KBA-NotaSys donates maternal facility in San Felipe

For women’s month, a maternal halfway home was opened, marking a shift as well in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity of a Swiss company.

After a decade of helping an up-and-coming artist and disaster-struck countries as part of its CSR, Switzerland-based KBA-NotaSys opts to fund the building of a maternal halfway home in the Philippine town of San Felipe in Zambales.

“The project in San Felipe has been the first of its kind for KBA-NotaSys. In the past our CSR initiatives focused on countries struck by natural disasters and our annual project concerned a local, up-and-coming artist since artistry is very closely related to our core business. After having done this for about 10 years we felt it was time to review this and decided that supporting a community was a much stronger initiative than just a single individual,” shared KBA-NotaSys marketing manager Gerben Van Wijk.

KBA-NotaSys manufactures high-security banknote printers and counts the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as one of its clients. Last March 23, company representatives witnessed the inauguration of the maternal home that was built adjacent to a birthing facility. The home will serve as a temporary shelter for expecting mothers who are due to deliver. It has two bedrooms, toilet and bathroom, plus reception and dining areas.

The home is especially important for mothers living in far-flung villages, including the indigenous Aeta people, who make up 12 percent of San Felipe’s population.

“We are very proud to offer this facility to the families of San Felipe, especially for those women who live far away and those women who do not have access to medical facilities,” said KBA-NotaSys representative Sonia Rodriguez.

Rodriguez was one of two KBA-NotaSys employees who underwent a two-week immersion in the municipality to support the finalization of the maternal halfway home and help the health workers.

San Felipe Mayor Carolyn Farinas expressed her gratitude for the donation. “I am deeply honored to accept the maternal halfway home from KBA-NotaSys in partnership with the Zuellig Family Foundation and the Department of Health (DOH). We accept not just the building but more responsibilities to do with it. We accept the challenge to continue to bring the best of health for our constituents. We accept the challenge to carry on the task to sustain our health programs to give quality care to our people.”
The Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) facilitated the donation of KBA-NotaSys for the halfway home in San Felipe, whose mayor and municipal health officer undertook the Municipal Leadership and Governance Program, a training program under ZFF’s partnership with the DOH.

San Felipe Mayor Atty. Carolyn Farinas (center, third from left) is flanked by representatives of KBA NotaSys Sonia Rodriguez and Natalie Neubauer during the official turnover of the maternal halfway home on March 23.

View related photos here.