SM IN 2018: RETAIL AND BEYOND
Everyday mall experiences in SM Supermalls are about fun shopping, dining, and entertainment — these also translate to meaningful endeavors that take place inside and outside the mall.
Throughout 2018, SM Supermalls in Davao made contributions to development and community building.
Education
Through the SM Foundation, SM accommodated deserving students from all over the region through a scholarship program. Fueled by Henry Sy, Sr.'s belief in education - that it is the best defense against poverty - the SM Foundation provides college and technical-vocational scholarship grants to help the youth achieve their dreams. Today, there are about over two dozens of scholars in Davao and a total of over 80 in Mindanao!
The nationwide National Children's Book Reading Day in SM created learning spaces outside school classrooms and engaged eager students in fun storytelling activities. Film festivals like the Japanese and Korean Films festivals also enrich the cultural experiences of the film loving youths!
Health
Apart from regular medical mission popups, SM also puts itself on the map by supporting public health centers through renovations and sustainable operations. Last June 2018, the SM Foundation refurbished a health station in the Talomo North District that caters to over 160,000 residents in an effort to provide a wide range of health services.
The SIR-1 Rural Health Station is the fourth health facility that the foundation has renovated in the Davao Region (and the 142nd in the country).
Observances like the National Autism Consciousness Week and National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week also take place in SM. These activities give the public a better understanding of persons with disabilities and help the mall — a place for fun and family — to be instrumental in spreading awareness and promoting positive change.
Environment
In celebration of SM's 60th anniversary, a new campaign that supports the government's Enhanced National Greening Program was launched this year. Dubbed as the 60,000 Trees: The AweSM Tree Count, the campaign taps communities and SM employee volunteers to plant 60,000 trees in the span of five years. The Upper Kibalang Agro-Forestry Farmers Association, Inc. is the Davao partner of this campaign, which launched last September.
Closing the loop is also an SM priority. The recurring Trash to Cash of SM makes recycling a habit, engaging community and households in proper waste disposal and management. Throughout 2018, over 38,000 kilos of trash have been sold to recyclers in SM Supermalls in Davao.
Apart from traditional environmental endeavors, innovative partnerships that highlight relevant discussions on biodiversity (Philippine Eagle Foundation's Wildlife is Here), environment (Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Green Film Fest) and agriculture (Department of Agriculture's Agritalk) are also written in SM's 2018 calendar and will be there in the years to come.