On an ordinary day along Kalaw Avenue in Manila, something quietly extraordinary unfolded: large kawas simmered, volunteers lined up with ladles, and nearly 3,000 underserved Filipinos received a hot, nutritious meal.
Street dwellers in the area and caregivers patiently waiting outside the Philippine General Hospital were among those served through a community feeding initiative led by Kawa Pilipinas, together with employee-volunteers of the One Meralco Foundation (OMF), the corporate social responsibility arm of Manila Electric Company, and CIS Bayad Center Inc.
Employees from Meralco’s Pasay Business Center, Corporate Communications Department, and OMF took time off their regular roles to serve meals alongside Kawa Pilipinas’ volunteers, an effort rooted in the Filipino value of malasakit, or deep concern for others.
“For Filipinos, sharing meals is a love language. By sharing these hot, nutritious meals to our fellow Filipinos in need, with our partners in Kawa Pilipinas, we translate ‘malasakit’ into a tangible act of bringing warmth to those who need food the most,” OMF President Jeffrey O. Tarayao said.
The activity was joined by Tarayao himself, Kawa Pilipinas founder Mae Paner, OMF Program Manager Grace G. Noche, and Meralco Advocacy and Communication Management Head Michelle L. Caguioa, each taking part not just as leaders, but as volunteers on the ground.
More than a feeding program, the initiative reflects Meralco’s long-standing commitment to supporting vulnerable communities in areas where it operates, whether through disaster response, grassroots partnerships, or everyday acts of compassion that meet people where they are.
One Meralco Foundation is the corporate foundation and social development arm of Meralco. A non-stock, non-profit organization registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Foundation focuses on community electrification and energy education, environmental sustainability, youth development, grassroots partnerships, and disaster response.
OMF is accredited as a donee institution by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC), registered with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and is a member of both the Association of Foundations and the League of Corporate Foundations — credentials that underscore its role in translating corporate resources into meaningful community impact.
On that day in Manila, however, impact was measured less by certifications and more by something simpler: a warm meal, a shared moment, and the reminder that dignity can begin with being seen and fed.