Four women from various fields share their experience and expertise to help sustain and grow ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc. (ALKFI), the country’s most trusted media-based nonprofit organization which has significantly contributed to nation building.
When Gina Lopez assumed leadership of the organization in 1994, it was the clarity of her vision, sincerity and genuineness that drew people to support her and her advocacies.
Having created the country’s first helpline for child abuse reports (Bantay Bata 163), reforested a 2,700-hectare denuded forest (La Mesa Nature Reserve) and cleaned the filthiest tributaries of the Pasig River, Lopez has clearly established her credibility in terms of making the impossible happen. Her battle cry, “Pwede pala! Kaya pala!,” rallies ALKFI’s 300-strong team to carry on the mission of being in service of the Filipino.
Today, while technically retired, Lopez remains actively involved in promoting the foundation’s ecotourism projects. She has likewise recently ventured into social entrepreneurship to help sustain the foundation, promote fair trade practices and provide livelihood opportunities in poor communities which the foundation currently develops.
After more than three decades in the banking industry, Clarissa Ocampo joined ALKFI in 2011 as its chief finance officer. She instituted many enhancements in the organization’s processes and systems which are geared towards improving how the foundation manages its resources. In 2014, she was appointed as managing director. While her discipline is finance, her new role necessitates being involved in programs and all aspects of ALKFI operations. She prioritized collaboration, communication and teamwork and, in her first year, was able to accomplish this goal.
Ocampo spearheaded efforts to complete and submit pending reports and further delivered bimonthly reports on ALKFI’s interventions in Yolanda-affected areas. She also took that lead in ensuring that ALKFI secures the necessary licenses from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the maximum term of certification from the Philippine Council for NGO Certification.
Susan Afan is a former district president of Robert Half, an HR consulting firm. USbased for more than 30 years, she returned to the Philippines in 2014 to seek opportunities to give back to her home country. She joined Bantay Bata as a part-time volunteer to help generate donations for its child care services.
As fate would have it, ALKFI was in need of a senior sales and marketing strategist. She was appointed as ALKFI’s chief marketing officer in May of the same year.
Afan has generated in record time new partnerships and donation streams for the foundation. Her impeccable people skills made it possible for ALKFI to grow its pool of volunteers. She also serves as coanchor of ALKFI’s radio program, “Kapamilya Konek.” She is keen on further develop ing the program to cater to the needs of Filipinos overseas and their families, balikbayan and retirees.
A certified public accountant, ALKFI chief finance officer (CFO) and ABS-CBN Finance Operations for New Business and IPS head Noemi Samson started her career with SGV. Prior to joining the Lopez Group in 2011 as CFO of Bayan Telecommunications, she held managerial and top-level posts in finance in several multinational companies and was the regional controller for PAN-SEA and North Asia of a plant biotechnology company.
As foundations rely heavily on public donations, it is crucial that management is able to show that funds are properly spent, recorded and reported. And alongside ensuring that programs are assessed for their viability and effectiveness, Samson made it her priority upon joining ALKFI.
While Samson has always espoused the financial objectives of profit-oriented companies, today she feels the same excitement and provides the same dedication in achieving her goal as CFO in ALKFI.
