Calculating one’s carbon footprint was one of the fun highlights of the first Lopez Group CSR Council general assembly for 2015, held at the First Philippine Holdings Corporation (FPH) boardroom on May 29, 2015.

Participating in a carbon footprinting exercise were the pairs of Rosan Cruz of Lopez Holdings Corporation versus Tracy Peralta of Energy Development Corporation (EDC), and Ramon Araneta of First Gen versus Catherine Cabrillos of FPH.

Cruz and Cabrillos scored the lowest carbon footprint at less than .6 each, which meant that they had the least carbon dioxide emission and need not plant too many trees; Araneta could never have won, considering he commutes from Metro Manila to Batangas and back to Pasig weekly. The more than 45 participants were each given a calculator to measure their carbon footprint by Agnes de Jesus, head of FPH Corporate Sustainability.

“I am overwhelmed by all these things that we are doing,” says accountant Marvi Marcelino of Lopez Holdings. “I am especially inspired by what Knowledge Channel is doing and intend to volunteer for KCh when they come to my barangay.” Marcelino was quite impressed with the many KCh projects affecting thousands of beneficiaries nationwide.

Dr. Butch Saceda, administrator and company physician of KEITECH in Leyte, described their livelihood and training programs for the community, even providing jobs right after the community members’ training. Cabrillo presented the Leyte Rebuilding project of EDC assigned to them by the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (which was recently dissolved). EDC hopes to finish the project by 2016.

Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. president Rina Lopez Bautista reported on the status of the foundation’s current and new programs. Bayan Academy’s Christian Mano distributed their training and research packages, while Perlyn Pulhin of the OML Center discussed the things the center has accomplished in the three years since they were organized.

Clarissa Ocampo of ABSCBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc. also overwhelmed the participants with the many programs and projects being undertaken by the foundation. Tinky Cruz of Ang Misyon gave a brief background on the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth (OFY) and how, from 45 members from underprivileged areas, they now have 400 beneficiaries being trained in playing musical instruments.

Lopez Group Foundation Inc. (LGFI) president Cedie Lopez Vargas said of the assembly: “This is our working together as a Lopez group for a better world.”

The half-day CSR general assembly concluded with a lunch hosted by LGFI amidst classical music being played by a string ensemble of the OFY. (With Dulce Festin- Baybay) (Story/Photo by: Caloy Garcia Campos)