Berjaya backs GK in building communities
Berjaya Group founder and Malaysian philanthropist Tan Sri Dato Seri Vincent Tan returned to the Philippines recently to fulfill another commitment to the Gawad Kalinga cause.
Tan Sri and his children led the unveiling of the Berjaya Garden Restaurant and Culinary Center (BGRCC), a training facility that supports the GK Enchanted Farm’s role as an incubator-hub for the country’s growing social entrepreneurship.
Located in the GK Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan, the BGRCC is envisioned as one of the vital cornerstones of learning inside the farm – touted as the “first farm village university in Asia” – as it serves as the primary food center of the farm, catering to the 200,000 partners, entrepreneurs and students who visit the GK Enchanted Farm annually.
The food served in the restaurant is locally produced, sourced and processed, providing livelihood for local farmers. BGRCC is also a school- within- community where students and social entrepreneurs can develop their culinary skills and products.
The milestone marked the Malaysian conglomerate’s steady support for the GK mission. The Berjaya-GK collaboration started in 2012 when Tan Sri, through Berjaya Philippines Inc., pledged to contribute P300 million over three years to GK for the construction of houses for Filipinos affected by Typhoon Sendong and other natural calamities, as well as for poverty-stricken families across the Philippines. To date, Berjaya has successfully helped build 820 GK houses in 14 provinces.
What began as a shared vision to help victims of calamity has now expanded to bigger dreams of building a sustainable template through initiatives such as the BGRCC that create life-changing impacts on the poor and needy.
“I’m very pleased and deeply honored to be given the opportunity to join GK’s vision of creating sustainable community development in the Philippines. GK’s work is very commendable; many countries need GK. But I have to ask GK people to build communities faster; if they do, we would like to commit building 5,000 homes, from the original 3,000 units that were first committed. This is just to emphasize my admiration and support for GK. Truly, every one of us, rich or poor, can make a difference in their own ways. People should go out and help each other in reaching a common goal,” Tan Sri said.
In terms of spearheading projects that help the locals, Berjaya Philippines country head Paul Soo revealed one of Berjaya Group’s philanthropy highlights is its vital support for GK’s scholars.