Corporate Social Responsibility
Throughout the years, we have been operating in a socially responsible way. We uphold our mission to help feed the nation and uplift the people’s lives. In addition to helping increase the yield of our farmers through rice hybridization technology, and generating livelihoods for the rural communities where we produce our rice, we are also dedicated to give back to various communities. produce our rice, we are also dedicated to give back to various communities.
Rice Bucket Challenge
Dr. Henry Lim Bon Liong, chairman of SLAC started in the Philippines an alternative to the Ice Bucket Challenge, the charity stunt in social media where the participants have to pour on themselves ice from a bucket or donate cash to research on the elusive cure for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. The alternative for the Ice Bucket Challenge is the Rice Bucket Challenge.
This campaign was launched on September 12, 2014 as part of SLAC’s commitment to give back to the community and help the needy, most especialy those people living below the poverty line. He wanted to help them meet their basic needs in life, starting with a bucket of rice.
The Rice Bucket Challenge has become the company’s way of encouraging other people through social media to donate rice to those who cannot afford to buy their own. Any kind of rice can be donated, but Dr. Lim personally prefers brown rice to help the recipients combat malnutrition. Feeding programs are also conducted during the activity, with brown rice being served to promote a healthier eating habit.
Balik Biyaya
SLAC finds it ironic that there are thousands of farmers and fishermen starving because of poverty, climate change, or calamities. Most of them don’t have enough income to purchase basic needs, including food. The company considers it worrisome that the people who are working hard every day to feed the nation are the ones who don’t have enough food to eat. This has led the company to launch the Balik Biyaya on August 16, 2016.
During the launch of Balik Biyaya, SLAC encouraged rice consumers to purchase any variant of Doña Maria® Premium Quality Rice and Willy Farms® Rice in supermarkets to help feed our farmers and fishermen. SLAC donated an equivalent of 20% of rice based on the actual purchase of rice products. The campaign first ran in coordination with Alagang Kapatid Foundation and Philippine Red Cross.
SLAC commits to continue its efforts on helping, feeding and uplifting the lives of the hardworking and industrious Filipino farmers, fishermen and other people who are in need through the Balik Biyaya campaign and Rice Bucket Challenge. As of today, more than 50,000 families have benefited from these campaigns.
Community development through Hybrid Rice Techno Demo
SL Agritech Corporation advocates to help Filipino farmers and assist in community development by conducting series of Hybrid Rice Technology Demonstrations.
Every planting season, the company showcases its hybrid rice varieties in coordination with the local government all over the country to radiate to other farmers the benefits of planting hybrid rice seeds.
In Marawi for example, the company conducted a 50-hectare technology demonstration of SL-8H and SL-18H hybrid rice seeds as part of the rehabilitation efforts in the war-affected area. This project helped the Maranao farmers and other farmers in the nearby areas by educating them that they can improve their rice production, and their standard of living through the use of SL hybrid seeds.
During the technology demonstration, SLAC conducts seminars, briefings and farmers’ meetings to enhance the technical knowledge and skills of farmers in planting hybrid seeds. SLAC also provides them with seeds, fertilizers and other materials for farming to raise awareness that yield and income can increase by utilizing the hybrid rice technology.
With these activities and in our daily operations, SL Agritech Corporation continues to promote the relevance of rice agriculture for the world’s progress and to uplift the people’s lives by enriching the seeds of the future.
