Waste Wanted: CitySavings Turns Donated Plastic into School Chairs

Tweet

City Savings Bank (CitySavings), the thrift bank subsidiary of the Aboitiz-led Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), makes supporting public schools more sustainable through its initiative, Turning Plastic into School Chairs.

Spearheaded by the Bank’s Branch Operations and Human Resources teams, the goal was to collect as much plastic waste from the employees in a month. The recycling drive gathered almost 2,000 kilograms of waste plastic from CitySavings branches and corporate offices nationwide. These were then turned over to Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc, a company based in Davao City, which produced the school chairs, each made out of 30 kilograms of plastic waste, at a discounted rate.

CitySavings Human Resources Head Hannah Contreras shared, "We are proud of our CitySavings Bankers for their all-out support as sustainability stewards. The success of this initiative clearly showed how the spirit of Ubuntu moved us to connect and partner with our stakeholders and communities to minimize our impact on the environment for a better and more sustainable future. This is employee engagement and sustainability in action.”

PITCHING IN PLASTICS: CitySavings Bankers donate their plastic waste to produce sustainable school chairs. The recycling drive gathered almost 2,000 kilograms across branches and corporate offices.

A total of 50 chairs were produced and donated to the beneficiaries, Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Sr. Central Elementary School in Davao City and Tunasan National High School in Muntinlupa City in support of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Matatag agenda to supplement basic education facilities and services.

During the turnover ceremony, Principal Dr. Ador Querubin mentioned, “Our school population has grown from 6,000 to 9,000 students in the past few years. With this, there is a need to increase the number of facilities to be used by our learners at Tunasan National High School. These sustainably produced chairs donated by CitySavings will not just help 25 students, but generations of students to come.” Principal Querubin also highlighted how sustainable practices can make the learning environment more conducive and comfortable for students.

SUSTAINABLY PRODUCED CHAIRS: Students from Tunasan National High School try out the chairs made from recycled plastics donated by City Savings Bank.

In Davao City, Principal Riza Lobitos of Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Sr. Central Elementary School was grateful for the donation. “We are very excited to use these unique and sustainably produced chairs given to us by our partners from CitySavings. We will have them in our Reading Village and Reading Kiosk to help encourage our students to read more.” The school pledged to support the continuation of this initiative by collecting more empty plastic bottles so CitySavings and its partner can produce more chairs.

CONDUCIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: The warm smiles from teachers of Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Sr. Central Elementary School in Davao City as they receive 25 sustainably produced chairs from City Savings Bank for the school’s reading kiosk.

As CitySavings incorporates sustainability practices into its operations, the Bank commits to #BEESustainable by continuing its sustainability-driven initiatives that further support our educators and learners while significantly helping the environment. Principal Lobitos summed it all up as she closed her thanksgiving message during the turnover, “Alam niyo na kung saan kayo lalapit kung nangangailangan kayo. Nandiyan lagi ang CitySavings para tumulong (You know who to turn to when you’re in need. CitySavings is always ready to help.)”.

-----------------------------------

About City Savings Bank:

City Savings Bank, Inc. (CitySavings) is the thrift bank subsidiary of Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) and a member of the Aboitiz Group. It is one of the largest thrift banks in the country, providing a wide range of mass market financial products and services, such as salary loans to public and private school teachers, pension loans to GSIS and SSS pensioners, motorcycle loans, company employee loans, government salary loans, and traditional deposit products.

Today, CitySavings has more than 140 branches nationwide. It is well on its way to becoming the leading digital mass market bank in the Philippines, paving the way for inclusive and sustainable prosperity across the country.

CitySavings provides recovery assistance to schools

Tweet

2020 was indeed a challenging year and the education sector most especially was not spared from the massive pressure on distance learning and teaching brought about by the pandemic. The series of typhoons that hit different parts of the country caused immense destruction to school infrastructure and learning materials across Luzon areas. 

School buildings and furniture were damaged, technology equipment and supplies, learning materials, and printed modules for remote distance learning were ruined and washed away due to massive flooding. 

In response to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) call for help, City Savings Bank, Inc. (CitySavings) mobilized calamity related assistance through various relief distributions and education recovery support initiatives to the typhoon-affected areas in Regions 2, 3, NCR, 4A, 4B and 5. 

Over 1,800 relief goods (rice, canned goods, water, vitamins, coffee) and hygiene kits (bath soap, toothpaste, toothbrush) were distributed as immediate aid. 

“Maraming-maraming salamat po sa CitySavings para sa grocery na relief goods na ibinigay sa aming pamilya. Napakalaking tulong po nito lalo na ngayon na nasalanta po kami, binaha gawa ng mga nagdaang bagyo. Sa pamunuan ng Calamba Bayside Integrated School at mga guro, isang taos-pusong pasasalamat at naging daan kayo para mabigyan kaming mga evacuees ng relief assistance mula sa CitySavings,” said Clemente Atesora, an evacuee from the said school. 

The Bank also donated printers, inks, and bond papers to assist in the replacement and reproduction of self-learning modules (SLMs) to 75 schools and divisions in Luzon. 

“The corporate social responsibility projects of City Savings Bank have always been felt by the SDO of Camarines Sur, from the printing of SLMs to the relief operations due to typhoons Rolly and Ulysses. Thank you very much for being our active partner,” said Loida N. Nidea CESO V, Schools Division Superintendent – Division of Camarines Sur. 

CitySavings Reputation and Brand Management Head Paula Ruelan emphasized “As we usher in the new year, we are committed to supporting our education sector by providing resources the best way we can. We advocate equal access to quality education despite the adversities brought by these natural calamities during this time of global health crisis. 

Guided by the Aboitiz Group’s purpose to drive change for a better world, CitySavings has pledged its support to DepEd under the government’s Basic Education - Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) for the school year 2020 - 2021. 

About City Savings Bank: 

City Savings Bank, Inc. (CitySavings) is the thrift bank subsidiary of Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) and a member of the Aboitiz Group. It is one of the largest thrift banks in the country and provides a range of mass market financial products and services such as salary loans to public and private school teachers, pension loans to GSIS and SSS pensioners, OFW loans, seafarer loans, motorcycle loans, and traditional deposit products. The bank now has more than 140 branches nationwide.