Filinvest group’s CSR supports scholarship, environment projects
Over the past years, Filinvest Development Corporation (FDC) of the Gotianun family has emerged as one of the biggest diversified conglomerates in the Philippines. As this happens, the group is also growing in the space of corporate philanthropy.
And even for its corporate social responsibilities (CSR) projects alone, the listed group also managed to diversify — from education to environment.
"At FDC, each of our subsidiaries makes it a point to care for the communities where they are present. Common themes within the group include support for educational and environmental initiatives," the company said in its website.
For instance, FDC said it is now continuing its advocacy for education through Filinvest Corporate City Foundation, Inc. (FCCFI), which supports scholars under the Educational Research and Development Assistance (ERDA) Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Fr. Pierre Tritz of the Society of Jesus.
As of the school year 2017 to 2018, FCCFI already had 600 student beneficiaries, bringing to 4,965 the total number of scholarship grants endowed since 2004.
FDC was incorporated in the Philippines in 1973 and has since then evolved from businesses established by the Gotianun Family since 1955.
Presently, FDC's subsidiaries include Filinvest Alabang, Inc., Filinvest Land, Inc. (FLI), Chroma Hospitality, Inc. (CHI), Filinvest Hospitality Corporation, Seascapes Resorts, Inc., East West Banking Corporation, Pacific Sugar Holdings Corporation, FDC Utilities, Inc. (FDCUI), Filinvest Development Cayman Islands, and Countrywide Water Service, Inc., among others.
Also part of FDC’s CSR projects, employees of both FLI and FCDUI participated in Brigada Eskwela, a program implemented by the Department of Education nationwide to clean up public schools, making it safe and ready for students.
FLI also partnered with two educational institutions, Technical Institute of the Philippines and Jose Rizal University, to provide work immersion programs for their students.
In terms of environment efforts, FDC’s subsidiaries – FLI, FDCUI and the hotels – likewise participated in annual coastal clean-up programs where their respective employees helped to clean the shoreline in various locales.
FLI also has its annual Keep it Green tree-planting activity, while FDCUI committed to support a mangrove rehabilitation program in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental by providing a one-year maintenance and monitoring fund.
Meanwhile, FDC’s hotel group, through CHI, has an Anti-Plastic Pollution Program.
On top of these things, FDCUI has been supporting its host communities in Mindanao through developmental activities such as workshops and training sessions on various topics including entrepreneurship and disaster risk response.
As a corporation, FDC has been doing well too. During the first half of the year, the group reported a 19 percent growth in attributable net income to P6.1 billion.
The firm said its strong performance was backed by revenue growth of 14 percent, which was largely supported by its property, banking, and power businesses.