Balanga City, Bataan — A total of 32 farmers from Barangay Dangcol here were recently given aid by GNPower Mariveles Energy Center Ltd. Co. employees celebrating their birthdays this month.

According to GMEC Corporate Social Responsibility manager Joseph Chavez, the assistance has a theme of "Tribute to Our Farmers Attributes," which aims to lift the spirits of the local farmers of Balanga City.

He added that this is part of the company's appreciation to local farmers, citing that this Project Saysay became a perfect avenue to pay tribute to these unsung heroes who religiously provided staple food for the people of the province through the years.

The birthday celebrants of GMEC, along with other volunteer/ employees visited the beneficiary farmers in their fields, planting and harvesting corn, sweet potatoes, and sweet potato stems with the locals.

"We've been planning this for so long and finally we had the opportunity to bless our local farmers here in Bataan," Chavez said. "To put Project Saysay into perspective, GMEC gives premium to all sectors of the community, especially the marginalized. This project helps us connect and experience, even just a glimpse, of what goes through in the daily lives of the different communities we visit each month."

Aside from helping them plant and harvest some of their crops, the birthday celebrants also donated five kilos of rice, grocery items, a rechargeable sprayer, and assorted gardening tools for each farmer. These new tools will help the beneficiaries become more productive in their future seeding and reaping.

Project Saysay is one of GMEC's advocacies with the mission to "Plant A Love" among the community through outreach programs led by employee volunteers.

This program encourages monthly birthday celebrators in the company to choose a community or group they wish to share their special day with as it aims to be an avenue for collective action of employees and be a beacon of hope for their chosen beneficiaries.