True to the words of SM’s founder Henry Sy, Sr., “In good times, we work hard. In bad times, we work harder,” SM Supermalls saw this as a time to respond, recover, and rebuild.
To kickstart the countdown to the “day that holds all time together,” SM, a beloved place for families to visit, dine and shop, has pledged to give and to care for over 10,000 beneficiaries — communities in need, hardworking SM employees, medical frontliners and dedicated delivery partners, among others — through its “100 Days of Caring and Giving.”
The Christmas-giving nationwide campaign features 100 days of spreading love, thoughtfulness, and care for one another and for the communities surrounding the favorite SM malls.
Steven Tan, president of SM Supermalls, urged everyone to begin the ‘100 days of caring’ — a time to be generous, to be kind, to care for each other and most of all, not to let this health crisis dampen spirits.
“This is our own small way of lending a helping hand to those who have been affected by this crisis and to give back to everyday heroes who show up and serve you and me every day, everywhere,” Tan pointed out.
Here are some of the beneficiaries and their partner malls:
SM North EDSA is giving 100 pairs of World Balance rubber shoes to seniors from Graces Home for the Elderly in Quezon City.
SM Megamall, The Podium, and SM Center Pasig chose delivery partners who will be recipients of 100 raincoats and rain boots.
From SM Mall of Asia, 100 sets of care packages like face masks, face shields, Ensure milk, vitamins, supplements, and more, will be handed over to senior citizens within the community.
SM Southmall chose SOS Children’s Villages to receive various educational books.
Metro Manila and Rizal malls chose several orphanages, namely: Associacion De Damas Filipinas, Bahay Aruga, White Cross Orphanage, and The Little Children’s Home to receive 100 toys and essential goods each, especially prepared by SM City Manila, SM City San Lazaro, SM City Sta. Mesa, SM City Taytay and SM Center Angono.
In North Luzon, 100 Aeta families from Zambales and Tarlac will be given grocery packs by SM City Olongapo Downtown, SM City Olongapo Central, and SM City Tarlac; fishermen in Pangasinan will be handed with fishing supplies by SM City Rosales, SM City Urdaneta Central, and SM Center Dagupan; while select tricycle and jeepney drivers in Bulacan will be given 100 pairs of shoes by SM City Marilao, SM City Baliwag, and SM Center Pulilan.
SM City Bacoor will give 100 braille books to the Deaf and Blind Foundation Philippines.
In the Visayas, SM City Cebu will bring smiles to kids of Kythe Foundation with 100 toys; while SM City Iloilo will give 100 25kg sacks of rice to healthcare and peace & order frontliners. SM City Puerto Princesa will have 100 grocery bags for displaced tourism personnel.
SM City Davao and SM Lanang Premier will be handing out 100 farming tools to local farmers; while SM City Butuan will be giving 100 Fiesta Food Packs to Por Cristo Foundation, Inc.
“I encourage you to be someone’s hero today. When the opportunity comes to you to help, don’t hesitate; it can be as simple as a kind word, a listening ear, food to share or tokens of gratitude,” Tan noted.
Wellness expert Dr. Gia Grace Baquiran Sison mentioned the individual benefits of giving, saying that it improves health and wellbeing such that it reduces health risk and improves the immune system.
“One way of coping during this uncertainty is being able to anchor ourselves into a mission that is greater than ourselves,” Sison explained.
She also shared her favorite practice. In Japan, she added, there is this concept called ‘Ikigai’ or ‘reason for being’. It has four factors, namely doing ‘what you love’, ‘doing what the world needs’, ‘what you can be paid for’, and ‘what you are good at’.
As for the community benefits of giving, “it provides a sense of community, strengthens interpersonal relationships, and promotes values that promote cohesion,” she noted.
For her part, Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Department of Tourism secretary, said that times continue to be tough, “but Christmas comes every year to remind us that together we can make it through the hardships if we all lend a helping hand.”
“May this inspire you to find ways to be generous, to share your blessings to those in need, including your time and your knowledge to uplift their spirits,” the tourism chief said, adding that one simple gesture of caring can bring healing and hope to the weary.
Three divas — Rahda, Frenchie, and Bituin Escalante — also performed; later on joined by 100 artists, singers, and SM employees and stakeholders who came together to sing during the virtual launch.
