PBSP launches Project New Dawn

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), together with its 250-plus member-companies and partners, recently launched Project New Dawn, a collective response to help rebuild the lives of Typhoon Yolanda survivors in the Visayas.

Project New Dawn aims to restore vital infrastructure and services in the sectors of Health, Education, the Environment, Livelihood & Enterprise Development and Shelter (HEELS).

The project has two main components: the Social Investments Portfolio which lists all the intervention packages available to help rebuild devastated areas; and a Collective Impact Site (CIS) which will bring the entire HEELS program to the municipalities of Bantayan, Sta. Fe, Madridejos and Daanbantayan in Northern Cebu.

According to Madridejos Mayor Salvador dela Fuente, “We need to repair our health centers and schools, plant more mangrove trees and provide livelihood opportunities to our constituents.”

PBSP needs to raise P160 million to help the affected families restore their health centers, schools and learning facilities, plant new mangrove trees, jumpstart livelihood and rebuild their homes.

Mangrove reforestation along the shorelines of coastal communities will help reduce the impact of storm surges while at the same time restore the breeding and spawning grounds for various kinds of marine life.

“Currently, PBSP has P80 million to bankroll the programs under Project New Dawn in Northern Cebu, but we need to raise another P80 million to finance the holistic rehabilitation of these towns,” said Rafael Lopa, executive director of PBSP.

Immediately after typhoon Yolanda struck, PBSP member-companies and partners conducted relief efforts and early recovery programs. But PBSP realized that its initial efforts to bring relief in Visayas fell short of meeting the holistic rehabilitation of basic services and livelihood.

“Project New Dawn is a collective response to the long-term rehabilitation needs of the Visayas region,” said Antonio Aboitiz, PBSP trustee from Cebu.

During the launch, PBSP member-companies and other partners made initial pledges to support the installation of potable water systems, repair and equip health stations, set up corn seedling facilities and support for various other programs.

PBSP expects it will take up to 18 months to lay the foundation for the full recovery of these towns. For more information, visit www.pbsp.org.ph/newdawn .