Mekeni continues gratitude, malasakit culture through gift-giving activity

National

**Mekeni continues gratitude, malasakit culture through gift-giving activity**

_{Mekeni HR Supervisor and Safety Officer Apple Garcia (3^rd from right) and Mekeni EPRT with representatives of Munting Tahanan ng Nazareth}

It is that time of year again for Mekeni Food Corporation as they have concluded their annual gift-giving tradition to select institutions in Pampanga.

Led by HR Supervisor and Safety Officer Apple Garcia, Mekeni employees, represented by the members of its Emergency Preparedness and Response Team (EPRT), brought assorted groceries, personal care essentials, and gift packs to Bahay Pag-ibig (home for the aged) in San Fernando; Munting Tahanan ng Nazareth(for special and abandoned children) and Duyan ni Maria (home for abandoned children) in Mabalacat; and Children’s Home of Immaculate Mary (home for abandoned children) in Angeles.

“We are committed to doing this annual activity to inspire and give our beneficiaries hope, especially now that we have yet to fully overcome the effects of the pandemic. We are delighted that our employees and the whole Mekeni family have imbibed the company’s culture of gratitude and malasakit,” said Assistant Vice President for HR and Export Marilou Uy.

*_{Mekeni EPRT members carry boxes of gifts as they prepare for the turnover to partner institutions.}*

Since 2008, the Mekeni management team and employees have been sharing their time, resources, and hearts through this program. The pandemic may have changed the way they executed the turnover of items, but it did not change the organization’s level of generosity.

Before the pandemic, Mekeni employees used to spend a day in the institutions to interact with beneficiaries. There were mini-programs, games, and kumustahan. However, when the pandemic happened, they only dropped off the gifts in designated areas to ensure safety precautions could be maintained.

With the combined generosity of the management and the employees, Mekeni was able to provide food and personal care supplies that could sustain the basic needs of over 200 beneficiaries in the next few months.

“This annual activity embodies our favorite saying ‘we rise by lifting others’. We hope that with this simple act, our beneficiaries feel the love, positivity, and joy that we wish to bring, especially this season,” said Mekeni President Pruds Garcia.

Mekeni team at Duyan ni Maria in Mabalacat.The annual gift-giving program is one of Mekeni’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs geared towards continuing the value of gratitude and malasakit, and fulfilling its mission to uplift lives.

“For 14 years, this program has reminded us that small acts of love and joy can have significant impacts on other people’s lives. In every way we can, we will continue to serve and uplift others’ quality of lives through our CSR programs,” said Uy.