Batangas townsfolk laud ceramic tile maker’s programs

STO. TOMAS, Batangas – Residents of this municipality lauded the commitment of Mariwasa Siam Ceramics Inc. (MSCI) to carry out various community programs such as annual medical and dental missions where indigent patients also get free medicines.

As part of its social and environmental commitment, MSCI has also partnered with Gawad Kalinga.

“Unlike other places where the people are apprehensive about the presence of big factories, people here have tremendously gained from Mariwasa’s assistance to the community,” said Wilfredo Jaban, who has worked for the company since 2003.

Jaban is only one of more than 500 Batangueños employed by MSCI.

“Now we don’t have to go to Manila and look for jobs. The company is very dedicated to its mission to uplift the lives of the people here,” said engineer Evans Frivaldo, who started as an ordinary employee in 1998 and is now assistant manager for operations.

As part of its community relations program, MSCI invites barangay officials to a yearly get-together with its management to discuss various development programs for the community.

This year, MSCI started its Neighborhood Smile Program where several families in the barangay where it operates were invited to see its operations first-hand.

“This is in line with the company’s commitment to the community where we operate. Our records show that we take our social and environmental responsibility seriously. Given the values such programs have created for our company, our products and our people, we will continue to move ahead to make improvements in all areas of our operations – production, quality assurance, research and development, human resources and social responsibility,” said MSCI president Surasak Kraiwitchaicharoen.

MSCI, a subsidiary of Siam Cement Group (SCG), is the biggest ceramic tile manufacturing company in the Philippines and is a joint venture of the Coseteng Group and SCG of Thailand.

Its plant sits on a 24-hectare land in Sto. Tomas town and has a capacity of 30,000 square meters of ceramic tiles per day.

In 2004, MSCI was given the Don Emilio Abello Energy Efficiency Special Award by the Department of Energy. In 2005 and 2006, it became the recipient of the Don Emilio Abello Energy Efficiency Outstanding Award.

The Laguna Lake Development Authority has given the company a “Blue” rating for its compliance with environmental standards and other regulatory requirements.

This recognition is only given to companies that meet the tough environmental standards set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for three straight years.