CIMB Bank Philippines employees, with the help of non-profit organization Liter of Light, recently came together to build solar lamps for communities with limited access to electricity. This is part of the sustainability and community well-being efforts of CIMB in the Philippines, which is also in support of National Disaster Resilience Month last July.

Liter of Light is a global, grassroots movement committed to providing affordable, sustainable solar lights to people with little or no access to electricity. To date, it has installed more than 350,000 bottle lights in more than 15 countries.

The activity proved even more timely, as Liter of Light received a call for help from the community of indigenous peoples in San Marcelino, Zambales who lost electricity due to the heavy rains and flooding caused by Typhoon Egay. All solar lights assembled by the 50 CIMB Bank PH employee volunteers can help families and small businesses in this community. 

“At CIMB, we understand that the climate emergency is real. This is why, apart from our commitments toward sustainable action, we also encourage our employees to take on small yet impactful actions for local communities.  We want to be able to foster a purposeful workplace for our employees through volunteer activities like this to help them become responsible corporate citizens,” said Vijay Manoharan, CIMB Bank PH Chief Executive Officer.

For CIMB Group, CIMB Bank PH’s parent company, sustainable action is all about creating positive impacts throughout its day-to-day business. Its key focus is on promoting sustainability practices in its operations and processes across entities. The CIMB Group has set various milestones and committed to initiate tangible steps for addressing sustainability challenges facing its business as well as its stakeholders. Employees are also encouraged to champion definitive action to create positive change within our circles of influence as well as the communities where we operate.

Following in the footsteps of CIMB Group, the Philippine entity has started its journey towards sustainability by taking small actions on matters that will make a big impact in the communities it serves.  Activities like the solar lamp building further support this mission and encourage employees to also contribute in their own way.

“By lending their time and talent to assemble hand-built solar lights, CIMB has demonstrated its commitment to share knowledge and tools while helping to empower 50 households of the recent Typhoon Egay victims. Each of the hand-built solar lights reduces carbon emissions by 200 kg, creating not only a more hopeful, but also a more sustainable future for these families,” says Illac Diaz, Founder and Executive Director of Liter of Light. “We thank CIMB for partnering with us in our mission to illuminate the homes of Filipino families still living in darkness.”

One of the volunteers, Fraud Manager Benjie Catipay shared, “Witnessing the power of a small action ripple into significant impact gives me a profound sense of purpose and connection to the world around us.” 

The practical use of the lights was appreciated by Paula Gantioqui, Head of Customer Experience and Digital Channels. She shared, “I learned through this activity that providing lights to a community can help minimize crimes at night. It only took 15 to 20 minutes of our time, but what we did collectively will help give them peace of mind and allow them to sleep more soundly at night. I feel happy that CIMB Bank PH, my colleagues, and I were able to somehow provide some security for our fellow Filipinos.”

Learning Experience Manager Dana Desamero was also thankful for the experience, and also said, “This experience was both heartwarming and enlightening for me and left a mark on my perception of community-driven change. What we learned was more than just putting together solar lamps, we also learned about how actions like these can bring profound changes to the lives of others in need.”CIMB Bank PH continues its mission to help Filipinos live their purpose and bank sustainably. To learn more about CIMB, visit cimbbank.com.ph/en/home.html

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