How do you envision your company contributing to the progress and welfare of the community in the future?
In our society today, business industry have been increasing and as we can see these businesses small or big contributed a lot to the development of one community or the country at large. Businesses brought a lot of changes in every aspect of human lives. For example, the way we live today is influenced by these businesses around us.
There are even businesses today who promote education, social advocacy, health and a lot of programs to help the people. But my question is, why are they doing these? Is it for gaining more profit? Or is it really what they want and made it as part of the goals of the company? Well, maybe the answer is either of the two or both...but for me, if my business will start to operate, I would really include in my goals and objectives the SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. But I would like to stress out to the people, that I have to do this, not because this is the trends or not because most businesses do the same but I have to do this because I want it and it is actually my goal to extend my help to other people eversince. I think this is the right time for me to do what really I wanted to do for others. Yes, as an Ateneans we are taught to be men and women for others but for me its not because we are taught by that, I have to do this social responsibility but honestly this is really me, the real me and that I really want to help. As I could remember once, when I was still in High school, I saw a little girl walking, wearing her unwashed uniform and I saw that she was sad and I knew that time, she didnt have any money as "baon" for school of which that situation really touches my heart and I even feel bad and sad to her. I said to myself that if I am just rich, I would really adapt that girl and give her a good life and good education, but unfortunately that time, I am still dependent to my parents and now I think this is the time to fulfill those aspiration to help other people.
Now, what then I have to do for my social responsibility. Well, in this matter if as business students we are taught to segment our market for better business condition, then I have also to segment my social responsibility. First, I will focus on the YOUTH: Why youth?It is because I believe that the future of our contry relies on their hands. So, in order to realize this dream or this aspiration, our youth must be given a higher priority or importance and this is by way of giving them better quality of education and providing them with recreational activities which will help them to get out of the bad influences around them.
So, how these youth can have an access to quality education?Well, I will make a scholarship program for those students who has potentials and skills. This scholarship program will give an access to deserving students for a quality education and of course I believe that they can only have a quality education only if they will enroll to schools or universities of which there is a high standard of quality education and so, I will enroll this qualified students to Ateneo because I do believed Ateneo is one of the best schools in the Philippines and since I am the product of the said school. The scholarship program is open for all students, so long as they are qualified to the said scholarship. In this way, I would be able to help those students who cannot able to pursue their education because of poverty and this program of mine would also develop the potentials of these students and someday somehow, which I really believe, they can use it for the betterment of our country.
My second target audience is those unproductive women in barangays who are just staying at home. I will also create a program for them and this program would focus on non-formal education in the field of entrepreneurship, business ethics, financial literacy and market economics. After having this non-formal, these women, could now have their knowledge on different fields taught to them and they can even have an extar-income by means of livelihood project. Then, in that way they can help their husbands in terms of financial.
Why I will focus to them?because I believe that these women, must be empowered and in that way they will be able to prove that not all the time they are inferior to men. So, in this project I am also promoting the welfare of the women and a better life for them. In this way, they can be productive even in small ways.
Next target audience are those men who are not working, or the so called "tambay". My program for these people is for welfare and safety of their community. How could it
be? Well, I will make them as a barangay police or like we have "barangay tanod" who will protect the welfare of the community. Of course, I will coordinate also with the city government for this project but of course I will be the one to subsidized them. Why I am doing this?This is because I want these "tambays" to be productive also and be far away from illegal drugs and crimes. Of course in this way they can contribute for the peace and order of the community where they belong.
And lastly, I would also create a program of my own, to protect the environment. And this program will address issues on our environment like for example the global warming and other problems. This program might be an organization or a club and this will be scattered city-wide on different schools and universities and we will be partnered in doing such project. This project would really help in saving the mother earth.
Now, you may ask how much budget I would allocate for the things I mentioned above. Well, since those projects are big, then I believe I can't do it all at first year of operation of my business, but I would still do it but at first, in small ways.Like for example, at first year maybe, 1 or 2 scholars first and also be applied to other projects but I do believe as my business grow bigger and bigger, my projects of helping the community will also go bigger and bigger. the sure thing here is that there is enough budget that will be allocated for those mentioned above.
Again, I would always reiterate, that I am doing this, not because I want to gain more profit, not because I learned it from school. not because most businesses do it and not because it is a trend, BUT because this is what I want to do and that is because my heart is for humanity especially for the needy.
