It’s been 11 years since I joined EDC, and my journey here has been nothing short of incredible. I started as an Administrative Assistant for EDC’s Watershed Management team. Although my background was in Agricultural Economics, my additional knowledge of watershed and forestry came in handy. From 2012 to 2015, I worked on the technical side of Watershed Management, and from 2015 to 2016, I became an officer for watershed management. 

Finally, in 2017, I was transferred to CSR as the CSR education lead. My potential as an extrovert in the community was recognized. It felt like things naturally fell into place. Currently, I oversee the governance and implementation of CSR initiatives at our sites and was part of the rebranding from EDC Careers to SIKAT.

EDC has undergone many changes over the years, including going paperless and becoming fully digital. However, as a CSR worker, it has been challenging to implement these changes in communities, especially in remote areas. When the pandemic hit, we were finally allowed to work from home, something that had been proposed for a long time due to traffic. WFH proposals had been rejected before, but the pandemic made it possible, and EDC was accommodating. Fieldwork still depends on partnerships and events, and I recently went to Mindanao for work.

One of my most memorable experiences with EDC was when we gathered our scholars for a solidarity-building activity. It all started with 40 UP students, and we later accepted local colleges and universities. In 2018, we decided to gather all the scholars for the first time, and it was in Negros. A hundred of them attended; it was their first time riding an airplane and being catered to. Witnessing their joy and fulfillment made our work all the more worthwhile.

EDC is a company that values its employees’ well-being, and they prioritize it above all else. They collaborate with us to suggest improvements, and the EMPOWER Council is always available to provide support. EDC ensures that its operations are sustainable and environmentally friendly, and they go beyond compliance. This is evident in our CSR programs, such as BINHI, where we plant native trees and increase the biodiversity of the area of operations. We also provide educational programs for mentoring and livelihood support to empower individuals to help their families and communities. EDC’s mission is not just about profit but also about improving the lives of those around us.