Monsanto Philippines’ employees recently visited Elsie Gaches Village in Alabang, Muntinlupa City to bring Christmas gifts to its residents and engage them in joyful activities.The facility is the country’s largest shelter for orphaned children and adults with development disorders or disabilities. Over 150 residents of Elsie Gaches Village joined the program organized by the Monsanto employees.
Corporate Engagement Lead Charina Garrido Ocampo said: “Concern for others and sharing are part of Monsanto’s company culture. Together with our local partners, we develop programs that allow us to give back to various communities where we are present like building schools and housing infrastructure, providing financial literacy to women farmers, and educating the youth about agriculture and biotechnology.”
Ocampo explained that for a time the company focused these social programs in key provincial areas but this Christmas, Monsanto employees decided to turn their attention to the immediate community where the company primarily leads its business in Alabang, Muntinlupa.
“What is particularly unique about the activity was that it was employee-led. There are about 50 personnel in the local office and all of them brought gifts they carefully chose and purchased for the residents they visited. The company’s leadership is really just happily supporting what is truly an employee-led effort,” Ocampo shared.
Employees held an entertaining program to bring laughter to the residents and shared a meal with them. For the kids, a short animated film was shown of the children’s book Lina’s Town Rises Again a story about a female corn farmer from Sultan Kudarat who helped her community successfully recover from a devastating typhoon through the use of modern and sustainable farming methods.The company also donated several sacks of rice to Elsie Gaches to help address the daily rice needs of the residents.