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If Efren Penaflorida was running for president now, he will get my vote. Even if he didn’t win the award, he would still get my vote.

Efren Penaflorida, CNN Hero of the Year 2009

But win it, he did! Read the CNN post here.

Congratulations to efren and his team and to the many kids whom he helped.

The mere fact that he tried to do something awesome makes him a champion and a true hero, in every sense of the word.

For me, a hero is someone who thinks of others beside himself and does something, or merely wishing or dreaming. Whether he succeeds in his endeavor or not, the mere attempt is very laudable.

What is more laudable is how he sees heroism.

Their program, K4 which stands for Kariton Klasrum, Klinik & Kantin (pushcart school, clinic and canteen), takes it where it would really be felt most: To where the kids are. Without fanfare, without the glitz, cameras and photo-ops we usually associate with one-time-then-forget-it missions. It’s plain old drive and compassion that propels each cart, each volunteer.

You are a hero, Efren. May more of us emulate your example.

A quote from the hero in their group’s website, Dynamic Teen Company:

“When people regard me as a hero, I always tell them that they should look inside them too because I believe that there’s a hero inside every one of us and all we have to is just to open our eyes wide and feel what’s going on, then let our hearts be willing to accommodate the needy, the desperate and the hopeless simply by extending our hand to them, and there you will unfold the hero that is in you.” - Efren G. Peñaflorida, Jr.

You make us proud Efren. Continue to push your carts and make the change. Thank you for being a hero and believing that there is one in each of us.

photo from CNN

Press Release

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS THE MILLION HECTARE WALK?

The Million Hectare Walk 2009 (MHW-2009) aims to raise awareness and resources for the Rainforestation Organizations and Advocates to 2020 (ROAD to 2020), an environmental conservation movement to restore one million hectares of our rainforests using native tree species by year 2020.  Now on its third year, the MHW-2009 is a non-competitive pledge walk that will be held on Sunday, November 22, 2009 from 6:00 am to 11:00 am at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Nature Center in Quezon City.  There will be two routes, the 300-meter path and the 1.5-km path.

The Million Hectare Walk in November 2007 and November 2008 helped us reach out to more than 1,000 individuals to raise awareness on biodiversity and forest protection through lectures, discussions and presentations. We were able to network with various sectors that enabled us to plant more than 10,000 native trees to address habitat loss and climate change.

WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE?

Haribon members, volunteers, friends and supporters can participate and sign up as a walker.  Non-walkers can still participate by pledging at least Seventy-Five Pesos (P75.00) per lap for a registered walker or by being a volunteer during the event.  Even as a volunteer you can still raise pledges.  The key is participation! Corporate supporters can also become event partners.

HOW MUCH CAN BE RAISED?

The potentials are tremendous.  A pledge by one person can be as high as Twenty Thousand Pesos (P25,000.00).  Last year, we had a total of 334 walkers and raised P311, 014.96, thus each walker was able to raise an average amount of about P930.00.

HOW MANY WALKERS DO WE NEED?
We want to have at least 500 registered walkers this year. The more walkers, the more pledges, the more money we will be able to raise.

WHAT IF WE ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON THE DAY OF THE WALK?
No problem … you can still participate by supporting walkers as you donate, pledge and collect pledges for your chosen walker(s).

HOW DO I REGISTER AND PARTICIPATE?

1. 1. Complete the Registration Form (Annex A), submit by fax (434-4696) or email to membership@haribon.org.ph or act@haribon.org.ph
2. Recruit walkers if you want to form your own team so you can walk together as a group, and ask them to everyone in the team to register as walkers
3. Collect pledges from family, friends, neighbors, schoolmates, workmates or church-mates, etc.  Use Pledge Form (Annex B) and complete the needed information.
4. 4. Collect Registration Fees from each walker.  Fees for adults and kids are P250.00 (current Haribon Members and children up to 12 years old) and P300.00 (expired Haribon members and non-Haribon members).
5. Payment of Registration Fee and pledges can be made by doing any of the following:
   1. Cash Deposit:  You may deposit the amount via inter-branch deposit to Haribon Foundation’s BPI Kalayaan Branch – Peso SA 1993-0767-47.  We request that you fax to +632-434-4696 (attn: MHW 2009) or scan and email to membership@haribon.org.ph the deposit slip. Don’t forget to include your name, branch where payment was deposited, date and time of deposit and amount; or
   2. Cheque via Post/Pick-up: Please make cheques payable to Haribon Foundation.  You can mail or send it to our office:  2F Santos and Sons Bldg, #973 Aurora Blvd, Cubao, Quezon City 1109.   If you are in the Metro Manila area, we can also schedule for your registration fee to be picked up by our messenger during regular office hours; or
   3. c. Visit us: Haribon Office at 2F Santos and Sons Bldg., # 973 Aurora Blvd., Cubao, Quezon City from Monday to Friday from 9AM-5PM.
6. All validated and verified deposits will be issued official receipts by Haribon Foundation.
7. After paying for the registration fee, you may claim your MHW Kit at the Haribon Office (starting Wednesday, November 4, 2009). You may also have a representative pick it up on your behalf together with a valid ID and Letter of Authorization.

ARE THERE ANY FEES?

We have kept the walker registration fee low – P250.00 (current Haribon Members and children up to 12 years old) and P300.00 (expired Haribon members and non-Haribon members) to ensure the widest possible participation. There are no required pledge commitments in order to participate.

WHAT IS THE REGISTRATION FEE USED FOR?

The registration fees are used to help fund the costs of the event, which include among others, t-shirts, sling bags, advertisements, communication and coordination, overhead, programs, announcements and banners.

WILL THERE BE PLEDGE FORMS?

Yes, pledge forms are also available on Haribon’s website: www.haribon.org.ph. You can print them and distribute them to your friends and recruited walkers.

HOW DO WE RECRUIT PLEDGES?
The suggested minimum pledge is Seventy Five Pesos (P75.00) and this is equivalent to a native tree to be planted in a critical watershed area. There are no total pledge or goal minimums.

1.       No amount is too small – it is the nature of pledge walks that lots of small donations combine to become a big contribution.

2.       You can recruit pledges from family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, church-mates, classmates, etc.  If you have ever sponsored someone in another walk, it’s time for them to return the favor.

3.       It is easier to collect the donation when people make the pledge.  There may be difficulty on collecting after the Walk.

4.       We encourage the formation of informal teams for more participation.

5.       If payments by walkers are in cheque, please remind them that the check be payable to Haribon Foundation.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PLEDGES?
All walkers are requested to collect the pledges and turn these over to Haribon Foundation or deposit these to Haribon’s BPI account.   All pledges must be turned over to Haribon on or before December 15, 2009.

ARE DONATIONS TAX-DEDUCTIBLE?
Only corporate donations to Haribon Foundation are tax deductible.

WHERE IS THE WALK ROUTE?

The Million Hectare Walk 2009 will be held at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Nature Center in Quezon City. We will meet inside the park near the Mindanao Avenue entrance (Gate 2).  The walk will follow the perimeter of the tree lined open space of the park (without crossing any major roads).  The walk is a short 300 meters and an optional path of 1.5 km around the mini lake which is a popular picnic ground, to make it accessible for children, seniors and everyone in between.

WILL THERE BE PARKING?

There is ample parking space at Gate 2 – North Avenue entrance.  A minimal parking fee of P15 per vehicle and entrance fees of P8/person (Adult) and P5/child will be settled upon entry to the park. We will have volunteers at the park to meet you and direct you to the Registration Area.    This gate is also accessible via public transportation.  This is a short jeepney ride from McDonald’s Mindanao Avenue (fronting Trinoma).  Get off before reaching Quezon Memorial Circle.

For those commuting and coming from Quezon Avenue, the Quezon Avenue gate of the park is also accessible via public transportation.  This is a short jeepney ride from the EDSA MRT station (alight before the Quezon Memorial Circle).

WILL THERE BE MARKETING MATERIALS?

Yes, marketing and reference materials are posted on the web site. You can print them and distribute them to your supporters and recruited walkers.

DID YOU FIND THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION?

If not, please send your question to membership@haribon.org.ph or act@haribon.org.ph or call 421-1213, 421-1209 or 911-6088 (Lyn or Yolli) or text/call 0922-815-1942 (Maribeth).

Press Release

Innovative Business Stimulus Package Provides Philippine MSMEs New Lifeline in Economic Downturn

Assistance scheme by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology, Go Negosyo, Google and STI Colleges enables 800,000 local MSMEs to cost-effectively find new customers in the Philippines and reach out to international markets

November 3, 2009, Manila, Philippines – The current economic downturn has turned up the pressure on Philippine companies, particularly the 800,000 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), to find new customers for their products and services. At the same time, 25 million Filipinos and over a billion people worldwide use the Internet and search engines to find information on products and services such as prices, reviews and even where to buy locally. To connect Philippine MSMEs to these millions of Internet users at home and abroad, the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), Go Negosyo, Google, and STI Colleges are partnering to offer a Business Stimulus Package that enables local businesses to harness the cost-effectiveness and reach of the Internet to access a wider market and increase sales. Any MSME can take advantage of the package by signing up at www.google.com.ph/stimulus between now and December 15, 2009.

MSMEs in the Philippines are crucial to the country’s economy. They make up 99.7% of the country’s businesses and create 70% of the country’s jobs annually. In order for them to bounce back from a crisis that has left them with decreased sales and smaller budgets, they need to grow their businesses without breaking the bank. Google’s online advertising platform enables a business, no matter how small, to reach out to tens of millions of Internet users in the Philippines and 73% of all Internet users globally. At the same time, MSMEs only pay when a potential sales lead clicks on their online ad.

The Business Stimulus Package aims to help local MSMEs:

Be available 24/7 to any potential customer by establishing an online presence on the Internet
Grow the business cost-effectively through a user-friendly website and an online marketing campaign
Connect with 25 million Internet users in the Philippines and over one billion globally

Any Philippine company that has a product to sell and a valid business permit can apply for the package. Participants will enjoy:

A company website developed by STI College to promote their products and services. The first 200 MSMEs who register for the package and do not yet have a website will get it for free; subsequent participants need only pay a one-time fee of PHP3,000 to STI College for the website development work.
PHP2,000 worth of free credits from Google to start an online marketing campaign with Google AdWords, Google’s online advertising platform.
A free tutorial from STI College on starting a website, marketing products and services online, and using Google’s technologies to promote their business.

CICT Commissioner Mon Ibrahim affirmed his support for the Business Stimulus Package, asserting, “In line with our mission to develop an ICT-enabled business community, we support this initiative as way to get more Philippine MSMEs online and use online advertising and websites to engage both a local and global audience. We are very excited to be part of a program that uses technology as the foundation of economic progress, and we look forward to promoting this package in our roadshows around the country.”

“The Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship, through its banner program Go Negosyo, supports this business stimulus package as a way of aiding hundreds of thousands of MSMEs in the Philippines,” said Joey Concepcion, founding trustee of Go Negosyo and Presidential Consultant on Entrepreneurship. Go Negosyo is actively promoting the package to its members and in its nationwide entrepreneurship events. “Through this partnership with Google, local entrepreneurs will have a new targeted channel to promote and grow their businesses without having to invest millions of pesos in marketing infrastructure typically only afforded by large companies. We are proud to be part of a program that will enable Pinoy businesses to sell their Philippine-made goods and services to the whole country and beyond, no matter where they are physically located.”

“Misconceptions about the high cost of technology and lack of technical knowledge have prevented local MSMEs from adopting technologies that can help them promote their business to more customers,” said STI President and CEO Monico Jacob. “The Business Stimulus Package addresses these concerns, as we will be building websites for MSMEs and teaching them how to maintain it in addition to training them on conducting an effective online advertising campaign. The hope is that these skills will enable MSMEs to become self-sufficient in sustaining their market presence online.”

Derek Callow, Head of Marketing, Google Southeast Asia said, “MSMEs understand that the Internet provides a great opportunity for them to expand locally and into new markets across the world, but they don’t know how to get started or are unsure of the benefits of online advertising. With the Business Stimulus Package, we make it easy for local MSMEs to create a website and use it as an effective sales channel with a free trial of Google AdWords, an affordable, measurable online advertising platform.”

In addition to these partners, the Philippine Marketing Association (PMA) and the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) have also pledged to support the package by promoting it to their members and attendees of their many events and trade shows. (Please refer to the accompanying quote sheet for more information on these two organizations.)

Comments from Google AdWords’ customers on the benefits to Philippine MSMEs

V.Y. Domingo Jewellers Inc.
V.Y. Domingo designs and makes custom-designed jewelry in the Philippines for a global customer base and sells them through its website, http://www.vydomingo.com. The company has benefited greatly since it began using Google AdWords three years ago. “We found that online advertising expanded our customer base to individuals, schools, and businesses all over the world interested in buying from us, or becoming our distributors,” said Janette Resurreccion, export manager and IT head of V.Y. Domingo. “Google AdWords now generates 70% of our sales. In addition, 99% of our visits are from other countries, which we could not have reached had it not been for Google AdWords. It’s a great investment we intend to continue, and we are busy with orders from around the world because of the sales leads generated by Google AdWords.”

About the Commission on Information Communications Technology (CICT)
The CICT is the primary policy, planning, coordinating, implementing, regulating, and administrative entity of the executive branch of the government that promotes, develops, and regulates integrated and strategic ICT systems and reliable and cost-efficient communication facilities and services. Its mandate is to develop the country into a world-class ICT services provider, provide government services to stakeholders online, provide affordable Internet access to all segments of the population, develop an ICT enabled workforce, and create an enabling legal and regulatory environment.

Go Negosyo (Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship [PCE])
The Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) is a non-stock and non-profit organization that aims to make the Philippines a thriving entrepreneurial nation through entrepreneurship education, and to instill a mindset of optimism and a culture of entre- and intra-preneurship among Filipinos. Go Negosyo is PCE’s support ecosystem, comprising entrepreneur mentors from different business sectors, government agencies, and academic institutions whose thrust is to provide information, tools, and resources to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs. The PCE, through Go Negosyo, has four core programs: communications and advocacy, capacity-building/business assistance through seminars and forums, mentoring, research and idea generation for database and policy development, and program partnerships with educational institutions and other agencies in the field of entrepreneurship and economic development.

About STI Colleges
STI Colleges started with two IT schools in 1983, and has since expanded to providing ICT-enhanced education in more than 100 campuses in the Philippines and all over the world. Aside from ICT, it also offers courses in Engineering, Healthcare, Business and Management, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Education, and Nursing. Its mission is to be the leader in ICT-enabled human resource development through innovative learning and career planning methodologies, paving the way for a technologically empowered society whose development and growth is driven by a knowledge-based workforce.

About Google Inc.
Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google’s targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit http://www.google.com.ph/.

Google and Google AdWords are registered trademarks of Google Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.