FOR its efforts to keep the economy going, sustain and generate more livelihoods, and help Filipinos cope with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has been given the prestigious Global Excellence Award by the world business organization International Chamber of Commerce’s national committee in the Philippines.
The International Chamber of Commerce – Philippines (ICCP), conferred the award via Zoom. It was received by SMC Chief Finance Officer Ferdinand K. Constantino, who also delivered the acceptance message of SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang.
ICCP Founding Chairman Francis Chua, Honorary Chairman Jose T. Pardo, and Director General Jesus B. Varela, meanwhile led the organization in honoring SMC.
ICCP created the Global Excellence Award in 2016 to honor leaders whose efforts significantly impact economic growth, development, and competitiveness in the local and global business communities.
In his message, Ang paid tribute to all SMC employees who helped ensure the company could continue to provide essential products, services, and aid to Filipinos throughout the pandemic.
“From day one of the quarantine, I have seen so many of our employees go above and beyond the call of duty. They made sure food products were available in markets and more importantly, to our poor kababayans. They reported for work to make and deliver free disinfectant alcohol from our facilities. They took care of running our power plants so that our medical front liners and hospitals could do their jobs of saving lives, and so millions of Filipinos could stay at home,” he said.
“They ensured our expressways and gas stations continued to run to transport essential personnel and products, and most of all… devoted time to support our efforts to help medical front liners, disadvantaged communities, our provinces, and cities. They made sure everything we could give was delivered with care and malasakit,” he added.
For its part, the ICC cited San Miguel for its “outstanding dedication in providing quality products and services that contrinute to the economic and social development of the Philippines”.
More importantly, the organization said, SMC has come up with “innovative solutions to keep the Philippine economy alive amidst the limitations imposed by the global pandemic”. These, they said, benefitted numerous Filipinos, from employees to micro-retailers.
It also cited SMC’s humanitarian efforts to provide relief for Filipinos while keeping the safety and health of its employees.
SMC’s total COVID-19 response has reached well over P13 billion to date, including donations of food, life-saving medical equipment such as RT-PCR testing machines and testing kits, fully-automated RNA extraction machines, high-flow cannula respiratory machines, personal protective equipment (PPE), among others. It has also launched major initiatives to help various sectors of society, including farmer and the urban poor.
“To my friends and colleagues in the business community, our country needs us now more than ever. Our economy is down, our businesses are suffering. But more of all, Filipinos are suffering. If there’s anything you can do to help, or make the situation of people are you better, please do so,” Ang said in his message.
He also expressed hope that other big business would continue to help the economy by investing more and going “all in” for the country, because “we cannot afford for our country to fail.”
He cited SMC’s upcoming major investments, in particular, its Manila International Airport project in Bulacan, seen to generate millions of direct and indirect jobs, and pump the single-largest investment in history — P734 billion — into the Philippine economy.
He expressed confidence that the Philippines would recover.
“By the time this airport is complete, this pandemic would have been far behind us. It will be a new world, with new realities. But it would be one where we all have a better fighting chance, because of our efforts today,” he said.
“The Philippines will be better and stronger. Let’s make the sacrifices of so many Filipinos today count—by doing our part in building a better future,” he closed.
