planner Roberto Alabado III, during the 5th Global CSR Summit and Awards.
Naybahay, a rural birthing facility project spearheaded by Pfizer Philippines Foundation Inc., was one among 20 corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects recognized with an award of merit at the 5th Global CSR Summit hosted by the Philippines in Davao City last April.
The awards program of the summit received 122 entries from 22 countries around the globe, of which only a total of 35 received merit as well as top citations.
NayBahay is a banner program of Pfizer in line with its advocacy toward maternal and child health (MCH). With maternal and child mortality rates still a prevalent health issue in developing countries such as the Philippines, Pfizer has endeavored to help decrease such numbers by developing a template for safe, medically supervised and free birthing facilities in far-flung, underserved rural areas.
“This citation is truly encouraging for us in continuing our MCH advocacy through our NayBahay project,” says Patricia J. Pascual, vice chair of Pfizer Philippines Foundation. “Most importantly, with the recognition coming from a global organization of CSR professionals, we are humbled with the affirmation that our project is genuinely sustainable and successful in the context of best practices and established frameworks of CSR programs worldwide.”
Minalabac, Camarines Sur, was selected as the pilot community for the project, being one of the areas in the Philippines with substantial MCH issues. NayBahay was developed in coordination with the local government unit and the Department of Health, and was launched in 2011. After just one year of operations, 327 normal childbirths with no incidence of maternal or infant deaths have been recorded at the facility. This figure represents more than a third of the total 983 births reported in the municipality as of December 2012.
“These babies—the small but valuable number of lives we have helped bring into this world—shows how NayBahay has grown to become a well-assimilated healthcare and social venue in the community,” adds Pascual. “We are extremely grateful and glad for the opportunity to help Filipino mothers and families in a very impactful manner.”
Following the success of NayBahay in Camarines Sur, a second birthing facility will be unveiled in San Andres, Romblon, by June 2013, with at least two more facilities in other provincial municipalities to be launched within the year.
The Global CSR Summit & Awards is an international event now on its fifth year, and is growing to be recognized by industry professionals as the most authoritative and widely participated CSR program especially in Asia. Over 150 local and international delegates attended the event, with the theme “Local Innovations, Global Impact,” focused on the importance of sustainability solutions on the local level to solving today’s problems on the global scale such as climate change, poverty and human exploitation. Fourteen international speakers from leading corporations and NGOs shared their experiences on the theme, offering their ideas and solutions from different countries in Asia and the rest of the world.