A legacy for the future

Since 1997, the ICCP Group Foundation Inc. has empowered communities and improved their standard of living through initiatives that yield long-term gains that could benefit generations.

The work is never done for so long as there is life: there will always be something to enrich and improve. The ICCP Group Foundation Inc. (IGFI), since its inception 26 years ago, together with its partner companies within the ICCP Group namely Science Park of the Philippines Inc. (SPPI), and Pueblo de Oro (PDO), just to name a few, has been a staunch champion of community development through projects that care for our environment, provide livelihood opportunities, and educate youngsters and adults alike.

With its track record that spans decades and is rooted in various locations in the Philippines such as Laguna, Batangas, Pampanga, Bataan, Cebu and Misamis Oriental, it’s no wonder that IFGI is trusted by many organizations and has even forged meaningful partnerships. The Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, BDO Foundation, Ang-Hortaleza Foundation, Odyssey Foundation, Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, and the Ronald McDonalds House Charities, are some of IGFI’s collaborators.

In addition, IGFI has also been recognized for its work. Some of the awards IGFI has earned include “Climate of Change for the Changing Climate: Restoring Mangrove Forests (2023);” “Kaagapay sa Hanap-Buhay: Community Livelihood for Women (2021);” “Senior High School Industry Linkage Project (2020);” and “Improving School-Aged Kid’s Nutrition through Establishment of Innovative Organic Vegetable Gardening (Gulayan sa Paaralan) (2019). These recognitions were given by the League of Corporate Foundations during their annual CSR Guild Awards.

IGFI and its partner organizations are immersed in the various host communities they’ve been working with. Projects are not “one off’s” ---the initiatives rolled out by the organization are meant to have a lasting impact on the people they are meant to empower.

A recent example of this would be the partnership with BDO Foundation, which aims to teach parents basic finance. Generating income is only one part of the story. Families would be able to plan better for the future if they had the knowledge of how to manage their finances effectively. The partnership with BDO Foundation is slated to last for at least two (2) years which is subject to partnership renewal and so far, more than a hundred attendees (community women) have learned from this initiative.

IGFI President Richard I. Osmond shares the driving force behind the organization. “At IGFI and our partner companies SPPI and PDO, we really work towards having a lasting positive impact on the communities we serve. Our programs are thoughtful and are based on how we’ve gotten to know the communities; we don’t just complete a project and leave. We help them grow and track their progress, so we can also help them with the next steps, for when they level up. It’s a continuous process.”

Another recent community engagement project of IGFI together with SPPI, PDO, and the Coca Cola Foundation Philippines is the Community Waste Management Project, which is geared towards caring for the environment through proper waste segregation and recycling. Twenty-five (25) communities have participated so far and 510 community members have been deputized to implement it in the areas of Laguna, Batangas, Pampanga, Bataan, Cebu and Misamis Oriental. “While it may seem like a small undertaking, it can have a significant impact in the long run,” IGFI Executive Director Ronie Tapnio, shares. “Aside from reducing wastes, it educates people about the importance of waste segregation and how it affects our planet in the long term.”

IGFI has several other flagship projects such as “Tulong Pambaon,” which aims to offer financial assistance to school children, a livelihood program for single parents, and the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Development Alliance (AMDev) program in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Unilab (UL), which has so far trained 310 manufacturing employees from SPPI locators for the reskilling and upskilling initiatives. IGFI also has other initiatives meant to empower the different communities they serve.

While relatively small in the development space, IGFI’s steadfast commitment in improving communities’ way of life has brought about results that won’t just be beneficial for the present time; the organization’s projects prepare communities for the future, so they can further transform their lives for the better.