Splash Corporation: Uplifting the Filipino

August 2007

“We have Filipino-made products competing side-by-side, as equals, in the global market. It is something that we truly take to heart,” says Dra. Rosalinda Hortaleza, adding that Splash’s success is a source of gratitude as well. “The last twenty years have been magical. From a fledgling, backyard company, the patronage and loyalty that the Filipino people have given to us enabled Splash to climb the market charts and join the giants of the industry. It is only right that we give something back.”

For most companies practicing good corporate social responsibility (CSR), the question is which causes to choose. The decision has to be strategic, because one cannot spread one’s resources too thinly, and ultimately result in failure to make any real impact. This is sometimes difficult, because in a company like Splash, the primary focus is to grow and create jobs.

The point however, is to make one’s efforts at practicing CSR integrated. “We try not to separate practicing CSR from how we conduct our business. While the goal is still to create jobs, what Splash ultimately does is to give people opportunities to hone their skills,” says Dr. Rolando Hortaleza.

For example, the company consciously practices good corporate governance. “We believe that the company is there to help the government and its people, and not the other way around. We do this by strictly adhering to all government regulations and paying the correct taxes.”

Secondly, Splash also employs environment-friendly policies. The company follows a zero-wastage policy, and recycles whenever possible. In line with that, the company’s waste-water treatment facilities are at par with international standards.

Thirdly, there is the Splash Foundation, which was established in 1997, and is the company’s means of establishing a channel through which the company could give back to society. Through the Foundation, Splash awards scholarships to deserving students, conducts health seminars and medical missions, and trains communities to become self-sufficient through livelihood projects. “We have always supported the practice of giving something back,” says Dra. Hortaleza. “The foundation merely serves to institutionalize this commitment.”

“While in the beginning it was about survival, today it is a matter of commitment to the Filipino people; it is about uplifting lives, sparking hope, empowering the less privileged, giving opportunities to poor Filipino communities whose own dreams may have been cast aside,” says Dra. Hortaleza. “ Uplifting the pride and economic well-being of the Filipino is our cause, our corporate cause.”

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