In 2015, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Philippines donated 50 houses to Gawad Kalinga (GK) for residents of Sagay in Negros Occidental who were left homeless by Typhoon Haiyan.
GSK believes in Gawad Kalinga’s model of shared contribution and accountability, making sure that its partnership with the community would not only be about handing over the 50 houses for some of the residents of Sagay but to also help ensure that a sustainable community health approach would be in place.
GSK also believes that durable Shelter is a basic human need, critical to the recovery of Sagay residents. The company also sees that better health is as important as a durable home. Thus in 2016, GSK followed through with a donation of a fully-equipped community Orange Health Center.
On November 23, employees of GSK Philippines visited 16 Gawad Kalinga and two Smile Train sites in the country as part of its Orange Day. Sagay was one of the 16 GK sites. Volunteerism is the spirit behind GSK’s Orange Day, when employees get one paid day off to volunteer at a non-profit organization of their choice.
“We remain humbled and inspired by the resilience, courage, and ‘bayanihan’ spirit amongst the families here in Gawad Kalinga community in Sagay. Today, as in every year, we return to Sagay for our annual Orange Day, and we are very pleased to see the community further flourishing, the families sustaining their livelihoods, and the children healthier. We also heard stories of lives saved by the nebulizing machine and oxygen tank available at the health clinic,” said Rommel Abuda, Head of Public Affairs and Communications for GSK Philippines.
“As a business that deals with saving lives, our goal is to meet our responsibilities and the evolving expectations of the society and the communities where we operate, while working to achieve our aspiration to become one of the most innovative, best performing and trusted healthcare companies,” said Sriram Jambunathan, General Manager, GSK Philippines Pharmaceuticals.
“On our 50th anniversary this year, GSK Philippines, with our highly engaged employees all over the country, remain strongly committed to our purpose – helping more Filipinos do more, feel better and live longer,” Jambunathan shared.
GSK expressed its commitment to visit again the Gawad Kalinga Sagay community next year for its Orange Day.
