Larong Pinoy As A Below-The-Line PR Campaign

For many companies, it’s not enough to make money and satisfy customers. Service to local communities is also part of the company agenda, and they involve their employees in outreach programs. These companies often go the extra mile to give a little something back to their employees, the community, and the world at large. They’ve developed solid reputations for going out and doing some good, turning their success into an opportunity to help others.

For a long time, businesses have given back to society in different ways. The domain for such outreach was based more on concerns and thoughtfulness to help people.  For some companies, business isn’t all about the bottom line. They make strides to be a caring part of society and help out those who live in less fortunate circumstances. They’re companies that know how important Corporate Social Responsibility can be to others.

Chevron Philippines is one of the few examples of those doing Corporate Social Responsibility right. Every year, Chevron Philippines embarks in a program dubbed "Week of Caring, wherein employees of the company engage communities as volunteers. For the second time, the employee-volunteers of Chevron reached out once again the children of Nayon ng Kabataan (in Mandaluyong City), a youth welfare community operated by the Department of Social Welfare Development (DSWD).

During its Week of Caring program, Chevron employees went to Nayon ng Kabataan to play as “big brothers” to the children of Welfareville --- playing Larong Pinoy, the traditional Filipino Street Games.  As coach and playmates, they ran and vigorously played with the children: games like, patintero, luksong tinik, luksong baka, chinese garter, piko, and other Pinoy games.

The choice of Larong Pinoy as an activity aims to provide a light, fun interaction between the Chevron employees and the kids at Nayon ng Kabataan.  The organizers of the Chevron outreach program recognizes the power of Larong Pinoy as a strong vehicle for community engagement and interaction.  The traditional Filipino street games is a cultural treasure, well-loved by many Filipinos even today.  Many people are still unable to own high-tech game gadgets, computers, or smartphones with game applications; thus, Larong Pinoy is still a fun alternative among many of the children.

Having a social good culture makes your employees know they are working for something that is bigger than themselves; their business is not one dimensional and more importantly, it cares about people.  There are new breed of corporate individuals who believe that what you put into the world is exactly what you’re going to get out of it. People want to do things that matter; companies that encourage employees to participate in volunteerism and giving back are creating fulfilling environments to work in.

CSR to be meaningful has to reach out to the large majority of our people who are not only without purchasing power, but are fundamentally deprived of basic livelihood. There are companies stand out as prime examples of how social responsibility can be productively coupled with sound strategies to advance goodwill, while building sustainable and impressive businesses. They provide the leadership to demonstrate how marketers can pursue both objectives simultaneously. As such, socially conscious companies have stepped up their efforts with increasing effectiveness and productivity. It is an impressive movement and one that invites society at large to do even more.

Magna Kultura Foundation salutes Chevron Philippines for making Larong Pinoy their choice of activity for engaging communities.  The interaction between the employees of Chevron and children of Nayon ng Kabataan will last a lifetime of remembrance.

For organizations who would like to conduct a Larong Pinoy program in schools, barangays, or for private companies, contact Magna Kultura Foundation.   

Contact DICKIE AGUADO, Executive Director - Magna Kultura Foundation:

Cellular Phone Nos.: +63 917 8990025 (Globe) or +63 922 8990026 (Sun)

Landline Tel No. (632) 514-5868

Email Address: kulturapilipinas@gmail.com

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Larong Pinoy Sports Clinics, A Great Program in Barangays

Communities in Metro-Manila re-experience the fun of the Traditional Filipino Street Games during the Barangay outreach tour of the Larong Pinoy Sports Clinic conducted by Magna Kultura Foundation, the national advocate of the Filipino Heritage Games in the country.   

Parents and grandparents brought their children to the sports clinic to let their children learn the games the same games they all used to play when they were young.  

While many of the new generations are familiar with the most popular of  games, the Larong Sports Clinic added new knowledge and techniques for children to play the game with an amateur playing skill.   

Magna Kultura taught children the official rules of playing the games, as well as the proper ways of making the ground markers in the playing field.

Larong Pinoy Sports Clinic are being held in urban cities teaching kids popular Filipino street games like Patintero, Tumbang Preso, Piko, Luksong Tinik and many games that our parents and elders use to play.

The fun training sessions teaches participants detailed mechanics of each and every game, the proper posture and movements, with systematic techniques on how to play each game and win the match. 

The 1st Part is a 20-minute session teaching participants the game mechanics, with systematic drills for proper execution, posture and movement.

The 2nd Part is a 3 ½ half hours session where participants are grouped into teams and conducted with actual game play; and, this time, orienting participants in the tournament formats and officiating rules.  

It's fascinating to see the kids to execute each drill exercise, and giggling their way through each and every task.

The first Larong Pinoy Sports Clinics were launched by Magna Kultura Foundation in Y-2008 in Barangay Communities in Metro-Manila. The venues were jam-packed with kids who enlisted.  

The event did not need much hyping and announcement because when word went out around among the neighborhood about the Larong Pinoy Clinics, parents who knew the games signed-up they children in the sports activity. 

Larong Pinoy is the traditional Filipino street games handed down from generations; it is the games of our heritage (Laro ng Lahi). It is cherished by elderly adults (grandparents), parents, and it is played by today's youth.

Patuloy nating buhayin ang laro ng ating lahi sa panahon ng modernisasyon.  Ito ay yaman n gating lahi.  Ipamahagi natin ito sa bagong kabataan. 

FOR INQUIRIES ABOUT MAGNA KULTURA'S PROGRAMS,

OR, FOR CONSULTATIONS ON DEVELOPMENT OF CSR OR MARKETING PROGRAMS

CONTACT DICKIE AGUADO at the following:

Cellular Phone os.: +63 917 8990025 (Globe) or +63 922 8990026 (Sun)

Landline Tel No. (632) 514-5868

Email Address: magnakultura@gmail.com

15 Reasons You Need a Business Plan

Whether you're just starting out, growing your business or seeking outside help, a well-thought-out business plan is the vehicle you need to get you there.

There are so many other good reasons to create a business plan that many business owners don't know about. So, just for a change, let's take a look at the less obvious reasons first and finish with the ones you probably already know about. Think of this as a late-show top 10, with us building up to the most important reasons you need a business plan.

15. Set specific objectives for managers. Good management requires setting specific objectives and then tracking and following up. I'm surprised how many existing businesses manage without a plan. How do they establish what's supposed to happen? In truth, you're really just taking a short cut and planning in your head--and good for you if you can do it--but as your business grows you want to organize and plan better, and communicate the priorities better. Be strategic. Develop a plan; don't just wing it.

14. Share your strategy, priorities and specific action points with your partner or significant other. Your business life goes by so quickly: a rush of answering phone calls, putting out fires, etc. Don't the other people in your business life need to know what's supposed to be happening? Don't you want them to know?

13. Deal with displacement. Displacement is probably by far the most important practical business concept you've never heard of. It goes like this: "Whatever you do is something else you don't do." Displacement lives at the heart of all small-business strategy. At least most people have never heard of it.

12. Decide whether or not to rent new space. Rent is a new obligation, usually a fixed cost. Do your growth prospects and plans justify taking on this increased fixed cost? Shouldn't that be in your business plan?

11. Hire new people. This is another new obligation (a fixed cost) that increases your risk. How will new people help your business grow and prosper? What exactly are they supposed to be doing? The rationale for hiring should be in your business plan.

10. Decide whether you need new assets, how many, and whether to buy or lease them. Use your business plan to help decide what's going to happen in the long term, which should be an important input to the classic make vs. buy. How long will this important purchase last in your plan?

9. Share and explain business objectives with your management team, employees and new hires. Make selected portions of your business plan part of your new employee training.

8. Develop new business alliances. Use your plan to set targets for new alliances, and selected portions of your plan to communicate with those alliances.

7. Deal with professionals. Share selected highlights or your plans with your attorneys and accountants, and, if this is relevant to you, consultants.

6. Sell your business. Usually the business plan is a very important part of selling the business. Help buyers understand what you have, what it's worth and why they want it.

5. Valuation of the business for formal transactions related to divorce, inheritance, estate planning and tax issues. Valuation is the term for establishing how much your business is worth. Usually that takes a business plan, as well as a professional with experience. The plan tells the valuation expert what your business is doing, when, why and how much that will cost and how much it will produce.

4. Create a new business. Use a plan to establish the right steps to starting a new business, including what you need to do, what resources will be required, and what you expect to happen.

3. Seek investment for a business, whether it's a startup or not. Investors need to see a business plan before they decide whether or not to invest. They'll expect the plan to cover all the main points.

2. Back up a business loan application. Like investors, lenders want to see the plan and will expect the plan to cover the main points.

1. Grow your existing business. Establish strategy and allocate resources according to strategic priority. 

Running a business is a great adventure. But just like any road-trip, having a "map" is vital to taking you where you want to go.  Plan ahead.

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If you want to hold consultation sessions for a plan in connection with a current enterprise or for a business your are setting-up, give us call and let's take a look at your options.

Dickie Aguado is the Executive Director of Magna Kultura Foundation. He is a consultant to private & government corporations in the Philippines. Dickie Aguado develops Business Plans, marketing and communications strategy, public relations & corporate social responsibility programs, social marketing campaigns, social mobilization and community engagement efforts at the grassroots of society. 

For Strategic Marketing Consultancy, contact Dickie Aguado 
at Tel. No. (632) 514-5868, via Mobile Nos. +63917-8990025,
 or at +63922-8990026.

You may also send an email at grassrootscommunication@gmail.com

For more details of how Dickie handles strategic marketing planning, click to open http://grassrootmarketing.multiply.com/profile/resume/resume.M.  

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