CALAPAN CITY, Philippines – Some 100 Mangyan families in remote and depressed communities in Victoria and Naujan towns in Oriental Mindoro, who had no access to electricity, received free “solar-powered” lanterns from a private company and a non-government organization (NGO) under a humanitarian/corporate social responsibility program.

The Energizer Philippines and the One Million Lights (OML), an international NGO, had teamed up to give the indigenous families living in Sitio Loyal, Brgy. Villa Cerveza in Victoria and Sitio Belen Uno, Brgy. Balite in Naujan solar-powered lamps.

The distribution of lanterns is part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of Energizer Phils., and international commitment of OML to provide people living in depressed areas and in need of light to brighten their living places. Here in Oriental Mindoro, the company and the OML-Philippines achieved their mission of providing free lights to at least 100 families living in the remote areas.

The joint project also aims to increase awareness and knowledge of Filipino beneficiaries the importance of having safe and useful lighting system as against using the traditional but unsafe or delicate oil lamp and candles.

According to Joan Mendoza, brand manager for Energizer Phils., the activity was undertaken through the company’s campaign “Spreading Positive Energy”, designed to cut the beneficiaries’ expenses in buying and using traditional or conventional lanterns which may cause fire.

In coordination with private groups Rotary Club of Victoria, Speedtech Schick, Bankee and Caritas Filipinas, Energizer and OML teams distributed for free a total of 400 solar-powered lamps to about 100 beneficiary-families there. The lamps were manufactured by Energizer.

The founder and country head for OML – Phils., Mark Benjamin Y. Lozano, expressed gratitude to Energizer for the company’s continuous support to the group’s mission of bringing solar-powered lights to one million people in the Philippines.

Besides the Philippines, the lamps, which are imported from the United States, are also distributed to other countries such as Argentina, Kenya and Ethiopia. – Juancho Mahusay

*Article first published at the Philippine Star