March 22, 2017, Tanay Municipal Hall—Some 200 students of Rawang Elementary School of Tanay City count among the first beneficiaries of the Rain Water Harvesting System, a filtration method that is capable of producing and storing potable water from rain gathered in roof gutters.
Said system is an innovation of Prof. Han Moo Young of the Engineering College of Seoul National University.
Partners HARI Foundation, Inc. (HFI), the CSR arm of Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), Hyundai Motor Company (HMC), Better World, the CSR projects implementing partner of HMC, and local youth NGO Youth for Sustainable Development Assembly expressed their one-ness in vision to build sustainable climate change resilient nations, one community at a time.
According to the Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) office of Corporate Social Value, HFI has excellently echoed and implemented in the Philippines the Hyundai CSR vision of responsible corporate citizenship in the international community, particularly in the area of climate change.
On its 10th year, HFI has built an impressive track record in end-to-end management of its CSR initiatives, actively engaging HARI stakeholders to work together to ensure a more sustainable future for the Philippines.
HFI’s present thrust is education in environmental stewardship for a greener Philippines, which it has carried out through various initiatives through the years, including successful “rain-forestation” efforts with HARIBON Foundation; the construction of the Hyundai Center for Green Innovation (HGCI), now the venue of choice for green “training camps” for professional and academic groups at the Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan; and its present flagship program, the Hyundai New Thinkers Circuit (HNTC), which is designed to be a premier climate science literacy program that fosters and nurtures the spirit of leadership and innovation among outstanding public high school students who can take the lead in building a climate change-resilient Philippines.
It is in this regard that the Philippines was chosen to be the ideal launch pad for the Rainwater Harvesting System.
Said HFI President Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, “We stand for relevant and accessible innovation. The launch of the pilot rain water harvesting system excellently addresses the issue of water scarcity in the Philippines in the face of the effects of climate change. But the success of this system depends on the local government and the pilot school’s commitment to keep it in tip top shape so that the people may have continued access to potable water. From Tanay, we can multiply the success of this project in the various islands of the country.”
ABOUT HARI FOUNDATION, INC.
Since its establishment in 2006, HARI Foundation, Inc. (HFI), the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), inspired by the global vision of the Korean automotive giant to create a happier, greener, healthier, and wealthier world, has been driving the advancement of the Filipino through various philanthropic endeavors across the country in the areas of education, environment, healthcare, heritage and culture, youth development through sports, women’s and children’s rights, and road safety.
Fully aware that poverty is more than just the lack of resources, but of options to pursue a better life, HFI has streamlined its CSR vision to a more focused, long-term, multi-disciplinary, and multi-stakeholder solution that would entail partnering up with various public and private institutions.
Education with focus on environmental stewardship for a greener Philippines is the core of HFI’s contribution to the Philippine agenda for sustainability.