For five days, 76 volunteers from leading telecommunications company Globe Telecom and its shareholder Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel) toiled under the scorching sun to build a home for one of the numerous families displaced by Typhoon Pablo when it wreaked havoc in Compostela Valley late last year. 

The 16 Singtel and 60 Globe executives and employees were among the 100,000 who joined the biggest Bayani (Hero) Challenge of Gawad Kalinga (which means ‘to give care’ in English) since the build activity was launched in 2006. 

"Globe has always been committed to the promotion of active citizenship through volunteerism.  We are glad to again be a partner of Gawad Kalinga for this year’s Bayani Challenge and be part of such a worthy cause.  We believe that to create sustainable value for the company, we should help the communities in which we operate,” said Rob I. Nazal, Head of Globe Corporate Social Responsibility. 

Chia Boon Chong, Associate Director, Group Corporate Social Responsibility, Singtel and expedition team leader said:  “This is the second year we have partnered Globe and GK for our overseas volunteering programme as part of our CSR initiatives. Our staff volunteers are humbled and touched, at the same time, inspired and happy that they can contribute to the rebuilding effort to help make a difference.”  The Singtel team also joined the GK Bayani Challenge in Bantayan Island, Cebu two years ago. 

Bayani Challenge is a gathering of volunteers from all over the country and abroad who work together to care for the underprivileged by building homes, repairing schools, conducting health missions, planting trees, organizing activities with the kids, among others.  

This time, the urgent call of building the nation was no longer confined to a handful of areas, but was instead spread out to 37 sites in 33 provinces nationwide, thus, challenging more volunteers and partners to change lives, bring hope to others, and build sustainable communities. 

Globe has chosen Compostela Valley after having witnessed the devastation caused by the typhoon in the province.  Compostela was one of the recipients of Globe relief operations and Libreng Tawag service. 

Globe is a staunch supporter of GK and has helped build the Globe-TM GK Village in Bagong Silang, Cavite, which is the birthplace of the organization.  Gawad Kalinga is a non-profit organization dedicated to building communities to end poverty.