Pilipinas Shell Foundation marks 35 years of empowering communities

Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), the social arm of Shell Companies in the Philippines, celebrated its 35th anniversary recently. Since its establishment on August 19, 1982, PSFI has been managing social development programs ranging from education and skills development; health, sanitation and safety; livelihood and enterprise development; as well as environmental stewardship; access to energy; leadership enhancement and attitude development.

Cesar Buenaventura, the first Filipino CEO and Chairman of Shell companies in the Philippines who helped founded the organization some 35 years ago, said that the idea for putting up PSFI sprung from the establishment of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) in 1970. PBSP is the largest business sector-led social development organization in the country that is committed to poverty reduction.

Buenaventura, who had been a part of the PBSP for 10 years, said that the PSFI’s main thrust is to enable the disadvantaged to become productive and responsible members of society. “As they say, don’t give a man a fish; teach him how to fish,” he said. That marked the beginning – the beginning of Shell’s commitment to empower communities and fuel progress for the Filipino.

With 35 years of helping strengthen community systems, PSFI continuously contributes to the country’s sustainable development, upholding, at all times, Shell’s core values of honesty, integrity, and respect for people. Through its various programs all over the Philippines, PSFI has also contributed in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals adopted by world leaders in September 2015. To date, PSFI has touched more than 12 million lives. However, its mission is far from over. There are more needs to address, more partnerships to forge, and more lives to improve