Catalyst of change
FOR more than two decades now, Sun.Star Davao Publishing Inc. has lived up to its vision and mission not only as a source of reliable information, but also a catalyst of change in the lives of the people and the environment through the series of community services it has initiated as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects.
General manager Tessie Alcoriza said the company is committed to translate its mission to reality beyond the four corners of the newsroom by serving the readers and consistently addressing the needs of the community it covers through outstanding journalism and its project called the Project Helping hands.
“We really serve the community and provide what they need. It may not be that big, but we know that we have contributed and helped those people especially those in the uplands, places that are hard to reach by the government services,” Alcoriza said.
Last June, in light of the opening of the new school year, Sun.Star Davao distributed school supplies and hygiene kit to selected schools in Davao Region situated in the hinterlands which are less accessible to government services. The company also focused on Indigenous People (IP) students from preparatory, grade school and high school who are underprivileged and whose parents could hardly afford to buy their kids the needed learning materials.
As part of its annual Brigada Eskwela project, students from Sitio Upian, Barangay Marilog in Marilog District, Davao City; Camanlangan Elementary School in New Bataan, Compostela Valley and Tamia Elementary School in Compostela, Compostela Valley benefited from the project. The students expressed gratitude for the gift they received as manifested by the smile and excitement painted on their faces.
Alcoriza assured Sun. Star will continue to deliver notable efforts that would spark significant contribution for community development that will empower the communities.
She further added they have also donated assistance to Manuel L. Quezon Elementary School in Poblacion District and Los Amigos National High School in Tugbok to improve their schools facilities and beautify their classrooms to provide students a comfortable learning environment in the opening of the new school year.
Aside from that, Sun.Star Davao employees have also ventured in engaging to environment efforts to preserve the nature by partnering with the San Miguel Brewery (SMB) Inc. in its annual tree planting activity dubbed as Buhayin ang Kalikasan CSR program with 2,200 seedlings planted in the area of Asico, Kilometer 6.5 Matina Pangi, Davao City.
During the anniversary celebration of SunStar Superbalita Davao last July, several services were offered by the staff that aims to pamper its avid readers. Some of these are free haircut, manicure, pedicure, eye check-up and distribution of t-shirts, activities that have become annual community endeavors every Superbalita anniversary.
Meanwhile, the company has played an important role in developing the potentials and skills of students from different schools in Mindanao through the internship program it offers where it provides topnotch trainings to equip the students with enough knowledge on how to act on the field, write stories and among others.
“Student interns of Sun. Star Davao get a taste of the real professional life as a journalist because Sun. Star makes sure that interns get all the experience and introduction they need to supplement the theories they learn in school,” Sun.Star Davao Editor-in-Chief Stella Estremera said.
The company vowed to promote top-of-the-line trainings assitance that would give the students sufficient knowledge on their chosen field, expand their knowledge and to benefit from invaluable on-the-job experience.
“One thing Sun.Star makes sure of is that students are not made to make coffee nor file and type, as these activities are seen as a total waste of the students and Sun.Star's precious time,” she added.