding with the first anniversary of Yolanda.

“The Tacloban leg is most special to us because it also marks the realization of the commitment we made one year ago to help the city get back on its feet. We do not commemorate the onslaught of the typhoon. What we want to celebrate is the resiliency of the people,” said Adel Tamano, Coca-Cola vice president for public affairs and communications.

The parol lighting was part of the beverage firm’s Sari-Saring Happiness Day, which tapped sari-sari store owners as the new icons of Coca-Cola Christmas.

The project aims to provide five million female sari-sari store and carinderia owners access to training and financing.

Tamano said the country has gone through a lot of challenges so their company wants to send a reminder that even with trials, some truths remain the same.

“The truth is we can all derive happiness from sharing and spending time with the communities and the people who matter to us,” he said.

“Share Sari-Saring Happiness Day is an entirely new way of celebrating the season. From the big lighting ceremonies that we usually hold in the city, we traveled to provinces and barangays and tapped the champions of our brand, the new icons of a unique Coca-Cola Christmas – your neighborhood sari-sari store owners,” added Coca-Cola Philippines vice president for marketing Jasmin Vinculado.

Coca-Cola mounted the campaign to recognize the women who light up communities, and at the same time, help drive sales to their businesses.

TESDA director Joel Villanueva said the project was in recognition of women’s crucial role not only at home but also in micro-enterprises.