It is also important for us to deliberately choose our
partners in our supply chain, as this is in line with our
priority for Shared Economic Value. Our partners
include local vendors and cooperatives, which help
contribute to the local economy
EDC exclusively worked with legal contractors
who comply with labor laws and have no labor or
human rights cases filed against them. Our contract
terms and conditions stipulate that the independent
contractor must strictly abide by all applicable
labor, employment, and contracting laws.
Creating self-sustaining communities with social enterprise development
As EDC advances its mission of a decarbonized
and regenerative future, it remains committed
to elevating the lives within its host communities.
In 2021, EDC supported four long-term social
enterprise projects and 15 short-term livelihood
programs that benefited over 2,000 households.
For the year, the total value generated by EDC from
its social enterprise initiatives amounted to PHP 20.6
million.
One of these initiatives is the Tongonan Farmer’s
Association (TOFA) in Leyte, which champions
cacao and coffee farming. This was implemented in
partnership with the DENR Region VIII and the local
government. For the Coffee & Cacao Project, EDC
signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the
Department of Science and Technology Region VIII,
the City Government of Ormoc, and the Tongonan
Farmers’ Association on June 30.
The Sukkudaan Coffee Project, in partnership with
Mt. Apo Coffee for Peace Inc. also known as the
PeaceBuilders Community, successfully raised PHP
280,000 in net revenue in 2021, benefitting 31
IP households in Cotabato. The project is a fourphased coffee enterprise initiative that equips
Obo-Manobo coffee farmers. Harvest yield and
revenues are projected to increase in the years to
come as the coffee plantation matures and more IP
farmers participate in the project.
Additionally, EDC and the Forest Foundation
Philippines is supporting the Alliance of BacMan
Farmers Association Incorporated Agriculture
Cooperative (ALBAFAI) to implement the Manito
Mangrove Conservation and Ecotourism ProjectPhase I. Once fully-operationalized, this will be a
community-managed ecotourism enterprise within
a 190-hectare mangrove forest in Manito, Albay,
encompassing Barangays Cawit, It-ba, Buyo,
and Manumbalay. The mangrove ecotourism
site is projected to provide cash for ALBAFAI’s
318 member-households as well as providing
employment through tour guiding, food services,
and other ecotourism operations once it is open.
At the same time, it will encourage the community
to continue protecting the forest, as mangrove
conservation is directly related to the ecotourism
site’s attractiveness and business model. ALBAFAI’s
forest protection activities will prevent critical threats
such as timber poaching and charcoal production,
which were previously caused by a lack of other
livelihood options in the community. Last year,
EDC helped ALBAFAI establish finance manuals
and templates to improve its financial management
system, which will be critical as the group grows and
pursues ecotourism and other livelihood programs.
The Handicraft Scaling-Up Project in Brgy. BaliliCambucad-Tubigon-Malabo Farmers Association
(BALCAMTUMA) is another social enterprise
currently being sponsored. Cacao production for
Mt. Talinis Dark Chocolate was conducted with
the Mt. Talinis Cacao Farmers Association, also in
Negros Oriental; and Kamias Prunes production was
implemented with local community organizations in
Burgos, Ilocos Norte. In 2021, these projects will be
in the conceptualization and design enhancement
stages. The EDC plans to implement these projects
with the nominated community partners in 2022.
Aside from these long-term social enterprises,
EDC continued to work closely with community
organizations to implement the 15 short-term
livelihood projects that were launched in 2020.
These include initiatives on cut flowers, backyard
vegetables, tilapia raising, community-based
piggery, livestock dissemination, coffee seedlings
collection, consumer store, catering, and food
services. The fast mobilization of these projects
ensured income generation and food security for
the communities. In 2021, nine of these projects
were completed and fully turned-over to the local
communities.
Switching on the first Off-Grid e-Community in PH
Bringing together our heritage, expertise, and
passion for elevating the lives of our stakeholders,
EDC switched on the first renewable energypowered off-grid community in the Philippines. A
total of 10,000 households in Barangay Puhagan
in Valencia, Negros Oriental were provided free
wireless internet via a community-based WiFi. This
initiative was instrumental in supporting students in
their distance learning education.
This initiative was made possible through the
collective effort of EDC, the Department of
Information and Communications Technology
(DICT), Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce
& Industry (NOCCI), the Municipal Government of
Valencia, and the barangay local government.
This pilot project will soon be duplicated in EDC’s
other partner barangays, Caidiocan and Malaunay,
to establish similar e-communities.
Partners for Progress: Typhoon Odette Disaster Response
EDC reached out to communities and families of
employees affected by Typhoon Odette, a Category
5-equivalent super typhoon that devastated parts
of Visayas and Mindanao in December 2021. In
partnership with five private organizations/groups,
250 sacks of rice were supplied to EDC’s five
host barangays in Negros Oriental and Negros
Occidental to support 1,537 people, while 150
bags of rice were donated to EDC’s partner
communities in Leyte.
EDC also provided four 20-footer container trucks
containing a variety of canned goods, drinking
water (498 units of five-gallon water), and
rechargeable lamps and fans to affected families
in Southern Leyte. The Ormoc City Chamber of
Commerce and Industry Inc. (ORCHAM) also
contributed relief materials, which EDC helped
transport. In its areas of operation, the Company
also assisted in clearing roadblocks such as rockfall,
fallen trees, and landslides to make access routes
passable, allowing more relief efforts to reach the
impacted areas
Prior to the typhoon’s landfall in Negros Oriental,
EDC donated raincoats to the Municipality of
Valencia’s Barangay Health Emergency Team
and Community-based Task Force, which assisted
in the preparation, site inspection, and warning of
locals about Typhoon Odette’s impact. The host
barangays were also provided SMS reminders to
prepare for the typhoon and mobilize the Barangay
Emergency Response Team (BERT). In Leyte, EDC’s
existing relationship with IBM’s The Weather
Company (TWC) for the sharing of weather forecast
data aided Ormoc City’s Disaster Preparedness
Team in warning residents and businesses about the
storm’s potential impact and allowing them to better
prepare for it.
EDC lent boom trucks to Negros Oriental Electric
II Cooperative, Inc. (NORECO II) so that they
could quickly restore electricity lines in Tanjay and
adjacent places. EDC also lent four boom trucks
and deployed seven teams of trained linemen and
groundsmen dubbed Warriors of Light Task Force
Kapatid to assist in the repair of power lines to
expedite the restoration of power in the service
areas of Negros Oriental Electric I Cooperative, Inc.
(NORECO I) from Bais City to Canlaon City.
Beyond its host communities, EDC assisted in the
impact assessment for Siargao; donated supplies
such as rice, water, relief packs, and and solarpowered battery packs to affected employees
and households in Cebu; and, with the help of
FGen Solar, sent 60 units of solar powered lamps
and flash lights to affected communities in Puerto
Princesa, Palawan. EDC launched Operation Big
Eyes in Bohol and provided PHP 21.8 million in aid.
Food and groceries, assorted clothing, and blankets
were sent by EDC in 20-footer container vans. 180
solar-powered lights and lamps,, 350 solar cubes,
and 40 1kw and 5.5kw generator sets were also
included in the shipment.
EDC employees also participated in a donation
drive, raising PHP 502,640 for towns and coworkers
devastated by the typhoon. In addition, the
Company worked with ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya
to coordinate in-kind donations from workers and
partners.