2010 Shell Eco-marathon in Asia

ISSUE 2 2010 

SHELL WORLDPHILIPPINES 2010 

Shell 

Eco-marathon 

in Asia 

Highlights from the first Shell Eco-marathon 

Asia, a highly-charged challenge on fuelefficiency, 

held at the Sepang International 

Circuit in Malaysia.

editorial 

SHELL 

WORLD 

PHILIPPINES 

MEET THE TEAM 

Editorial Advisors 

Roberto S. Kanapi 

Mylene M. Santos 

Editor-in-Chief 

Sankie G. Simbulan 

Managing Editor 

Jun Jay G. Jimenez 

Copy Editor 

Christine R. Guison 

Writers 

Jocelyn Diana-Diga 

Christine R. Guison 

Jun Jay G. Jimenez 

Contributors 

Archie Arceno 

Janot Barretto 

Mich Cruz 

Daday DeLeon 

Aileen Duran 

Monaleizl Dy 

To contact the SWP Team: 

Mailing Address 

Shell World Philippines 

14/F Shell House 

156 Valero St., Salcedo Village 

Makati City 1227 

E-Mail 

shellworldphilippines@shell.com 

Website 

www.shell.com.ph/shellworldphilippines 

External Recognition 

Shell World Philippines is published quarterly for 

the employees of the Shell companies in the 

Philippines and for interested readers outside the 

business. Opinions expressed do not necessarily 

reflect the official views of any Shell company. 

The following expressions are inherent to Shell 

businesses in the Philippines: SciP (Shell 

companies in the Philippines), which 

encompasses its companies in the country; and 

Pilipinas Shell (Pilipinas Shell Petroleum 

Corporation). The specific names of other Shell 

companies will be duly mentioned in the article. 

Shell World Philippines is published by the 

Communications Department for the Shell 

companies in the Philippines. 

2 SHELL WORLDPHILIPPINES 

WORLDPHILIPPINES 

ISSUE 2 2010 welcome 

Clara Antonette Eser 

Viva Generoso 

Marites Manderi 

Clark Publico 

Angela Rebueno 

Ronald Suarez 

Dear Colleagues, 

Powering progress together. Shell continuously works with partners to 

help deliver energy much more cleanly and efficiently, all towards 

bringing forth sustainable development for the entire world. 

In this issue of Shell World Philippines, we pay tribute to the Shell 

Eco-marathon, an annual competition with a 25-year history of 

promoting fuel-efficiency among young engineering students – the 

world’s future car manufacturers and designers – who embark on 

building vehicles that travel the farthest distance on the least amount of 

fuel and lowest possible carbon dioxide emissions. After setting 

fuel-efficiency records in Europe and the Americas, this year, the Shell 

Eco-marathon was brought to Asia for the very first time. 

It was amazing to see hundreds of Asian students rise to the challenge of 

producing vehicles that can help the world meet its growing desire for 

mobility in a more eco-friendly way. Shell Eco-marathon Asia saw 

vehicles of diverse shapes and mechanisms, running on fuels that range 

from the conventional gasoline and diesel, to the non-conventional 

biofuels, solar power and hydrogen fuel cells. 

Indeed, the Shell Eco-marathon brings mobility to a whole new level 

through the power of human technology and innovation. As Shell 

Executive Vice-President for Global Business to Business and Lubricants 

Tan Chong Meng said during the opening ceremonies of Shell Ecomarathon 

Asia, ”Ever since mankind invented the wheel, we have been 

addicted to mobility, and over the years, we have pushed the 

technological boundaries of travelling further, faster and more 

economically. The Shell Eco-marathon adds a much needed twist ….to 

achieve all of these ambitions without injuring our planet.” 

Let’s all build a new and bright energy future together. LET’S GO. 

SANKIE G. SIMBULAN 

Business and Corporate Communications Manager

06 

12 

28 

ON SPOTLIGHT: 

2010 SHELL ECO- 

MARATHON IN ASIA 

Highlights from the first Shell Ecomarathon 

(SEM) Asia: lessons beyond 

the competition, a sneak peek behind 

the teams’ intense preparations, and 

the colourful cars and experiences of 

the SEM Asia participants. 

20 

contents 

04 

EDITOR’S LETTERS 

Readers’ feedback on stories published in 

Shell World Philippines magazine. 

05 

DOING BUSINESS WITH OUR 

EARS OPEN 

Upstream International General Counsel Keith 

Ruddock shares his views on Shell’s brand 

essence “Powering Progress Together”, which 

is about harnessing ways to work with 

customers and stakeholders towards the new 

energy future. 

06 

PERDIDO: ASSEMBLING THE 

WORLD’S DEEPEST OFFSHORE 

PLATFORM 

Hurdling difficult technical challenges, thousands 

of men and women from 48 countries worked 

together to successfully design, build and 

assemble the world’s deepest offshore oil 

platform in the Gulf of Mexico. 

08,32 

NEWS IN BRIEF 

A mix of stories about the various business 

and social development activities of Shell 

companies in the Philippines that support the 

country’s quest for progress. 

12 

A STRONGER LINK BETWEEN 

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 

AND STRATEGY 

Malcolm Brinded shares his thoughts on why 

sustainable development is critical to Shell’s 

business success. 

14 

SCALING UP NEW CHEMICAL 

REACTIONS IN SINGAPORE 

Shell’s largest fully-integrated refinery and 

petrochemicals hub uses a new technology to 

convert more raw material into valuable products. 

16 

AKO MISMO ANG KIKILOS! LAHAT 

TAYO MAKAKATULONG: 

THE 2010 DISTRIBUTION EVENT 

Pilipinas Shell’s Oil Distribution team members 

gathered to celebrate achievements and craft 

business strategies to ensure another year of 

successful operations. 

18 

OUR WORK FOR THE 

ENVIRONMENT 

The many ways Shell contributes to sustainable 

development in partnership with various 

organisations that share the same commitment to 

protect the environment. 

28 

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN 

ACTION: OUR HOME 

Shell Sustainable Development Manager 

Suiee Suarez shares insights on caring for our 

only home – planet Earth 

30 

ALL ABOUT DIGITAL ARTS 

Student artists gain access to new trends in the art 

world, inspiring them to polish their artistic skills 

through the Shell Art Interaction Programme. 

37 

SHELL ACTIVE CHESS PROMOTES 

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT 

Eighteen years of helping the Filipino youth 

develop critical thinking and values through 

the game of chess. 

38 

IMPOK PANG KALUSUGAN: 

A BATTLE GEAR IN FACING THE 

GIANT 

A story of a fisherman in Palawan who found 

relief from the high cost of hospitalisation 

through the innovative community health 

insurance programme run by the Pilipinas 

Shell Foundation, Inc. and its partners. 

SHELL WORLDPHILIPPINES3 

WORLDPHILIPPINES3

your magazine 

EDITOR’S LETTERS 

Dear Editor, 

Thank you again for 

sending me a copy of 


magazine. Together with 

my circle of friends here 

in Saint Louis University 

who likewise read SWP 

issues, I truly enjoy and 

commend Shell companies in the Philippines 

for its activities that manifest Shell’s corporate 

social responsibility. 

Companies like Shell acknowledge the fact 

that the benefits and blessings that they reap 

in their everyday operations must be “plowed 

back” to the respective communities where 

they operate. In doing so, these communities 

have become their invaluable project and 

programme partners. 

It is both inspiring and awesome to learn 

from SWP that Shell indeed collaborates 

with various groups of people of different 

professions in order to forge its vision, mission 

and goals. 

What struck me foremost is the scholarship 

programme you implement for the dependents 

of transport groups. The education and 

training you provide is a big boost to the 

low-income earners and their children who 

depend on them. At least their children are 

assured to finish their technical and vocational 

education and thus pursue their dreams. 

The issue on climate change is interwoven 

in everyone’s daily life. Therefore, everyone 

must be involved in at least helping slow 

it down. Another laudable effort is Shell’s 

initiatives in complying with the Biofuels law. 

The inventions and breakthrough innovations 

of Shell are giant leaps towards the continuing 

search for alternative fuels which are 

environment-friendly. 

Finally, the micro entrepreneurship 

programme of Shell for poor folks to start 

their livelihood activity is also another story 

that caught my interest since it directly 

provides financial assistance to groups of 

housewives, fishermen and the like to fund 

their livelihood activities. 

I hope that all of Shell’s programmes and 

projects for the underprivileged communities 

will be sustainable and successful. Kudos to 

Shell and SWP! 

Nito Meneses 

Publications Officer 

Saint Louis University 

Baguio City 



Dear Editor, 

I am proud to 

belong to a company 

that promotes the 

development of young 

Filipino minds. In the 

past months, we’ve seen 

email adverts about Shell 

National Youth Active 

Chess Championships and more recently, 

the Shell Eco-marathon (SEM). I found the 

SEM particularly interesting because I didn’t 

have any idea what it was about. And 

when I got greater clarity on the objective 

of that event, I couldn’t help but feel 

appreciative of Shell’s initiative to challenge 

young minds about energy and how to 

use it more efficiently. I am happy that 

our company somehow promotes nationbuilding 

by harnessing talents and providing 

opportunities to students to showcase their 

skills in engineering outside the country. This 

way, we help the country’s education system 

to be competitive in the region. 

Another thing to note in this event is how 

our former Shell executives acted as real 

mentors to their respective teams. More than 

technical advice, I think the experience with 

the three former Shell executives helped 

these young students build their character 

and confidence. I hope that we continue 

to promote solid partnerships with local 

universities through such activities so that 

as a private company, we are able to give 

our share in improving the Filipino talent. 

Congratulations to the Filipino delegates to the 

first SEM in Asia! 

Cheers, 

John Benedict P. Salvador 

HR Analyst 

Shell Upstream International 

******************************* 

Dear Editor, 

I really enjoy reading 


(SWP) magazine. Thank 

you for posting the 

issues of the publication 

online (www.shell.com. 

ph). It is motivating and 

heartwarming to learn 

that Shell continues to be 

responsible to its external stakeholders by 

leading worthy causes that truly give back 

to society. 

I very much enjoy reading stories about 

the Shell Eco-marathon, which I have learned 

is more than just a competition. Aside from 

pushing the boundaries of fuel-efficiency, 

the Shell Eco-Marathon serves as a great 

opportunity for young Filipino student 

engineers to hone and develop their skills 

and talents to make it at par with global 

standards. This, as well, is a great avenue 

to showcase what Filipinos can do when 

faced with a challenge. It is exciting that we 

all get a glimpse of what the future can be for 

our country, or perhaps the world in terms of 

energy because of this event. Everyone is truly 

a winner with that! Congratulations on another 

informative issue, and may you continue to 

bring the news to many about the best and 

new things about Shell. You are all doing a 

fantastic job! 

Sincerely, 

Carmela M. Sto. Domingo 

Management Trainee 

United Coconut Planters Bank Treasury 

******************************* 

Dear Editor, 

I find Shell World 

Philippines interesting to 

read. You might wish to 

issue the publication more 

frequently. I hope you can 

continue to feature articles 

that are comprehensive 

and thought-provoking. I 

find the global articles about new discoveries 

or technologies that are not yet present in our 

country fascinating. I share these with friends 

and family as these are good subjects for 

discussion in a gathering. 

Regards, 

Rajan Francisco 

Head of Projects 

Shell Tabangao Refinery 

WRITE US WR WRIT IT ITE US LET ET ETTE TE TERS RS 

WR WRITE US LETTERS 

We are interested to know your thoughts on 

anything about the Shell business or your 

feedback on the magazine. Letters chosen will 

be published in our next issue and senders will 

be given a special token from SWP. We 

reserve the right to edit your letter for clarity 

and brevity. 

SHARE YOUR STORIES 

Shell World Philippines (SWP) is in line with other Shell World publications around the world, bringing news and feature stories with both global and local content. 

The SWP Team invites you to share your stories with the rest of the Shell community. You may send your stories, along with photos and your contact details, to anyone 

from the SWP Team. Please see the staff box for our contact details.

Doing business with our ears open 

In May, CEO Peter Voser 

set out the new essence of 

Shell in three simple words 

“powering progress together”. 

It’s all about working together 

to create better energy solutions 

for a changing world, and it 

means listening carefully – not 

just to our customers, but also our 

other stakeholders including the 

communities we operate in and 

the general public, and being 

more proactive. 

While the new essence of Shell, powering 

progress together, has much to do with 

developing new value propositions 

meeting Shell’s customers’ needs, it’s 

also about connecting with our other 

stakeholders earlier (people who aren’t 

in commercial relationships with the 

company), listening to their needs, and 

building win-win relationships. Among 

those stakeholders are the communities 

where we operate, non-governmental 

organisations and the general public. 

For Keith Ruddock, Upstream International’s 

General Counsel, the changes announced 

at the Senior Executive Forum in Houston this 

May were a rallying call to rethink entrenched 

views and shake off defensive attitudes to the 

wider world. He wasn’t alone in embracing 

the move to reveal the more “human” side 

of the company, especially when doing so 

will help create more sustainable business 

opportunities for Shell. 

“The significance of the timing and the US 

location of the forum didn’t escape the 

delegates,” says Keith. “While Shell’s key 

executives discussed the future direction, 

attention outside the conference room 

was firmly fixed on BP’s Gulf of Mexico 

problem. This incident is clearly a huge 

challenge, not just for BP, but for the 

whole industry. Realising just how quickly 

the external environment can change 

around us made what Peter Voser was 

saying very relevant.” 

PROACTIVE APPROACH 

Keith says, “We clearly need to protect 

the company’s interests, and history has 

shown that one of the best ways to do that 

is proactively to open up local dialogue 

and initiate discussion early. Frankly, we 

may never persuade some opposition 

groups to change their views, but one 

thing we might be overlooking is that often 

our reputation is better with special public 

groups than the population as a whole. In 

the wider sense, everybody is a stakeholder 

- and increasingly we need to have wide 

stakeholder support to do business.” 

Looking back on his legal work for the 

company, Keith says he has often been 

surprised to find that the non-technical issue 

that had caused a major problem in a 

project was often not the one the company 

had expected. A case in point is the Corrib 

gas project in north-west Ireland which has 

attracted considerable opposition over an 

extended period. 

“In retrospect (and of course it is always 

easier to recognise this in hindsight) there 

were almost certainly times in the early 

stages when we could have engaged with 

the local community and set out our case 

better. In the past, we believed we knew 

the answers, and indeed we might well 

have done - from a technical, scientific, 

legal and logical view - but sometimes 

engineering logic is not enough, especially 

in Ireland!” says Keith, who is Irish himself. 

“We also have to be able to understand 

what people around us are really saying 

and to listen to what their real concerns 

are, especially if they differ from what we 

assume them to be. I think the team now is 

really reflecting this approach in how we 

are taking the project forward.” 

TURNING WORDS INTO ACTIONS 

The method for powering progress 

is presented under five Behavioural 

Imperatives: external focus, commercial 

mindset, delivery, speed, and simplicity. 

These imperatives, Keith suggests, should 

be thought of personally and emotionally: 

in other words, what each individual 

employee can do or change to help Shell 

reach its goals. 

“For me personally, I can often find 

myself tied up for days at a time dealing 

with other Shell people - and that may 

sometimes be necessary, but I will be 

responding by creating time to interface 

with people who will help shift the debate 

on issues that really matter to Shell. And 

these people aren’t within Shell, they’re in 

the world outside.” 

Making a personal commitment to 

change starts at the top. Shell Upstream 

International Executive Director Malcolm 

Upstream International General Counsel Keith Ruddock 

Brinded says Shell values are incredibly 

important to him and that, if Shell is to be 

faster, simpler and more externally focused, 

everyone needs to embrace change. “I 

know that for me simplification can be a 

challenge, and I really have to focus on 

how to cut out work and make life easier 

for others in our business.” 

Malcolm acknowledges that change may not 

be easy, but he has a hard-hitting message: 

“If you’re finding it comfortable, then you’re 

not doing enough.” SWP 


WORLDPHILIPPINES5

perdido: assembling 

the world’s deepest 

offshore platform 



THOUSANDS OF MEN AND WOMEN FROM 48 COUNTRIES WORKED 

TOGETHER TO OVERCOME DAUNTING TECHNICAL CHALLENGES TO 

DESIGN, BUILD AND ASSEMBLE THE WORLD’S DEEPEST OFFSHORE OIL 

PLATFORM IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, WHICH PRODUCED ITS FIRST OIL 

AND NATURAL GAS ON MARCH 31, 2010. 

SOURCE: WENDEL BROERE, MEDIA RELATIONS

At the peak of construction, 12,000 

people worked on the Perdido 

project in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Perdido’s hull and platform weigh around 

55,000 tonnes — the decks alone are 

as big as two football fields — and it is 

moored in about 2,450 metres (8,000 feet) 

of water. The scale of the project demanded 

international expertise, with equipment 

brought in from around the world. 

MOVING THE SPAR INTO PLACE 

The hull, or spar, was built in Pori, 

Finland, using steel from a mill 500 

kilometres (310 miles) away. It is nearly 

as tall as the Eiffel Tower and took over 

two million man hours to build. A giant 

barge shipped the 22,000-tonne spar on 

a 13,200-kilometre (8,200-mile) journey 

from the Baltic Sea to Ingelside, Texas, on 

the Gulf of Mexico. Here the barge was 

flooded to partially submerge it, allowing 

the spar to float onto the water. Two 

tugboats towed it to its final home above 

the Alaminos canyon 320 kilometres 

(199 miles) from the shore. 

Working through hurricane season, a 

team of workers raced to secure the giant 

floating spar to the seabed. To rotate it 

from a horizontal to a vertical floating 

position, they pumped water through hoses 

attached to the top of the spar, gradually 

filling tanks near the bottom. It took over 

20 hours to finally get it upright. They 

attached nine mooring lines and anchored 

the spar to piles in the seafloor, then 

evacuating before hurricane Gustav hit in 

early September. 

HURRICANE RESISTANCE 

Iron ore ballast at the bottom of the spar 

helps keep it upright and stable. As a 

precaution ahead of hurricanes the spar 

can increase ballast by adding water to 

internal tanks. That means it won’t move up 

and down much more than a few metres 

with the waves, reducing the tug on the 

tubes that bring oil and gas to the surface 

from the seabed. 

Perdido’s 22,000-tonne hull was designed 

never to capsize, even in the roughest seas. 

It can withstand the most powerful storms, 

the type expected to occur only once in 

1,000 years. “It bobs up and down like 

a cork,” says Clarence Holmstrom who 

oversaw the building of the spar. 

To prevent damage to mooring lines from 

scraping on the seafloor and against the 

spar, the 25-centimetre-thick (10-inch) 

polyester lines have a 300-metre (984foot) 

section of chain at the top and 

bottom. Winches on the platform make 

it possible to move the spar into the most 

secure position before a hurricane hits. 

ASSEMBLING A PERFECT PUZZLE 

The platform’s three decks — or topsides 

— support oil and gas processing units, 

living quarters for 150 people and a 

drilling rig. Yet all that equipment had to be 

light enough so that special floating cranes 

could lift the assembled topsides onto the 

upright spar. “The deck had to go on a 

diet,” says Kurt Shallenberger, topsides 

project leader. By weighing all materials 

and every piece of equipment — including 

over 21 kilometres (13 miles) of pipes — 

the team achieved a topsides weight just 

one tonne over the exact target. 

“The Perdido facility is like a gigantic jigsaw 

puzzle,” says Shallenberger. “There’s lots of 

pieces and parts that all have to work, that 

all have to be safe, and everyone’s got to 

agree how they fit together.” 

LASER-AIDED MEASUREMENTS 

Temperature differences between Finland 

and Texas posed another challenge to 

assembly, as the steel components built in 

the cold of northern Europe expand in the 

heat of the Gulf of Mexico. 

A team of experts calculated 

dimensions for components on the deck 

and hull using advanced computer 

modelling. This allowed for potential 

expansion, as well as flexing of 

steel when cranes lifted the topsides. 

Computer-guided lasers marked out 

the measurements during construction 

to ensure everything fit perfectly. In 

March 2009, cranes lowered the 

9,500-tonne topsides onto four posts 

on the spar, slotting it into position 

exactly and setting a record for the 

heaviest topside lift in the USA. SWP 

LIVING ON A 

PLATFORM 

The Perdido oil and gas 

installation is located further from 

land than any other platform in 

the Gulf of Mexico and in the deepest 

waters. It is also a temporary home 

for the men and women who keep 

production going round the clock. 

It takes a two-hour helicopter flight to 

get to the Perdido platform — named 

after the Spanish word for “lost”. And 

it will take a workforce of 150 people 

to keep Perdido up and running. 

They work 12-hour shifts for 14 days 

followed by 14 days off back on land. 

They live on the platform, which 

has its own water treatment system, 

restaurant, recreation room and 

fitness room. Staff cabins have TV, 

telephones and Internet access. 

“It's like living in a motel in a small 

busy village,” says Offshore Installation 

Manager Arthur McAlpin. “Everyone 

knows each other and looks out for 

each other. The lobster is great too.” 

The platform incorporates extensive 

safety equipment to protect workers in 

this remote location. It has the largest 

rescue boat used on any Shell facility 

with room for 24 people, blastresistant 

living quarters and ten times 

more fire and gas detectors than other 

installations in the Gulf. 

Perdido’s helipad accommodates two 

helicopters carrying up to 22 passengers 

each, more than double the capacity 

of helicopters typically used in the Gulf. 

That makes it possible to evacuate 

workers faster ahead of a hurricane. 


WORLDPHILIPPINES7

news in brief 

Shell and Hyundai extend Global Lubricants Agreement to 2015 

The plan for the 

Malampaya Project 

at the Mind Museum 

The plan for the Malampaya Project section 

at the soon to open Mind Museum in Taguig 

is a state of the art diorama, with fibre optic 

cables demonstrating natural gas pipelines. 

Through these cables, the connection of 

upstream and downstream industries will be 

presented. Also included is an interactive 

screen showcasing videos of the different 

stages of exploration and production. 

Laptops with sound domes will also play an 

interactive learning CD, "Petromania". [SPEX 

Communications] 

For more details on the Mind Museum, 

please visit 

www.themindmuseum.org. 



Shell, the number one global 

lubricants supplier, and 

Hyundai Motor Company, 

announced the renewal of their 

global lubricants agreement, 

making Shell the preferred 

lubricants supplier for a further 

five years. 

Building on the success of the initial 

collaboration in 2005, Shell will continue 

to provide factory and service fill 

lubricants to Hyundai. Shell and Hyundai 

will also collaborate on lubricants 

research and development and joint 

marketing activities across Hyundai’s 

service network. 

Hyundai tops up with Shell lubricants as they extend their 

five-year agreement. Mr. D.G. Yang, Director, Asan Plant 

Production Supporting Group, Hyundai Motor Company and 

David Pirret, Executive Vice President, Shell Lubricants 

David Pirret, Executive Vice-President, 

Lubricants, Shell International Petroleum 

Co Ltd, said: “We are delighted to 

continue our relationship with Hyundai. 

Over the last five years we have worked 

hard to deliver a competitive advantage 

to Hyundai through our cutting edge 

lubricants technology, high quality 

products and joint marketing programmes. 

The combined strength of our two global 

brands will continue to benefit Hyundai 

motorists and dealers worldwide.” 

Shell runs a number of programmes with 

Hyundai dealerships and workshops 

to increase customer satisfaction and 

loyalty. These include the Before Service 

Programme, a free car health check 

for customers and the Quick Service 

Programme, which provides a quick and 

convenient oil change and service for 

Hyundai car owners. 

SPEX signs agreement with DOF Subsea Asia Pacific 

DOF Subsea Asia Pacific Executive 

Vice President Steve Brown (left) 

and Shell Philippines Exploration 

B.V. (SPEX) Asset Manager 

Sebastian Quiniones (right) recently 

sealed a deal with a handshake 

during the recent memorandum of 

agreement signing held at the SPEX 

office in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. 

Under the contract, DOF Subsea will take 

over various Underwater Service requirements 

of the Malampaya underwater facilities 

as part of asset integrity assurance. This 

comprises Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) 

inspection and sonar inspection as required. 

The DOF Subsea group has also purchased 

intervention tools and equipment for the subsea 

production system, a Platform Supply Vessel 

(PSV) equipped with ROV and a Launch and 

Recovery System (LARS) was also installed to 

enable inspection and intervention. 

DOF Subsea Asia Pacific was established 

in Singapore and Australia in 2005, with 

operational and administrative offices 

strategically located in the Asia-Pacific region. 

[SPEX Communications]

People Make the Difference Real (PMTDR) is all about encouraging and motivating 

retailers and their site staff - as well as our own sales force – to provide customers with 

clean, safe sites and smiling, friendly service, every site, every visit, every day. 

Eva Tan is 2009 Shell Global Multi-Site Retailer of the Year 

Shell Retail Philippines’ Retailer 

in North Luzon, Eva and Doyong 

Tan, were hailed as the 2009 

Shell Global Multi-Site Retailer 

of the Year, besting all multi-site 

retailers in 64 countries. The first in 

the Philippines, Eva and Doyong 

Tan won the prestigious award for 

consistently displaying outstanding 

achievements in Operational 

Excellence throughout 2009. 

Over 700 delegates representing 64 People 

Make the Difference Real (PMTDR) countries 

gathered in a three-day celebration dubbed 

as the “Smiling Stars Event.” The celebration 

was held to honour the top performing 

retailers and Shell sales force for 2009 and 

the announcement of the coveted Global 

Awardees for the year. 

Shell Retail Leadership Team, led by Shell 

Retail Executive Vice President John Bullock, 

Shell Lubricants announces 

changes to its well-established 

Shell Rimula range of heavyduty 

diesel engine oils. The 

changes are designed to make 

it much easier for individual 

users to find the oil that is right 

for their vehicle as well as 

offering an improved range of 

performance products. 

“The current structure of the Shell Rimula 

range was established back in the early 

1990s,” said Lyndon Lumain, Marketing 

Manager for Shell Lubricants, “but things 

have moved on since then, both from 

the specification standpoint and from 

the customer desire for their lubricants to 

were present to celebrate the outstanding 

achievements of the Retailers and Sales Force 

who had significant contributions to Retail’s 

success for 2009. The global recognition was 

part of the annual PMTDR Global Awards 

and recognition event held in Kuala Lumpur, 

Malaysia from May 4-6, 2010. 

PMTDR is all about encouraging and motivating 

retailers and their site staff -as well as our own 

sales force – to provide customers with clean, 

safe sites and smiling, friendly service, every 

site, every visit, every day. 

In the three-day recognition event, Bullock 

and Shell Retail National Sales & Operations 

Manager Azman Ismail welcomed the delegates 

during a dinner at the Grand Ballroom of the 

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. The Smiling 

Stars Event was capped off by a whole day 

business conference and a gala night and 

awarding ceremonies of the Global winners at 

the Sepang International Racing Circuit. 

[Jo Diana-Diga] 

V-Power Card promo winner 

Choose the right protection for your engine with 

new Shell Rimula heavy-duty engine oils 

deliver added-value such as fuel-economy 

performance.” 

The new Shell Rimula Energised Protection 

range features oil technology designed to 

adapt to the changing needs of the engine. 

The new range takes into account changes 

in technology as well customer requirements 

while making it easier for users to identify the 

right oil for their operation. 

“The new Shell Rimula range is the 

springboard for launching our latest and 

improved technologies from reliable 

performance at the Shell Rimula R1 tier to the 

triple action protection of Shell Rimula R3 X 

that reflect Shell’s continuing commitment to 

meeting the needs of the transport industry 

now and in the future,” said John Ligan, 

Technical Manager, Shell Lubricants. 

Eva Tan with Shell Retail Executive Vice President John Bullock 

Shell V-Power Card promo winner Ma. Elveta Comsti of Pasig City proudly shows her brand new 

Audi TT Coupe during the handover ceremony. The successful promo, which ran from January 

24 to March 25, 2010, attracted millions of motorists to gas up at Shell retail stations. Special 

offers such as limited edition V-Power caps and discounts on Shell lubricants were also given 

away during the promo duration through the card. [Jun Jay G. Jimenez] 

Shell markets a full range of complementary 

brands and products to the users of heavyduty 

equipment including Shell Spirax 

gear and axle oils, Shell Donax automatic 

transmission fluids, Shell Retinax greases, 

Shell Brake & Clutch Fluid and Shell 

Coolgard OAT Coolants. These products, 

when used in conjunction with Shell Rimula, 

can deliver significant improvements in 

vehicle performance. 


WORLDPHILIPPINES9


Malampaya signs 

agreement with Bonifacio 

Art Foundation, Inc. (BAFI) 

In photo (left to right) are Sebastian Quiniones, BAFI Board 

Member Fernando Zobel de Ayala and Jerome Pascual III. 

Shell Philippines Exploration 

B.V. (SPEX) Managing Director 

Sebastian Quiniones, together 

with SPEX Finance Director 

Jerome Pascual III, received 

a token of appreciation from 

Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc. 

(BAFI) for being a founding 

partner in the first worldclass 

science museum in the 

Philippines, The Mind Museum 

at Taguig City. 

The signing of the memorandum of agreement 

was held recently at the BAFI office in Fort 

Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. The Mind 

Museum is a learning facility that aims to 

address the gap in science education in the 

country. 

The 8,000-square metre building will be built 

in a prime area of the Bonifacio Global City. 

It will have 175 interactive exhibits, one of 

which is the Malampaya Project, which will 

be mounted in their Technology Gallery, under 

the “How things work” section. The Mind 

Museum is expected to be completed and 

opened to public by mid-2011. 



Pilipinas Shell celebrates Araw ng mga Tsuper in Davao 

Following a successful run 

in Cebu, Pilipinas Shell, 

through Pepeng Pasada Club, 

celebrated Araw ng mga 

Tsuper in Davao at the NCCC 

Mall Parking Lot last May 

23, 2010. The event aimed 

to recruit more professional 

drivers to be members of 

Pepeng Pasada Club and 

reap benefits from the 

rewards programme. 

“With Pepeng Pasada Club, 

Pilipinas Shell upholds its 

commitment to be of service to 

professional drivers by helping 

them get the most out of every 

drop of fuel they gas up,” said 

Ares Albelar, Pilipinas Shell 

Payment and Loyalty Manager. 

“This rewards programme is 

created to uplift the lives of 

professional drivers nationwide 

through benefits, promotional 

incentives, and redeemable 

rewards points year-round.” 

The festivity featured actress 

and TV host Valerie Concepcion 

and radio personalities Nicole 

Hyala and Chris Tsuper. Loaded 

with games, entertainment and giveaways, 

it was a day not just for the drivers but for 

their entire family as well. It was even more 

special for the new members of the Pepeng 

Pasada Club who were officially inducted to 

the programme. 

The Pepeng Pasada Club is more than 

just your typical rewards and loyalty 

programme. It also provides insurance 

to Pepeng Pasada Club members. The 

insurance covers members who have 

been rendered partially or permanently 

disabled. The programme also provides 

medical reimbursement and death and/or 

burial assistance for members who have 

passed away. 

Aside from these benefits, the Pepeng 

Pasada Club also supports the education 

of its members’ children through the 

scholarship programme “Gas Mo, Bukas 

Ko”, offering basic courses and alternative 

livelihood from TESDA (Technical Education 

and Skills Development Authority), Don 

Bosco training centres and other technical 

institutes in the country. 

“Mindanao has always been one of the 

key markets of Shell and we recognise the 

increasing number of professional drivers 

in the region. We want to deliver Pepeng 

Pasada Club’s benefits to more professional 

drivers and further strengthen our ties with 

the existing members,” added Albelar. 

TSWP bags SPEX’s maintenance and engineering services contract 

The Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX) 

Maintenance and Engineering Services 

Contract (MESC) has been awarded to 

Transfield Services Worley Parsons (TSWP) 

Joint Venture Malaysia Sdn Bhd. effective 

January 1, 2010 for a period of seven years. 

After a successful transition, TSWP takes 

over AMEC’s contract after a decade of 

working with SPEX. After a few words from 

SPEX Asset Manager Sebastian Quiniones 

and Maintenance & Engineering Manager 

Colin Leighton, AMEC PHC Business 

Manager Steve Chadwick gave his farewell 

speech on behalf of the entire AMEC team. 

Paul Head then took the stage and thanked 

SPEX for giving them an opportunity to be 

part of the team. 

TSWP makes up the largest provider of 

engineering, maintenance and project 

management, shutdown and construction 

services in Australia and New Zealand and 

has been contracted recently to service all 

SPEX assets. [SPEX Communications] 

Representatives from Transfield Services and Worley Parson (from left) 

Apollo Alinea, David Attewill, Paul Head, Peter Allen, SPEX Asset 

Manager Sebastian Quiniones and Maintenance and Engineering 

Manager Colin Leighton.

Gold means two consecutive years of good Health, Safety, Security and Environment 

(HSSE) performance. I congratulate the team and hope this drives them to maintain 

HSSE Excellence and get a Platinum next year. 

A Gold for Shell Aviation 

With the team’s relentless pursuit of driving 

Goal Zero in all aspects of its operations, the 

Shell Aviation Philippines team made a leap 

with a Gold award in tow for its 2009 Shell 

Aviation Goal Zero programme. Last year, the 

team won a Silver award. 

“Gold means two consecutive years of good 

Health, Safety, Security and Environment 

(HSSE) performance. I congratulate the team 

and hope this drives them to maintain HSSE 

Inspiring stories from Shell Retail forecourt crew 

Carol Pacia 

Shell Retailer Edwin Reyes of the North 

Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Shell station in 

San Simon, Pampanga has reason to be 

proud of his forecourt crew. The good 

news about the selfless acts of his crew 

has already spread in the entire Shell retail 

network in the Philippines. 

Last February 19, 2010, while going about 

her regular duty of maintaining the cleanliness 

of the Shell station along North Luzon Tollway 

2 in Mexico, Pampanga, Select barista 

Carol Pacia, fondly called Tisay, found an 

unattended Ferragamo bag left at one of the 

chairs inside the Shell Select convenience 

store. The huge amount of money inside 

the bag could have made Tisay an instant 

millionaire, but her integrity prevailed and 

she immediately informed the security guard 

and station owner Edwin Reyes about the 

bag that she found. After subjecting the bag 

to a safety check, further inspection revealed 

Excellence and get a Platinum next year,” said 

Shell Aviation HSSE Manager Ru-sern Cheok 

during the Aviation HSSE Training held on 

April 8, 2010 in Malaysia. 

The team raked scores that merited a Gold 

for achieving zero lost time injury/accidents, 

zero damage to aircrafts, zero Loss of Product 

Containment (LOPC), zero vehicle accidents, 

zero recordable injuries, zero overdue of 

closure of audit recommendations, on track 

number of potential hazards submitted and 

monthly safety/toolbox meeting conducted, 

on track implementation of training plans and 

good HSSE Aviation audit score. Shell Aviation 

Operations Manager for the Philippines 

Ernesto Antonio lauded the team’s unwavering 

commitment to surpass its sterling records in the 

past years. “It gives me pride to be in a team 

of top performing individuals whose collective 

aim is to deliver superior results for Shell’s 

Aviation business in the Philippines,” said 

Antonio. [Jun Jay G. Jimenez] 

that it contained bundles of Php 1,000 bills 

wrapped in red cloth, worth Php 700,000. 

After two hours, a couple from La Trinidad, 

Benguet came over to the station, weeping, 

trembling, and looking for a missing bag. 

After the identity was checked as well as 

the contents of the bag that matched the 

description of the couple, it was returned 

to them. 

Another great story of honesty happened at 

the Shell station in San Simon, Pampanga 

last April 7, 2010 when bathroom utility 

crew Juliet Tolentino returned an expensive 

mobile phone that was left inside the toilet. 

Juliet turned over the mobile phone to the 

Select counter and it was returned to its 

rightful owner. 

Addressing Shell Retailer Edwin Reyes, 

Shell companies in the Philippines Country 

Chairman Edgar Chua said, "On behalf of 

all Shell staff, I extend our congratulations 

and heartfelt appreciation to your staff for 

their good example. They embody Shell's 

core values of honesty, integrity and respect 

for people. Your team truly makes us very 

proud. May they serve as an inspiration to 

every Filipino." 

In these trying times, it is very inspiring to 

know about the good deeds of people 

like Tisay and Juliet, who value honesty 

and integrity more than instant material 

gratification. [Jo Diana-Diga with reports from 

Archie Arceno] 

RU-SERN CHEOK, SHELL AVIATION HSSE MANAGER 

Shell Villanueva 

Plant responds to an 

emergency situation 

Shell has always been at the 

forefront of good corporate 

citizenship. Taking care of its 

neighbours is an integral part 

of Shell’s business operations. 

In the morning of April 29, 2010, one of 

the wood factories in Villanueva municipality 

caught fire, which lasted for 18 hours. While 

investigations are currently underway to 

determine the cause of the fire, there is a dire 

need for speedy action and rehabilitation. 

With the safety of the community and its 

residents in mind, the Shell Villanueva LPG and 

Bitumen Plant immediately came to rescue and 

provided 12 truck loads of water, which is 

approximately 100,000 litres, to the different 

responding fire trucks such as Pilipinas Kao 

Fire Fighting Brigade, PSC Fire Fighting 

Brigade, Puerto Fire Fighting Brigade and 

Phividec Bureau of Fire Protection Brigade. As 

a result, the Shell Villanueva Plant was able to 

help extinguish the fire and prevent escalation 

in neighbouring communities. 

In a letter, Fire Inspector Heidi Lynn Virtudes 

said, "In behalf of the Bureau of Fire 

Protection, the station would like to extend 

our sincere gratitude for helping us throughout 

the fire alarm which lasted up to almost 18 

hours. Your unselfish cooperation, by letting 

the responding unit replenish water from your 

water hydrant, made the operation successful." 

[Clark Publico and Christine Guison] 


WORLDPHILIPPINES11

A stronger link 

between sustainable 

development and 

strategy 

WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE 2009 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT AND REVIEW ON 

MAY 4, WE TALKED TO MALCOLM BRINDED, THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

MEMBER ACCOUNTABLE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, TO FIND OUT 

WHY IT’S MORE CRITICAL THAN EVER TO OUR BUSINESS SUCCESS. 



VISIT WWW.SHELL.COM/SUSTAINABILITY FOR DOWNLOADS AND TO FIND OUT MORE.

Malcolm, what does sustainable 

development – or SD – mean for 

Shell today? 

It means the same today as always - helping 

to meet the world’s growing energy needs in 

economically, environmentally and socially 

responsible ways. As our Business Principles 

make clear, this is about balancing short- and 

long-term interests while integrating economic, 

environmental and social considerations into 

business decision-making. 

SD is not a separate activity or discipline in 

Shell. It’s a mindset and a way of working. SD 

is what we aim to achieve when we integrate 

health, safety, security, environmental and 

social considerations, including local content, 

into projects and assets from the earliest stage. 

Then we must manage them effectively. 

Our commitment to SD has not changed, 

but we have set new priorities. We want to 

take a risk-based approach to ensure that SD 

issues and opportunities are fully integrated 

into our operations and projects. This involves 

thinking through our business risks instead of 

doing a process-driven, tick-the-box exercise. 

We will also more strongly emphasise the 

building and maintaining of effective external 

relationships, particularly at the local project 

level, and we will engage with international 

non-governmental organisations in a more 

targeted way. 

How has Transition 2009 helped 

strengthen our approach to 

sustainable development? 

Over the years, SD considerations have been 

integrated into our standards, processes, 

controls and governance. However, we 

haven’t always got things right. We follow 

good practices, but we have also seen delays 

and value erosion in our projects. 

The reorganisation of our company allowed us 

to embed SD more deeply in our businesses 

and to introduce more accountability for SD at 

senior levels. Overall custodianship for SD has 

moved from corporate headquarters to Upstream 

International (UI). The functional head for SD, 

David Martin, sits in UI, and is supported by 

a global team and his VP counterparts in the 

businesses. Having these roles at the core of 

our businesses where the decisions are made – 

rather than keeping them advisory – will help us 

engage earlier with stakeholders and improve 

our overall SD performance. 

What’s new in the latest 

Sustainability Report? 

The 2009 Sustainability Report makes clear 

the stronger link between SD and our business 

strategy and its implementation. The world is 

starting a shift towards a new low-carbon energy 

future. While it will take several decades to get 

there, we are taking steps today to help build 

the energy system of tomorrow. For example, as 

several major Shell projects come on-stream in 

the coming years, the balance of our portfolio 

will shift toward natural gas – the cleanest- 

burning fossil fuel. Natural gas will count 

for more than half our total energy output by 

around 2012, and will be a vital part of that 

low-carbon future. 

We are also working to deliver more advanced 

fuels and lubricants to help our customers 

use less energy. In 2009 we launched Shell 

FuelSave in the Netherlands, Turkey, Malaysia, 

Singapore and Hong Kong. It can save up 

to one litre of fuel in a 50-litre tank. It will be 

launched in other countries in Europe and Asia 

in 2010. 

In the coming decades, we see lowcarbon 

biofuels as one of the most realistic 

commercially-viable ways to reduce 

CO2 impact from transport fuels. We are 

working to improve the sustainability of 

biofuels currently available by including 

sustainability clauses in our suppliers’ 

contracts. We are also investing in research 

into more advanced biofuels. 

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) 

will be essential to help reduce CO2 

emissions. We’re doing a great deal now 

to help develop the technologies and the 

understanding of what’s involved, through 

demonstration projects. 

What about our investments in 

renewable energy? 

The energy mix of the future will include 

alternative energies, but people have to be 

realistic. They can’t be developed overnight. 

Natural gas may not be a renewable energy, 

but it is a significantly lower-CO2 energy source 

when compared to other fossil fuels. It will 

play a key role as the world moves towards 

a low-carbon future, and together with CCS 

is a “destination fuel”, not just a transition fuel. 

With our leading position in liquefied natural 

gas (LNG) and our advanced technologies in 

recovering ”tight gas”, we can supply natural 

gas to replace coal in power generation and 

reduce CO2 by 50-70%. In many countries, this 

is by far the least costly approach to achieving 

longer-term CO2-reduction targets. 

Over the past five years we have spent $2 

billion on CCS and alternative energies, 

including biofuels. As I said, developing CCS 

will be essential to achieving steep cuts in 

greenhouses gases. We took steps in 2009 

to move ahead with two major CCS projects 

and are involved in a number of other 

demonstration projects. 

How can Shell staff help create 

sustainable solutions for our 

company? 

We expect staff to manage SD considerations 

with the same rigour that we apply to technical 

and commercial risks. This means that our 

safety, environmental and social performance 

must be closer to the core of our business 

plans and decisions. It’s crucial to understand 

the concerns of relevant communities and to 

take these into account when embarking on a 

new project, upgrading existing activities, and 

developing products or businesses. 

In addition to understanding and mitigating 

social and environmental concerns in the 

communities we operate in, staff can contribute 

to achieving a sustainable outcome by designing 

more energy-efficient plants, reducing energy 

use at work, or striving to find even better lowemission 

solutions for our products or assets. 

Contracting and Procurement can help build 

local capacity and competitiveness through 

awarding local contracts, and develop 

Human Resources by training local staff 

and ensuring capabilities are developed 

locally in time. We will only achieve true 

sustainable development if we integrate its 

elements thoroughly in our business decisions 

and at the earliest opportunity. SWP 

The 2009 Shell Sustainability Report 

and its summary version, the 2009 

Sustainability Review, are available 

in print as well as online at www. 

shell.com/sustainabilityreport. 

SD is not a separate activity 

or discipline in Shell. It’s a 

mindset and a way of 

working. SD is what we aim 

to achieve when we 

integrate health, safety, 

security, environmental and 

social considerations, 

including local content, into 

projects and assets from the 

earliest stage. Then we must 

manage them effectively. 


WORLDPHILIPPINES13



Scaling up new 

chemical reactions 

in Singapore 

ONE OF THE PLANTS AT THE RECENTLY COMPLETED SHELL EASTERN 

PETROCHEMICALS COMPLEX PROJECT USES A MORE EFFICIENT PROCESS 

FOR MAKING RAW MATERIAL FOR MANY OF TODAY’S PLASTICS AND 

TEXTILES. ENGINEERS HAVE DEVELOPED A NEW TECHNOLOGY TO LOWER 

PRODUCTION COSTS AND RAISE EFFICIENCY.

The Shell Eastern Petrochemicals 

Complex (SEPC) in Singapore is Shell’s 

largest fully-integrated refinery and 

petrochemicals hub. Recently completed, it 

was opened officially on May 4 by Shell 

CEO Peter Voser, joined by Singapore Prime 

Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong. 

The 100% Shell-owned facility comprises an 

800,000-tonnes-a-year ethylene cracker and 

butadiene extraction unit, Bukom Island, and a 

750,000 tonnes-a-year mono-ethylene glycol 

(MEG) plant, Jurong Island. Shell is modifying 

the existing refinery at Bukom, enabling it to 

produce feedstock for the new ethylene cracker. 

The MEG plant on Jurong is the largest of its 

kind, using new technology to convert more 

raw material into valuable product. 

ONLY ADVANTAGES 

Already, Shell provides the technology to 

make around 40% of the world’s MEG, which 

is used in textiles and plastics from pillows to 

plastic bottles and much more. 

The group has licensed a new, more efficient 

process for making MEG, to four chemical 

companies. Now, in Singapore, Shell is using 

the technology in one of its own plants for the 

first time. 

The new process is called OMEGA (standing 

for Only MEG Advantage), and combines 

Shell’s own technology with one developed 

by Mitsubishi. Thanks to technical advances, 

the process could be taken out of the lab and 

scaled up for use in a plant 50 times as large. 

The finished MEG plant, which reached full 

capacity within just two weeks, covers an area 

the size of several football fields. Powered by 

210 kilometres (130 miles) of electric cable, it’s 

now capable of producing 750,000 tonnes 

of MEG each year – that’s 90,000 kilograms 

every hour. 

“We’ve shown it works and is extremely 

efficient,” says Arthur Rots, Team Lead of the 

OMEGA design group. 

The plant cost considerably less to build than 

its conventional equivalent. Running costs are 

also lower because the new process captures 

heat released by chemical reactions and reuses 

it to power water-cooling units. 

GIANT CHEMISTRY SET 

Crude oil arrives in giant tankers for 

processing on Bukom Island. From there, the 

raw material — ethylene — is pumped to 

the MEG plant on Jurong Island through 4.5 

kilometre-pipelines (2.8 miles) below one of 

Asia’s busiest shipping lanes. 

Here the ethylene passes through a steel 

container, where it mixes with pure oxygen. 

The mixture then enters the giant reactors at 

the heart of the plant, each weighing about 

1,400 tonnes. Each reactor contains over 

13,000 tubes, which in turn contain millions of 

catalysts – porous, silver-containing beads that 

speed up chemical reactions. They’re central 

to the process of turning raw materials into 

more valuable products. At 230-260°C (446- 

500°F) the catalysts accelerate a chemical 

reaction between oxygen and ethylene to 

produce ethylene oxide. 

BREAKING WITH CONVENTION 

In the conventional process to make MEG, 

ethylene oxide would be heated and fed to 

a reactor with water to ultimately produce 

the MEG. However, in the new process, 

the ethylene oxide flows into a reactor with 

carbon dioxide (CO2) and a clear syrupy 

liquid catalyst helps convert the mixture into 

ethylene carbonate. 

The ethylene carbonate enters the second 

reactor where it reacts with water to produce 

MEG. The process converts 99.2% of the 

ethylene oxide in the process into MEG, 

compared to 90% in the conventional process. 

This eliminates the cost of storing and shipping 

any secondary products. 

The new process consumes less steam and 

produces less wastewater than a traditional 

plant with the same capacity. The OMEGA 

process also produces less CO2 per tonne of 

MEG. SWP 

Pillows to 

plastic bottles 

Countless everyday products 

originate from crude oil – from 

fleeces to antifreeze, computers 

to carpets. “We are part of an 

industry that makes modern life 

possible,” says Nguang-Yong 

Chiew, General Manager of the 

Shell petrochemical plants on 

Jurong Island. 

BUKOM REFINERY 

Recent modifications allow Bukom 

Refinery to process a wider range 

of crude oils into fuels and other 

products. Some of these products 

feed into the nearby processing 

plant to make petrochemicals. 

Other oil products end up as 

transport and heating fuels, 

lubricants and road surfaces. 

ETHYLENE CRACKER COMPLEX 

The ethylene cracker receives raw 

material from the Bukom refinery and 

converts, or “cracks”, it into higher 

value products — the building blocks 

for many other chemical products. 

Ethylene is the starting point for 

paints, refrigerants and detergents 

while propylene is essential for 

car parts, many household plastic 

products and textiles. Benzene 

is used to make materials like 

styrene, which goes into items 

like insulation, CD cases and 

computer housings. At the same 

time, butadiene is a core material 

for producing synthetic rubbers 

typically used in carpets, footwear 

and road surfaces. 

MEG PLANT 

The mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) plant 

on Jurong Island processes ethylene 

from the cracker into MEG, a building 

block for the manufacture of plastics 

and textiles. 

50% of MEG goes into polyester 

fibres used in clothing, upholstery, 

carpets, and pillows. 25 % goes into 

PET resins used in packaging and 

kitchenware, and MEG also goes 

into engine coolants and antifreeze. 


WORLDPHILIPPINES15

AKO MISMO ang kikilos! Lahat tayo 

makakatulong! The 2010 D-Event 

BY JANOT BARRETTO 

T 

he scorching heat of summer was no 

match to the festive spirit of Pilipinas 

Shell’s Oil Distribution (OD) team to 

celebrate achievements as well as plan 

ahead to ensure optimum operations at Shell 

installations and distribution terminals all over 

the country. 

The OD Leadership team, terminal managers 

and support/business partners gathered for 

the annual Distribution National Meeting held 

in March 2010 at the Mount Malarayat Golf 

and Country Club in Lipa City for exciting 

and thrilling activities that made everyone 

invigorated to deal with the challenges ahead. 

Day One: A lively kick start 

After all the safety and administrative 

briefings had been accomplished, the formal 

programme kicked off just after everyone 

feasted on a sumptuous lunch. Pilipinas 

Shell Vice President for Distribution Dennis 

Gamab warmly welcomed the team to the 

festive gathering. A litany of the 2009 

accomplishments and winning moments of 

each group were sincerely acknowledged. A 

presentation and discussion of the Distribution 

business’ challenging 2010 targets, and 

priorities were tackled next. The session also 

rallied on everyone’s commitment to ensure 

achievement of all the target deliverables. 

The different Distribution sections creatively 

presented and articulated via booth sessions 



what improvements they will implement, 

behaviours they will observe, and other 

expectations that will aid them to deliver 

their 2010 priorities and commitments. Each 

team employed different gimmicks to capture 

their audience’s interest and effectively forge 

synergy with their colleagues to ensure 

attainment of the gargantuan task at hand. 

Operational Excellence as well as People 

and Customer service encapsulated the Luzon 

Team’s 2010 commitments and priorities. The 

team innovatively cascaded their message via 

exciting interactive games, a colourful exhibit 

and an audio-visual presentation participated 

in by all the Luzon Terminal Managers 

and their Facilities Manager. Loot bags 

containing delectable delicacies coming from 

the different Luzon sites were also given to 

successful groups who completed the given 

task in five minutes. The team earned the welldeserved 

bragging rights as the winner of the 

best booth award! 

The “Amazing” Distribution Engineering Team, 

true to their profession, gave their booth a 

highly engineering flavour. They showcased 

a makeshift mini-tank complete with pipeline 

and had a retractable measuring tape as their 

booth giveaway. But more than the skillfully 

engineered booth presentation, the group 

shared their secret formula in delivering their 

2010 targets – work smarter, play to win and 

act as one. 

The Health, Safety, Security and Environment 

(HSSE) Team’s guiding principles in delivering 

their group’s 2010 commitments were wittingly 

summarised in their “We LAB U” catch 

phrase, which stands for LAT (Leadership, 

Accountability and Teamwork) Behaviour; 

Achieve More with Less; and a Business 

Partner mindset. The team emphasised 

focusing on the business partners’ needs as 

the key driver in further improving HSSE 

performance of all distribution terminals. 

“Sugod Tungo sa Pagbabago!” (Charge 

towards change), this was the Order and 

Fulfillment Team’s battle cry. Their electioninspired 

booth presentation was a big hit. 

They enthusiastically laid down their 2010 

platforms, which are Zero stock-outs, Zero 

backloads, Increase in vehicle time and 

capacity utilisation, and Cost savings. They 

also actively promoted their campaign 

slogans - “Gigil at Tapang” (Passion and 

Courage) and “Tutok at Turo” (Monitor and 

Teach) to ensure fulfillment of their promise 

to their Distribution constituencies. The 

lively “meeting de avance” ended with the 

participants animatedly singing the group’s 

campaign jingle to the tune of the political 

jingle “Dagat ng Basura” (Ocean of Refuse). 

The Terminal Operations Support (TOS) 

Team artistically made use of colourful 

puzzle boxes to give emphasis to their 

three main 2010 commitments: 1) Back to

Basics; 2) First Time Right mindset; 3) ESSA 

[Eliminate the complications; Simplify our lives; 

Standardise; and Automate]. 

The Visayas and Mindanao (VisMin) Team’s 

booth presentation was simple yet savvy. 

Their clear, concise, straightforward and 

highly effective messages demonstrated 

their “we mean business” stance when 

it comes to declaring their commitments 

to managing deliveries, costs and safety 

performance. 

As if the highly charged afternoon activities 

were not enough, a very lively Dragon 

Dance presentation (for luck!) jumpstarted 

the fun-filled, Luau themed awards night. The 

dinner prepared by the poolside provided a 

gastronomic prelude to the annual ARROWS 

(Assessment of Risk and Responses at 

Worksites of Shell) audit awarding ceremony. 

To everyone’s delight, three special guests 

added glamour and excitement to the 

celebration. The witty and sexy Giselle 

Sanchez co-hosted the programme with Shell’s 

very own Arnold “Ruffa” Mercado. Maria 

Venus Raj and Nicolette Henson, winners of 

the recent 2010 Binibining Pilipinas pageant, 

assisted the OD Leadership Team members 

in handing over the trophies to the ARROWS 

audit awardees, represented by the respective 

Terminal managers. Tabangao terminal won 

in the Dry Depot category, while Calapan 

terminal clinched the top award in the Wet 

Inspired to surpass their business targets and fired up to 

overcome the challenges at the workplace, the OD team has 

this slogan -- “Ako Mismo. Ikaw Mismo. Tayo Mismo ang 

Kikilos. (I Myself. You Yourself. We Ourselves, will Act)” 

Depot category. Lapus and Pandacan 

terminals tied for the top award in the 

Installation category. 

After the awarding ceremony, the crowd went 

crazy over Giselle Sanchez’ riotous rendition 

of lively song and dance numbers that sent 

everyone to the edge of their seats. With 

memories of the wacky and hilarious night 

tucked in their minds, everyone retreated to 

their respective rooms highly charged for the 

physically challenging yet rewarding Gawad 

Kalinga build activity the following day. 

Day Two: In high spirits to build homes 

For this year, the team-building part of the D-event 

took a very different twist from the bonding 

events usually prepared by the committee. The 

group found their way to the hilly Lipa Gawad 

Kalinga site. The team’s active cooperation and 

resourcefulness were again tested during the day. 

After a highly strenuous masonry task under 

the sun and labourious house painting 

activities, everyone was exhausted but 

carried back with them a sense of pride at 

having done something meaningful – that of 

positively contributing to community-building. 

After a long backbreaking day, everyone’s 

tired muscles were treated to a relaxing 

therapeutic massage beside the pool. 

Capping the night was a fellowship dinner 

for the D-event participants set against a 

relaxing atmosphere and peppered with a 

variety of raffle prizes. 

Day Three: Ready for the battle 

The energised Distribution team gathered once 

more for the recap of the two-day actionfilled 

activities. Each section presented a 

summary of their reflections and commitments, 

which were assessed and commented on 

by members of the OD Leadership Team. 

In closing the fruitful three-day gathering, 

Gamab thanked everyone for participating 

and contributing to the success of the 2010 

Distribution National Meeting. He further 

reiterated Distribution’s primary responsibility 

of "delivering products efficiently, safely, at 

the right time and the right place, at the right 

quality and quantity - all the time ". This 

objective, he said, can be achieved by 

enjoining each one to take personal action in 

all things under his or her area of responsibility 

and by demonstrating Leadership, 

Accountability and Teamwork (LAT) behaviours 

in all tasks at hand. 

Inspired to surpass their business targets and 

fired up to overcome the challenges at the 

workplace, the OD team has this slogan -- 

“Ako Mismo. Ikaw Mismo. Tayo Mismo ang 

Kikilos. (I Myself. You Yourself. We Ourselves, 

will Act)” -- to summon all their energies 

in orchestrating strategic actions towards 

successful Distribution operations in 2010 and 

beyond. SWP 


WORLDPHILIPPINES17



our work 

for the 

environment 

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, TECHNOLOGY, NEW NEW WAYS WAYS OF OF OPERATING 

OPERATING 

AND AND PARTNERSHIPS PARTNERSHIPS ARE ARE HELPING HELPING SHELL SHELL TO TO MANAGE MANAGE ITS 

ITS 

ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IMPACT WHILE WHILE CONTRIBUTING CONTRIBUTING TO TO MEET 

MEET 

THE THE WORLD’S WORLD’S GROWING GROWING ENERGY ENERGY NEEDS. 

NEEDS. 

BY B BY B BY J 

JOC JJOC 

JOCELYN OC OCEL OC OCEL EL E EL E YN D 

DIA D DDIA 

DIANA-DIGA 

IA IANA IA IANA NA -D -DIG -D D IG IGA IG IGA G

C 

limate change is one of the greatest 

challenges society faces worldwide. 

A recession-driven shift towards less 

energy use among businesses and consumers 

has slowed the growth in global greenhouse 

gas emissions. As the downturn lifts and 

energy demand rises, the challenge will be 

to sustain a more efficient use of energy and 

manage carbon dioxide emissions. 

Global regulatory frameworks remain 

essential, but they are likely to take some years 

to develop. Shell's responsibility in helping to 

address the challenge of climate change is 

two-fold. We manage the direct greenhouse 

gas emissions from the operations we control 

or operate and we help the consumers of our 

fuels and other products use less energy. 

We are also reducing our use of fresh 

water through recycling and advanced 

technologies. And we continue to look into 

improving the sustainability of biofuels as a 

renewable energy source. 

In the Philippines, aside from what we do in 

our operations, we also implement a number 

of projects jointly with our partners like the 

Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), 

Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), Philippine 

Business for the Environment (PBE), Batangas 

Coastal Resources Management Foundation 

(BCRMF), Department of Environment and 

Natural Resources (DENR), World Wildlife 

Fund (WWF), ABS-CBN Foundation, Clean 

and Green Foundation, Gawad Kalinga 

Community Development Foundation, Inc., 

League of Corporate Foundations (LCF), and 

Earth Day Network Philippines to promote 

environment conservation and advocacy. 

Shell pursues Sustainable Development 

To promote the company's commitment to 

Sustainable Development among staff and 

To promote the company's commitment to Sustainable 

Development among staff and create real benefits 

through various social development projects, Shell 

companies in the Philippines established three volunteer 

groups which have been existing since 2005. 

create real benefits through various social 

development projects, Shell companies in the 

Philippines established three volunteer groups 

which have been existing since 2005. These 

are Project Malasakit (Care), Shell Project 

Better World Philippines and the Shell Relief 

Operations Volunteers (ROPE), which are 

clustered under one umbrella called "Shell 

Volunteerism Circles" or VOICES. These are 

apart from various environmental activities from 

volunteers of the Shell Tabangao Refinery and 

the various Pilipinas Shell depots nationwide. 

Shell Tabangao Refinery staff and volunteers 

are active in preserving the environment 

in partnership with various NGOs and 

government organisations in projects like 

mangrove reforestation of the Batangas Bay 

and establishment of artificial reefs in support 

of BCRMF’s Environmental Management 

projects for the preservation and enhancement 

of our country’s natural resources. 

Shell Pandacan Installation and the Pandacan 

Depots Services, Inc. (PDSI) actively participate 

in coastal clean-up activities and the 

rehabilitation of the Pasig River. In 2004, 

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation and 

Shell Pandacan Installation launched Triple B 

(Bawas Basura sa Barangay), a programme 

aimed at fostering environmental preservation 

as well as creating income-generating 

livelihood for Pandacan residents. 

"Sustainable Development (SD) is intrinsic 

to the way we work. It defines who we 

are and what we hope to achieve for the 

future generations," said Shell Sustainable 

Development Manager Ronald Suarez. 

Shell has pioneered environmental workshops, 

supported the annual Recyclables Collection 

Event (RCE), La Mesa Watershed reforestation, 

'Save the Buhisan' Watershed project, Pasig 

River clean-up and rehabilitation, Paco Estero 

rehabilitation, mangrove and tree-planting 

projects, and the 10 Million Movement by 

Earth Day Network Philippines, an advocacy 

campaign which gathers commitments of 

Filipinos to take action for Mother Earth to 

reverse environmental degradation. 

Aside from promoting fuel-efficiency through 

the Shell Eco-marathon, Shell is also an active 

partner of the Philippine Solar Car Society in 

creating SINAG and SIKAT, the Philippines’ 

solar-powered vehicles, which are a genuine 

testament to the Filipinos’ ingenuity and the 

country's ability to harness the power of the sun. 

Within its operations, Shell switched off lights 

in all retail stations nationwide, billboard lights 

in Shell offices, refinery, and depots, in support 

of Earth Hour. 

Fostering a healthy ecosystem as one of its 

ideals, Pilipinas Shell is a staunch supporter 

of the Philippine Eagle Foundation since its 

adoption of the Philippine Eagles "Pag-asa" 

in 1992 and Magiting in 2005. Last year, 

Pilipinas Shell once again partnered with 

the PEF to launch 'Project Kalumbata', an 

information, education and communication 

campaign for the communities within and 

around the Mt. Kitanglad Natural Park, 

Bukidnon, that promotes the welfare of the 

Philippine Eagle and the various conservation 

efforts being implemented by the PEF for this 

endangered species. 

For several years now, Pilipinas Shell remains 

steadfast in protecting the environment and 

preserving our national heritage by continuously 

finding ways to mitigate the impact of its 

operations to the environment and by forging 

partnerships with relevant organisations to 

harness collective effort towards saving our 

planet from degradation. SWP 


WORLDPHILIPPINES19

SHELL ECO-MARATHON ASIA HIGHLIGHTS 

SHELL ECO-MARATHON: 

LESSONS BEYOND THE 

COMPETITION 

THREE FORMER SHELL EXECUTIVES TOOK ON THE CHALLENGE OF BEING 

‘GODFATHERS’ OF THE PHILIPPINE DELEGATES TO THE INAUGURAL SHELL 

ECO-MARATHON (SEM) ASIA. THEIR ROLE WAS ANYTHING BUT SIMPLE: TO 

GUIDE AND INSPIRE THE YOUNG STUDENT TEAMS FROM DON BOSCO, 

MAPUA AND UST THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SEM JOURNEY AND FIRE THEM 

UP TO WIN NOT JUST IN THE COMPETITION, BUT IN LIFE. 

BY CHRISTINE R. GUISON 

t takes more than just technical expertise 

to succeed in life. The wisdom and I guidance of seasoned men and women are 

indispensable in growing and winning. 

Gearing up for a good and fuel-efficient cause, 

three of Shell’s former high-ranking executives 

lent their expertise to the Philippine delegation 

who competed in the first ever Shell Ecomarathon 

(SEM) Asia challenge held at the 

F1 Sepang International Race Circuit in Kuala 

Lumpur, Malaysia from July 8-10, 2010. 

The event marked the first time that the Shell 

Eco-marathon, which has been running in 

Europe since 1985 and the United States 

since 2007, has been brought to Asia. Young 

Asian talents took up a longstanding challenge 

from Shell: to design, build and drive a 



The team leaders of Shell Eco-marathon Team Philippines with their 'Godfathers'. They are (from left) Jericho Rivera of 

Mapua's Team Atalanta with Eliseo Santiago, Nards Ablaza with Edmund Angeles of Don Bosco's Team Grigio, and 

Rico Bersamin with Tim Orille of UST Engineering Eco-marathon Team. 

vehicle that can travel the farthest distance on 

the least amount of fuel and lowest possible 

carbon dioxide emissions. 

The three former Shell executives dubbed as the 

SEM Asia Team Philippines ‘Godfathers’ are 

Eliseo Santiago, former Country Chairman of 

Shell companies in the Philippines and Vice 

President for Retail Operations - East; Nards 

Ablaza, former Shell Health, Safety, Security, 

and Environment Manager; and Rico Bersamin, 

former Shell Vice President for Manufacturing. 

The former Shell officials especially lent their 

technical and managerial expertise to their 

alma mater, as they are also products of the 

top schools in the country that comprised the 

competition’s Philippine delegation: Mapua 

Institute of Technology, Don Bosco Technical 

College and the University of Santo Tomas 

(UST). These schools were among the 81 

teams from 10 countries all over the Asia 

Pacific who took part in the competition. 

True to their title, the godfathers watched 

over the progress of the SEM Asia 

student participants, from the tiny steps of 

conceptualising their vehicle design to the giant 

stride of actually building it and making it run 

at the international fuel-efficiency competition. 

Each step along the journey, the three 

godfathers provided utmost support, guidance 

and assistance. Not only did they help give 

direction on the technical aspect of running 

a project, but they also mentored the student 

teams so they could build their self-esteem and 

character, winning qualities that are crucial not 

only in the SEM but in real life.

Eliseo Santiago: Bridging theory and practice 

E 

ven as a young boy, Eliseo “Eli” Santiago 

was fascinated with machines. “I was 

amazed with how things work. I was very 

much interested in machines, which is why I took 

up B.S. Mechanical Engineering in Mapua. 

In fact, my favourite subjects in college were 

Internal Combustion Engine, Thermodynamics 

and Kinematics and Machines,” shared 

Santiago. When he first heard about the SEM, 

he was instantly attracted to the project, as 

he was eager to witness a young team of 

engineering students build a car from scratch. 

According to Santiago, contributing his time 

and expertise in the SEM was like reliving a 

childhood dream. But most of all, it felt good to 

be a part of a noteworthy initiative: “I support 

the SEM because it addresses our concerns on 

climate change and the environment.” Santiago 

worked hard as a college student. His Mapua 

education paved the way for a successful career 

in Shell because, according to him, his courses 

in college were not purely theoretical but also 

focused on the practical aspects of engineering. 

He recounts that aside from studying, as a 

youngster, he was usually busy helping with 

their family business, which made him grow 

even more mature and responsible. He says his 

father was his greatest mentor. “He taught me 

discipline and how to complete a task.” 

As the godfather of the zealous Mapua Team 

dubbed as “Team Atalanta”, Santiago believes 

that the chosen godfathers have a key role to 

play. “Being a godfather for the SEM means 

providing the link between business and school. 

At the end of the day, SEM is not just about 

producing a car that will run efficiently, it also 

means understanding all the facets of running a 

project -- from providing the design, to creating 

As a godfather, I tried to provide that linkage 

between real life in business and academic life. 

a car and managing the finances of the team, 

and so on. As a godfather, I tried to provide 

that linkage between real life in business and 

academic life.” Just like a father to his children, 

Santiago was very supportive and gracious in 

giving guidance to the team under his tutelage. 

“I am very proud that Team Atalanta competed 

well and gave their best,” beamed Santiago 

for Mapua Team Atalanta’s remarkable record 

of 241 kilometres on a litre of fuel, ranking 

9th from among the 21 teams who entered 

the prototype category using gasoline as fuel. 

All three Philippine teams joined the Prototype 

Category for futuristic vehicles. The other 

category is for Urban Concept vehicles, which 

focuses on the more conventional roadworthy 

four-wheel criteria. For the prototype category, 

Thailand’s Kong Thabbok Upatham Changkol 

Kho So Tho Bo School emerged tops, with a 

record of 1,521.9 kilometres on a litre of fuel - 

enough to cover a distance from Kuala Lumpur 

to Bangkok - setting a new fuel-efficiency record 

for Asia. National University of Singapore’s 

hydrogen powered car placed first for the 

Urban Concept Category with a performance 

of 612 km/L. 

Mapua was likewise recognised for its 

remarkable safety performance and won 1st 

runner up for the Off-Track Award for Safety, 

trailing NUS Urban Concept of the National 

University of Singapore. 2nd runner up went to 

China’s Tongji University. 

The Off Track Awards complement the Shell 

Eco-marathon Track Awards because the 

competition is a total perspective. “While 

the cars are tested for their fuel efficiency, it 

is also important that the students work in a 

safe manner, articulate their thoughts well, 

demonstrate innovation in their design and have 

teamwork,” Azman Ismail, Managing Director, 

Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd and Chief 

Judge of the Off Track Awards said. 

It was heartwarming to see the SEM 

Philippine Teams’ deep commitment to safety, 

imbibing Shell’s Life-Saving Rules and Shell’s 

Golden Rules on Safety -- Complying with 

laws, standards and procedures; Intervening 

in unsafe situations; and Respecting one’s 

neighbours – not just on track but off track or 

in their everyday life. 

Eliseo Santiago 

SHELL ECO-MARATHON 

PHILIPPINE TEAMS 

TEAM ATALANTA 

TEAM GRIGIO 

UST ENGINEERING ECO-MARATHON TEAM 


WORLDPHILIPPINES21


Our team's high value goal was to win, but 

completing the run without any mechanical and 

safety problem was our most important goal. 

Nards Ablaza: Safety is top priority 

or Nards Ablaza, godfather of Don 

Bosco’s Team Grigio, safety is of utmost Fimportance. 

“Our team’s goal was to 

complete the run without any safety-related 

incident and mechanical problem,” he said. 

Ablaza spent his high school years in Don 

Bosco Technical College and later on pursued 

his college education in UST where he took 

B.S. Mechanical Engineering. As a student, 

Ablaza learned to balance work and play. 

He considers an Italian priest as his mentor 

back then. “Father Canduso was one of my 

best mentors. He really went out of his way 

Rico Bersamin: The will to win 

s a B.S. Electronics Engineering 

graduate of the oldest engineering A university in the country, Rico Bersamin 

was more than willing to take part in the 

SEM as godfather to the team representing 

his alma mater, UST. Like Ablaza, he studied 

in Don Bosco in high school and continued 

his tertiary education in UST. “I am very 

proud to be a Bosconian and a Thomasian 

because both Don Bosco and UST continue 

to develop graduates who contribute to our 

society and help in nation-building. I also owe 

both schools a debt of gratitude for helping 

me to become what I aspired to be. UST, in 

particular, helped me to be goal-oriented. The 

Catholic education also helped me develop 

values that strongly and positively influenced 



Nards Ablaza 

and put his heart into guiding and training 

young men.” Ablaza is grateful to his alma 

mater for inculcating the indispensable values 

of teamwork, honesty and faith. According to 

him, his Salesian priest teachers at Don Bosco 

never failed to remind them of the power of 

prayer, which he says was instrumental to 

his character development when he started 

working as a young professional in Shell in 

1975. 

Armed with a solid background in the field 

of mechanical engineering, Ablaza willingly 

the way I worked with others in Shell.” 

As a college student, Bersamin described 

himself as “diligent” because he needed to 

keep his grades up to maintain his scholarship. 

“I had to get an average grade higher than 

a given minimum for all subjects to enjoy free 

tuition and unburden my parents.” He also 

shares that as a student, he considers his best 

professors and a few gifted co-students as his 

godfathers or mentors. “I often approached 

them for guidance and assistance to help 

me understand my lessons better. Because 

of my admiration for them, I must have tried 

emulating some of their traits as well.” 

As the godfather of the promising UST 

Engineering Eco-marathon Team, Bersamin 

agreed to be the mentor of Don Bosco’s 

delegation to the SEM Asia. “I am very proud 

and honoured for the trust given to me by Shell 

for this role.” Ablaza shared Team Grigio’s 

game plan, “Our team's high value goal 

was to win, but completing the run without 

any mechanical and safety problem was our 

most important goal.” Ablaza has more than 

enough reason to be proud because Team 

Grigio of Don Bosco was able to accomplish 

141 kilometres on a litre of fuel and was 

awarded a Special Recognition for Safety for 

their improved safety compliance throughout 

the competition. 

For Ablaza, his inputs on effective project 

management and maximising opportunities 

to establish a network of contacts are what 

he considers as enduring contributions to the 

vibrant Don Bosco Team. 

sees to it that he is able to coach, 

inspire and motivate the young students 

to work hard. By assuming such a role, 

he feels that he is able to contribute to 

the development of the team by bringing 

out the best in them. “To me, being 

an SEM godfather means being both a 

challenger and an adviser to our young 

students. With my years of experience 

in Shell, both in dealing with technical 

issues and in team management, I tried 

to help them by fielding challenging 

questions and presenting other ways of 

looking at things.” Bersamin believes that 

perseverance, motivation and the will 

to win of the UST team helped them to 

successfully complete the SEM track run,

achieving a record of198 kilometres on 

one litre of fuel. 

LIFE COACHES 

The three teams have nothing but praises for 

their respective godfathers. Team Atalanta 

Leader Jericho Rivera says he is proud to 

have Santiago as an honourary member of 

their team. Santiago took an active role as 

Team Atalanta’s godfather as he helped in the 

designing, marketing, troubleshooting and 

running of the project. “Sir Eli gave us a lot of 

technical inputs which is why I am very proud 

that our car is one of the most innovative and 

safe vehicles to compete in the SEM. He also 

taught us life lessons that we will surely carry 

with us even after the competition. He is a 

great motivator who never forgets to crown 

our efforts with a sincere ‘Good job, guys!’” 

said Rivera. 

For Team Grigio, Ablaza is God’s blessing. 

“He is more than just our godfather, he is our 

friend. He is very approachable and fun to 

be with,” said Team Grigio Leader Edmund 

Angeles. Ablaza is hands-on when it comes 

to coaching. “He is always brimming with 

ideas and suggestions to improve our car. He 

habitually checks on us to see if we are still 

on track and on schedule. Most importantly, 

Sir Nards inspires us and brings out our 

competitive spirit, which made our team work 

hard up to the end,“ said Angeles. 

“His presence alone gave us 

pride and determination to 

finish this project and make 

it successful,” answered UST 

Engineering Eco-marathon Team 

Leader Tim Orille when asked 

how helpful Bersamin had been 

during the entire process. “He 

also taught us how to manage 

our time properly so that we will 

be able to achieve our goal. We 

are very thankful for sir Rico,” 

added Orille. 

During the SEM competition, the 

Philippine teams’ performance 

exceeded expectations. Mapua, 

for instance, surpassed their 

pre-competition best run of less 

than 200km/L. It was a close 

call for Teams UST and Don 

Rico Bersamin 

Bosco, who completed the runs 

shortly before the closing of the competition 

and after consecutive failed attempts, but 

their determination and will to succeed kept 

them going. For the Philippine teams, finishing 

the track, after passing a rigorous technical 

inspection, was an achievement in itself. Only 

80% of the participating teams were actually 

able to run their vehicles on the race track. 

MORE THAN MEDALS 

For the three godfathers, more than 

successfully competing in the Shell Ecomarathon, 

it is the wealth of learning and 

holistic experience that the students gained 

from the entire project that will be invaluable 

in these young students’ future endevours. 

The godfathers expressed their delight 

for what their respective teams have 

accomplished during the farewell dinner for 

the Philippine teams in Malaysia. “Thank 

you for making us feel young again. Your 

enthusiasm is infectious and your zeal for life 

is simply amazing. We commend you for 

accepting Shell’s challenge of participating 

in the first SEM Asia and for daring to 

dream. You have done very well in what you 

have strived to do. Congratulations, Team 

Philippines! It has been a wonderful and 

memorable journey,” beamed Team Atalanta 

godfather Eliseo Santiago. 

“At this stage, our country is in great need 

of victories to rebuild confidence and 

nationalistic fervour. Looking at the larger 

picture, you should be happy with the thought 

To me, being an SEM godfather 

means being both a challenger and 

an adviser to our young students. 

that you are contributing to the environment 

in which we all have a stake,” Bersamin 

said, underscoring these young students’ 

contribution in delivering the message of fuelefficiency 

in bringing a responsible energy 

future for the world. 

In his congratulatory letter to the students, 

Shell Vice President for Communications 

Roberto Kanapi said, “Although we did not 

reach the higher ranks of the leader boards, 

the results of this year's SEM far exceeded 

our expectations. We dreamed, we built, we 

ran and we finished the race! Now that SEM 

Asia 2010 is over, we cannot help but look 

back and feel our hearts filled with pride and 

joy for what you have accomplished as a 

team. Throughout this unique competition, we 

have seen you grow - perhaps even mature, 

into brighter, stronger and more confident 

individuals. This perhaps would be our most 

lasting gift to you.” 

Truly, the unique experience, the 

camaraderie, the friendships formed and 

the lessons learned all throughout the SEM 

journey are certainly worth more than medals. 

“We left school with limited knowledge, but 

after the Shell Eco-marathon, we learned so 

much more and our awareness and selfconfidence 

increased. We hope that through 

this experience we will be able to inspire 

others and make a difference in our own 

little way,” said UST Team Leader Tim Orille. 

Onwards to Shell Eco-marathon 2011! SWP 


WORLDPHILIPPINES23


Shell Eco-marathon Asia Team Philippines 

Behind-the-Scenes Snapshots 

BY AILEEN F. DURAN 

W 

hat goes behind building a car? 

Not just brainpower but definitely 

also a lot of heart. For the Shell 

Eco-marathon Asia Team Philippines delegates 

– Mapua (Team Atalanta), Don Bosco (Team 

Grigio) and UST (UST Engineering Ecomarathon 

Team), participating in the first SEM 

Asia was a once in a lifetime experience that 

they surely will never forget. 

Here’s a look behind their colourful journey, from 

building their car and promoting the message 

of SEM on fuel-efficiency, to successfully 

completing the run at the famous Sepang F1 

race circuit. 

SHELL’S SAFETY AMBASSADORS 

Fuels Safety Handling Training in Shell Pandacan 

WALKING THE TALK ON SAFETY 

Having been educated and trained well on the importance of safety, 

the members of SEM Asia Team Philippines have become true Shell 

ambassadors for safety, earning safety awards from the competition 

because of their exemplary observance of safety rules and 

regulations. 



HANDS AND MINDS AT WORK 

FROM THE ENGINE’S NUTS & BOLTS TO THE 

CAR’S BODY 

Equipped with technical know-how, Don Bosco’s Team Grigio 

fabricated most of their vehicle’s engine parts and airplane-shaped 

body. Knowing every little part of their vehicle made troubleshooting 

technical problems encountered along the way much easier, eventually 

leading to their successful run at the Sepang International Race Circuit 

for the SEM Asia. 

TRUE BRAINCHILD 

NOT JUST A MAN’s WORLD 

Team Grigio’s Erica Vicera, sole female member of the SEM Asia 

Philippine Team, offers her technical expertise during the vehicular test 

run at the Batangas Racing Circuit. 

POWER IN DIVERSITY 

“In leading a team, you need to find the right people with the right 

expertise for the project,” says UST Team leader Tim Orille, who’s 

highly diversified team is composed of students taking up Mechanical 

Engineering, Electrical and Communications Engineering, Fine Arts 

and Design. Despite individual differences, the UST Engineering 

Eco-marathon Team says treating each other with respect was key to 

working harmoniously. 

IT’S LIKE SEEING A CHILD’S FIRST WALK 

The teams have endured sleepless nights to see through the delivery of their brainchild. After all the hard work, Sepang was a dream come true. 

“Seeing the car run for the first time at Sepang made us feel like a father seeing his child’s first walk,” says Team Atalanta’s leader Jericho Rivera.

CELEBRITY GENIUSES 

The SEM experience has taken our young engineering geniuses to various media engagements, 

attending print, radio, television and even online web interviews. Today, they aren’t only more 

skillful engineers but even excellent communicators. 

TELEVISION GUESTINGS 

RADIO TOURS 

UST TEAM GETS A SPECIAL VISIT 

The UST Engineering Eco-marathon Team got a special visit from 

(from 4th from right) Shell Malaysia Country Chairman Anuar Taib, 

Shell Global B2B and Lubricants Vice President Tan Chong Meng, 

Shell Global Solutions Senior Fuels Scientist Colin Chin and Malaysia 

Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Dato’ Sri Peter Chin, 

who commended the sleek and very handsome design of UST’s car 

Tiger 400. 

UST's "Tiger 400" 

THE TRIUMPH 

All three SEM Team Philippines cars successfully 

completed their run at the Sepang International 

Circuit. They attribute this feat to the power of 

teamwork, prayer and a never-give-up attitude. 

Don Bosco's "Grigio" 

Mapua's "Atalanta" 


WORLDPHILIPPINES25


The Journey to Sepang 

HOW INGENUITY, GENEROSITY AND SPIRITUALITY SHONE THROUGH AT THE FIRST 

SHELL ECO-MARATHON EVENT IN ASIA. BY SANKIE G. SIMBULAN 

he tracks of Sepang’s F1 race circuit in 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, weren’t lined T with posh racing cars during the inaugural 

Shell Eco-marathon Asia, but by uniquely 

designed vehicles built by young university 

students from all over the Asia-Pacific. 

Apart from the impressive vehicle designs at 

the very first Shell Eco-marathon, it was the 

Asian spirit of resilience and resourcefulness 

that shone through. The teams had overcome 

all sorts of challenges before making it to the 

actual event. 

Amir Golmakni, leader of Iran’s Isfahan 

University of Technology (IUT) Supermileage 

Team, says that despite not having the benefit 

of first-world countries’ modern technology, 

their team used their ingenuity to build their 

own vehicle parts from scratch, from the car’s 

lightweight body to the transmission system. 

“Back in Iran, we did not find a suitable road 

for testing our (futuristic) prototype vehicle, so 

we used a software to simulate the Sepang 

racetrack. We hooked our vehicle to a 

computer and the software allowed us to 

practice our fuel-efficient driving strategy as if 

we were at the Sepang track,” said the young 

engineering student Amir. 

The Iranian team was among the countries 

that travelled the farthest to get to Malaysia. 

Along the way, their front window was 

broken during the vehicle’s eight-hour 

airfreight transport. They easily repaired the 

window but later had to deal with a problem 

in their braking system, which they were also 

able to eventually fix. Amidst the difficulties, 

the team more than manages to get by, but 

has even been sharing their local delicacies 

of Iranian sweets and CDs of Iranian music 

with the other Asian teams. 



Iran's IUT Supermileage Team 

with their Iranian delicacies 

“We want to take advantage of the 

opportunity that the Shell Eco-marathon 

provides to be able to share our culture with 

the other countries, to tell them the good things 

about our own country,” explained Sepideh 

Kordestani, one of the female members of the 

Iranian team. 

TEAM PHILIPPINES, MAPUA 

INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 

Despite being in the middle of a competition, 

there are countless stories of teams lending 

their tools and even car parts to the other 

contending teams. 

“One of the teams from Pakistan had a 

problem with their car battery so we lent the 

spare one that we brought with us while they 

were still fixing theirs,” said Jericho Rivera of 

the Philippines’ Mapua Institute of Technology 

Team Atalanta, who believed that the Shell 

Eco-marathon was more than just a competition 

but a way to build bridges of friendship and 

understanding with different nations. 

Team Philippines, Mapua 

Institute of Technology 

The Malaysian teams were especially helpful 

in providing advice to the visiting teams on 

where they could purchase necessary car 

tools or car parts from the city, what with the 

competition being held in their home country. 

Some of the Malaysian participants have even 

lent out parts from their personal vehicles. 

Other than sportsmanship, spirituality is also 

a trait that kept the teams resilient throughout 

the competition, offering fervent prayers to 

help them weather the challenges and accept 

victory or defeat with grace. The participating 

teams in the inaugural Shell Eco-marathon 

Asia invested a great amount of time, talent 

and resources in designing and building their 

vehicles. For these youths, the competition has 

helped them to think about solutions to present 

and future energy challenges while building 

their strength and quality of character. At the 

end of the day, winning is just the icing on the 

cake. The real reward is knowing they had 

maximised their potential and grown through 

the journey. SWP

First Shell Eco-marathon Asia showcased 

fuel-efficient cars with an Asian twist 

BY MICH CRUZ 

F 

uel-efficient vehicles with a distinctly 

Asian touch were spotted at the Sepang 

International Circuit of the Shell Ecomarathon 

Asia, an event which gathered 81 

student teams from10 countries in the region 

from July 8-10, 2010. 

Shell Eco-marathon is a competition which 

challenges students to design, build and drive 

a vehicle that can travel the farthest distance 

on the least amount of fuel and lowest possible 

CO2 emissions. The competition has been 

running in Europe since 1985 and the United 

States since 2007, and now brought to Asia 

for the first time, making it a truly global event. 

For the first Asian run, the students took the 

challenge further by designing cars which 

don’t just save on energy, but also express 

their unique Asian cultures, reflecting the 

region’s rich diversity. 

The golden, sword-shaped car of University of 

Indonesia’s Dazzling Team easily caught the 

attention of spectators. The car’s design was 

inspired from the keris, an ethnic Indonesian 

sword. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the 

students believe the car’s design helped 

reduce air resistance through its arrow head 

form. “We want to be different. We want to 

show that we can give our best in our own 

way,” beamed Dazzling Team’s Leader Tri 

Canyo Wibowo. 

Thailand’s Team Inno-Gen of King Mongkut’s 

Institute of Technology Ladkrabang drew 

their inspiration from line art, a Thai form 

of art with elements of nature. The car’s 

body is bright blue and shiny, with a huge 

curve at the rear, resembling a wave of 

water. Sakaruch Chienthaworn, Inno-Gen’s 

Team Leader, explained, “Our car runs on 

hydrogen fuel cells, so we wanted to put a 

look of nature in it.” 

Other teams exemplified Asian resourcefulness 

in their designs. Team USM Gen 2 from 

University Sains Malaysia used rice sacks 

for the shell of their prototype vehicle. Since 

rice is a staple food in Malaysia, rice sacks 

are an abundant resource. The sacks are 

made of jute fibre, and therefore natural and 

biodegradable. “We chose this material for 

the shell because it is strong and light, and 

we considered its impact on safety and the 

environment,” Team Leader David Chew Vee 

Kuan says. He adds that they learned the 

technique from local boatmakers. 

Thailand’s team Inno-Gen of King Mongkut’s Institute of 

Technology Ladkrabang drew their inspiration from line 

art, a Thai form of art with elements of nature. 

Team USM Gen 2 from University Sains Malaysia used 

rice sacks for the shell of their prototype vehicle. 

The Shell Eco-marathon technical team was 

impressed by the effort the students put into 

the designs of their cars, even while most of 

them are first-timers at the competition. “The 

Asian cars are extremely well-designed, 

and high standards were applied on its 

aesthetic aspects,” Norman Koch, Engine 

and Vehicle Technology Manager for Shell 

Global Solutions said. 

The golden, sword-shaped car of University of 

Indonesia’s dazzling team was inspired from the 

keris, an ethnic Indonesian sword. 

The ability of the Asian students to think out 

of the box was also striking. One particular 

example is the remote-controlled vehicle of 

Pakistan’s PNEC-02. This uses wi-fi technology 

and allows the driver to turn it with joysticks 

on a remote control console, instead of a 

steering wheel, and stop it with the flick of a 

switch. This removed the need for traditional 

transmission systems in conventional cars that 

add weight, enabling the vehicle to travel 

farther, getting more out of every drop of fuel, 

the students reckoned. 

“These are solutions that even old-timers in 

Europe haven’t thought of. The students were 

able to come up with fresh thoughts to old 

problems,” Koch added. SWP 

For more information on the 

Shell Eco-marathon, please visit 

www.shell.com/ecomarathon. 


WORLDPHILIPPINES27

SD in Action 

our home 

WHENEVER WE MENTION THE WORD “HOME”, IT BRINGS 

TO MIND A PLACE FILLED WITH FOND MEMORIES OF 

PEOPLE AND THINGS FROM OUR PAST. AS WE GROW UP, 

WE GO THROUGH SEVERAL HOMES - WE PACK UP AND 

LEAVE OUR OLD HOME AND SET UP A NEW HOME 

SOMEWHERE ELSE... 

ur planet is our home. But unlike 

the house we call home, we O cannot simply pack up and leave 

our planet behind when we feel like moving 

on. We all need to learn to work with it 

and learn to take care of it for the sake of 

our children and our children’s children for 

this will be their home, too. 

Few people know that Earth Day started in 

1970 when a US Senator met with students 

and other concerned groups to talk about 

the future of our home – our planet. Back 

then, the problems that beset the planet 

were not as serious as today and I suppose 

that is why it took three or four decades 

before it has become a globally popular 

event. More than ever, now is the time to 

make a change in how we live and to act 

for the sake of our planet. 



As mentioned in my previous Sustainable 

Development (SD) in Action column, this year 

we will focus on getting more involvement from 

various groups in SD activities. This article 

will showcase our Earth Day efforts and how 

we’ve striven to get more and more people to 

take part in actions to protect the environment. 

Often we turn to our leaders to make 

demonstrations of commitment to a worthy 

environmental cause. It is about time 

that we take things further and prove to 

ourselves that protecting our home is a task 

for each one of us to take up. There are 

two recent occasions where Shell staff and 

our business partners have demonstrated 

that they do care for our planet. 

The first occasion was Earth Hour 2010 

held last March 28. Shell’s distribution 

terminals and retail stations turned off their 

lights for one hour to raise awareness for 

the environment. This year’s participation 

was greater than last year because 

our neighbouring communities, partner 

academic institutions, lubricants distributors 

and LPG dealers joined the movement. 

More people got involved.

The second occasion was when Shell 

celebrated Earth Day through several 

environmental activities on the last week of 

April. Much of the events were awarenessbuilding 

in nature, but much were also 

participative and involved commitment to 

act. On Earth Day, April 22, our Pandacan 

fence-line communities participated in the 

re-launch of Bawas Basura sa Barangay or 

Triple B, a waste management programme 

for our surrounding communities in the Shell 

Pandacan oil depot. In cooperation with 

Gawad Kalinga, a similar activity was held 

for communities in Batangas, site of the 

Shell Tabangao refinery. 

There were even more Earth Day activities 

where Shell worked with external 

networks to increase awareness and elicit 

commitment and action. There was a 

Few people know that Earth Day started in 1970 when 

a US Senator met with students and other concerned 

groups to talk about the future of our home – our planet. 

RONALD SUAREZ, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER 

recyclables convention in cooperation with 

the Philippine Business for the Environment 

held last April 21, waste management 

and coastal cleanup activities with the 

Shell Pasacao Terminal communities on 

the morning of April 22 with the help of 

Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., cleaning 

of the Pasig River tributary along the Estero 

de Paco on April 29 led by the Kapit 

Bisig Para Sa Ilog Pasig of ABS-CBN 

Foundation with partners like Shell, and 

finally a mountain bike ride at the La Mesa 

watershed on April 24 to bring together 

Shell staff, business partners and the 

Suzuki 4x4 Club of the Philippines to gain 

an understanding of the importance of this 

urban forest. 

In all these cases, Shell staff and leaders, 

people from our surrounding communities 

and their leaders, and external partners 

came together to make it happen. Here 

you have the recipe for environmental 

changes to happen and to succeed. We 

must communicate and work with each 

other, with the support of our leaders, 

through the people, partners and groups 

that are closest to our business operations, 

to deliver changes that are effective, 

replicable and lasting. 

This brings me now to a challenge for 

the sake of our home. I find that this is 

best expressed best by this year’s Earth 

Day 2010 theme - “Hamon ng Panahon: 

Climate Change, 10 Milyong solusyon: 

Kilos Na! Ngayon Na!” The time to act 

is now, and we all must act today, in 

our own way, to save our planet - our 

only home. SWP 


WORLDPHILIPPINES29

all about digital arts 

STUDENT ARTISTS DISCOVER NEW WAYS TO POLISH THEIR ARTISTRY THROUGH THE 

SHELL ART INTERACTION PROGRAMME. 

BY JUN JAY G. JIMENEZ 

rt with a Heart, the 2010 series of 

Shell’s Art Interaction programme, A provides artistic learning while inspiring 

budding Filipino student artists to hone their 

craft and elevate art as a meaningful pursuit. 

The art workshop series this year featured 

renowned multi-disciplinary artist RossCapili. 

The Art with a Heart interaction is among the 

highlights of the 43rd Shell National Students 

Art Competition that aims to encourage young 

Filipino artists to pursue their love for the arts. 

The annual competition is a long-running youth 

development programme of Pilipinas Shell 

Petroleum Corporation (Shell). 

Since the competition’s debut in 1951, 

Shell has taken pride in being witness to the 

transformation and molding of promising young 



Shell Art Interaction in Cebu 

talents into more confident and more sensitive 

artists, who have carved their respective 

niches in the art world here and abroad. 

Shell promises to continue its endeavour of 

popularising student art and encouraging the 

youth to freely express themselves. 

Reiterating its commitment to Filipino student 

artists, Shell gathered hundreds of students 

through the workshops held at the University 

of the Philippines-Cebu in the Visayas on June 

22, 2010, the Philippine Women’s College 

School of Arts and Culture in Mindanao on 

June 25, 2010, and the Atrium of The Podium 

in Mandaluyong City on July 17, 2010, 

where distinguished art master RossCapili 

took the budding artists on an entertaining yet 

mind-opening interaction using his motley of 

Shell Art Interaction in Davao 

artworks which reflects the latest trends and 

styles in digital arts. 

With more than 50 awards to his name as a 

visual artist, Capili inspired the students with 

his showcase of award winning artworks. 

He shared with the participants the step-bystep 

process in tweaking images as well 

as familiarised them on the different tools 

and techniques in producing impressive yet 

meaningful digital artworks. He encouraged 

them to go beyond the borders of traditional 

art and explore other creative avenues to 

enrich their artistry. 

“Doodle in your mind. Explore your creativity. 

Find inspiration in the world around you. 

Make your art simple but meaningful,”

Doodle in your mind. Explore your creativity. Find inspiration in the world 

around you. Make your art simple but meaningful,” enthuses Capili, who also 

gave guidance to participants on submitting entries for the digital arts and 

calendar categories of the Shell National Students Art Competition. 

ROSS CAPILI 

Xdream 

Honourable Mention in the 52nd Art 

Association of the Philippines Annual Art 

Competition 2000 Kulaydahon - 2003 

enthuses Capili, who also gave guidance 

to participants on submitting entries for the 

digital arts and calendar categories of the 

Shell National Students Art Competition. This 

multi-talented art master made his mark in 

the field of photography, painting and mixed 

media with numerous distinctions including the 

Ani ng Sining Presidential Award in 2009, 

the Jose Vergara Medallion for Aesthetics, the 

2008 ANVIL Award for Best Art Calendar and 

the 2008 PATA Gold Awards for Travel Photo 

Journalism in Hyderabad, India. 

“Since 1951, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum 

Corporation has been staging the Shell 

National Students Art Competition for the 

Filipino youth to explore their creativity and 

create artworks that express their thoughts 

about the events around them. This year, 

Shell is celebrating 43 years of commitment 

to nurturing young Filipino artists. Aligned 

with Shell’s commitment to sustainable 

development, the annual art competition is 

one of Shell’s various programmes for the 

Filipino youth designed to develop their 

potentials,” said Pilipinas Shell Petroleum 

Corporation Sustainable Development 

Manager Ronald Suarez. 

This year’s theme for the competition’s digital 

fine arts Calendar Category is 143 Pilipinas 

-- The New Philippines: Pledges of hope, love 

and peace through Philippine Art. Oil/Acrylic 

Painting, Watercolour Painting, Sculpture, 

and Digital Fine Arts remain as open-themed 

categories. The awarding ceremony is on 

October 15, 2010 at the Ayala Museum in 

Makati City. 

A few more years away towards celebrating 

50 golden years of Filipino ingenuity, the Shell 

National Student Arts Competition relentlessly 

ignites the imagination and stirs the passion of 

student artists all over the country to showcase 

their artistic brilliance through masterpieces 

that mirror their sensitivity to the events around 

them. And Shell shall remain as a strong 

supporter of the Filipino youth in making their 

artistic dreams a reality. SWP 

Visit www.shell.com.ph/shell_art 

to find out more about 

Shell National Students Art Competition. 


WORLDPHILIPPINES31


Verde Island Passage volunteer-community divers graduation 

A graduation ceremony was 

held recently for 24 volunteercommunity 

divers from different 

barangays and municipalities 

in Batangas at Eagle Point 

Resort, Bagalangit Mabini, 

Batangas City. 

After three months of training with the Verde 

Island Passage Project representatives, the 

divers gained skills that will help them in 

undertaking activities for conserving marine 

biodiversity, coral reef installation and 

underwater clean-up. 

The event was held as part of the Verde Island 

Passage Project, implemented by the Batangas 

Coastal Resources Management Foundation 

with the support of Malampaya Foundation, 

Inc. and Batangas local government. 



“This project and the 

people who provided 

initiatives in taking 

care of our ecosystem 

will definitely make a 

difference in ensuring 

the sustainable 

development of our 

community and the 

environment,” said 

Rommel Flores, 

Executive Director 

of International 

Conservation of the 

Philippines. 

HIV National Summit 2010 calls for a 

broad-based response to health 

With the alarming increase of Human 

Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive cases 

in the country in the last three years, the 

Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC), 

led by former Department of Health (DOH) 

Secretary Esperanza Cabral, gathered 

leaders of society to address the Acquired 

Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and HIV 

situation in the country and urged them to 

join in strengthening the national response to 

the epidemiology. 

Themed “Call to Action for Broad-Based 

Response to AIDS by Leaders”, the HIV 

National Summit held on April 12, 2010 

aimed for a multi-sectoral response, with 

participants from regional and local 

government organisations, civil society, the 

business sector, mass media, faith-based 

organisations and the academe. 

During the summit, key actions and intended 

results were laid down to intensify efforts 

and rally multi-sectoral groups to mobilise 

in addressing the issue. Likewise, facilitated 

workshops and plenary sessions were held. 

From 1984 to February 2010, the 

cumulative number of reported cases rose to 

4,697, where 835 are AIDS cases. 71% of 

these cases are males. According to reports, 

sexual contact is the most common mode of 

HIV transmission – 90% (4,203 cases), 1% 

through mother-to-child (50), and 1% though 

needle-sharing among injecting drug users 

(63). More than half was transmitted through 

Representatives 

from the government and private sector also 

graced the event to support the conservation 

of the Verde Island Passage Project. Actor and 

politician Christopher De Leon attended and 

dove with the graduates to view the scenery 

heterosexual contact (2,258), followed by 

homosexual (30% or 1,281 cases) and 

bisexual (16% or 664 cases). 

Shell companies in the Philippines (SciP) 

participated in the summit and joined the 

‘Good Practice Zone’, an exhibition area 

of the country’s responses, featuring demos, 

presentations, and resource materials that 

highlight good practices that yielded positive 

results in addressing the challenges in HIV 

& AIDS. SciP exhibited the company’s 

HIV & AIDS roadmap and its response in 

combating the disease, highlighted its HIV 

& AIDS in the Workplace Programme and 

its various activities, including Voluntary 

Counseling and Testing and a series of 

fora held to better educate employees, 

contractors, and business partners on the 

transmission and prevention of HIV & AIDS. 

[Jo Diana-Diga] 

The volunteer divers pose with actor-politician 

and celebrity diver Christopher De Leon. 

underneath. The training for the second batch 

of volunteer divers is underway which began 

in May 2010. [SPEX Communications] 

SPEX donates computers 

to “Bike for a Cause” 

beneficiary schools 

Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX) Finance 

Manager Jeng Pascual (3rd from left) hands 

over new computer equipment to Mrs. Milagros 

Cabatic, principal of Upper Bicutan Elementary 

School (leftmost). 

The school was one of four beneficiaries 

of the Department of Energy (DOE) and 

the Malampaya Joint Venture’s fourth year 

of “Bike for a Cause.” Other beneficiaries 

include C. P. Sta. Teresa Elementary School, 

EM’s Signal Village School and the Taguig 

Elementary School. 

The turnover was held during former DOE 

Secretary Angelo Reyes’ (second from left) 

birthday celebration held at the Upper Bicutan 

Elementary School. Also present during the 

ceremony were Malampaya Foundation, 

Inc. Executive Director Luke Esteban, SPEX 

Communications Advisor Christine del Valle 

and DOE Director of Luzon Field Office Efren 

Dalaoing. [SPEX Communications]

MFI’s NEST conducts 

fire safety drill 

Participants from different communities in 

Batangas took part in the recent fire safety 

training conducted by the Neighbourhood 

Emergency Services Team (NEST), in 

cooperation with the Emergency Research 

Centre, Inc. (ERC, Inc.). 

The training was held at Barangay 

Ambulong, Batangas City, in support of 

the Fire Prevention Month. Twenty-seven 

members of NEST from different Shell 

Batangas host communities participated in 

the three-day event. 

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation 

Emergency Response Safety Adviser 

Robert Sevilla and ERC, Inc. Director 

Louie Domingo discussed Emergency 

Preparedness and Fire Prevention strategies. 

The participants were also given handson 

training on ways to stop fire using the 

common fire extinguisher. Shell Philippines 

Exploration B.V. (SPEX) Community Relations 

Adviser Melchor Aguilera and Malampaya 

Foundation, Inc. (MFI) Executive Director 

Luke Esteban were present to witness the 

event. [SPEX Communications] 

GK Bayan Anihan is a programme component of Gawad 

Kalinga aimed to eradicate hunger in the Philippines. 

Farmville gets real in Shell Gawad Kalinga 

Bayan Anihan Farms 

GK Farm Build volunteers composed of Shell, PSFI staff and Bicol Region 

Shell business partners pose with the GK Bayan Anihan programme officers 

and the GK Mabuhay Ladies of GK Libmanan Village in Bicol. 

In the continuing pursuit to help improve the 

lives of our Gawad Kalinga (GK) brethren in 

the Camarines Sur province, Shell and Pilipinas 

Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) staff with the 

Shell business partners from the Bicol Region 

conducted a farm-build activity in three Shell-GK 

Bayan Anihan Farms in Camarines Sur. 

The activity, dubbed as the Shell-GK Farm Build 

activity, gathered 50 volunteers composed of 

Shell, PSFI staff and Bicol Region Shell dealers 

who dedicated their time and effort to the GK 

Farm communities. “We are truly grateful for 

Shell’s support in this endeavour. Shell believed 

in us and didn’t hesitate to take part in this 

worthwhile programme. If not for Shell, Bayan 

Anihan would not have succeeded,” said 

Gawad Kalinga Bayan Anihan Programme 

Manager Marco Flores. 

Bayan Anihan is a programme component of 

Gawad Kalinga aimed at eradicating hunger 

in the Philippines. A 10-hectare land is being 

provided to families in GK communities, 

which provides a sustainable food source for 

the GK communities in the country. 

At present, there are 23 Shell-GK Bayan 

Anihan farms present in 20 GK villages in 

Camarines Sur. “We are truly grateful for our 

Shell dealers who are supporting this initiative 

and sharing their time to make this activity a 

success,” said Shell Sustainable Development 

Manager Suiee Suarez in his message. 

Aside from the volunteers from Shell, PSFI staff 

and Bicol Region Shell dealers, GK Bayan 

Anihan partners composed of faculty and 

students of Bicol State University and the kapitbahayan 

(neighbour) heads also joined this 

event. The volunteers spent their day planting 

organic vegetables and concreting the compost 

bed walls in Libmanan, San Fernando and 

Pasacao GK Farms. After a day’s work, the 

volunteers converged in the GK Libmanan 

Farm, where the volunteers feasted on the local 

delicacies prepared by the GK community. 

The GK Sibol, a community-based preschool 

programme for children ages 3 to 6 years 

old, rendered a repertoire of pop songs for 

the volunteers to relax them after a whole day 

of farming activity. The GK Farm build activity 

was conducted last March 12, 2010. 

[Clara Antonette Eser] 

DLSU honours Pilipinas Shell for supporting One La Salle scholarship programmes 

De La Salle University (DLSU)-Manila honoured 

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (Pilipinas 

Shell) during the 2nd Appreciation Night for the 

One La Salle Beneficiaries at the Manila Polo 

Club last March 18, 2010. 

A sculpture by accomplished visual artist and La Salle 

alumni Daniel dela Cruz was presented by Brother 

Edmundo “Dodo” Fernandez FSC, Brother Visitor 

& President of De La Salle Philippines, Inc., and 

Department of Education Secretary Brother Armin 

Luistro, former President of De La Salle University 

Manila and CEO of De La Salle Philippines, Inc. 

to Pilipinas Shell for its “selfless contribution of its 

time, talent and treasure to help make a human 

and Christian education more accessible to young, 

deserving Filipinos.” On behalf of Pilipinas Shell, 

Sustainable Development Manager Suiee Suarez 

received the Daniel Dela Cruz sculpture. The gesture 

was DLSU’s expression of gratitude for the latter’s 

support in its scholarship programmes. 

Pilipinas Shell supported DLSU through its 

Science and Technology Education Programme 

(STEP). STEP grants scholarships to top 

Engineering schools in the country with the aim 

of promoting the development of science and 

technology related courses in the country. 

Last March 5, 2010, Shell and DLSU signed 

an agreement for a scholarship grant which 

culminated with the ceremonial handover of a 

Php1.5 million donation to the DLSU Science 

Foundation. [Suiee Suarez] 

Pilipinas Shell Sustainable Development Manager Suiee 

Suarez (middle) with the De La Salle University brothers 

during the appreciation night. 


WORLDPHILIPPINES33


Shell backs sustainable businesses in the country 

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation 

recently recognised the sustainable 

businesses and business plans in 

the country in the 2009 Business in 

Development (BiD) Challenge held on 

February 26, 2010 at the Asian Institute 

of Management Conference Centre in 

Makati City. 

From a total of 104 entries, 33 were 

chosen as finalists and 10 business 

plans emerged as the top winners: 

Jacinto & Lirio: A Filipino Social Enterprise 

for Filipino Ingenuity, Ecoglow Mobile 

Shredding Machine, Global Organic and 

Wellness Corp., Binalot: The only truly 

Filipino Fast Food Chain in the Philippines, 

Gifts and Graces, EPP Technologies, Inc. – 

Super Paso, Ecobloks, eco-friendly toys for 

children, Fish Farming using Low Volume 

High Density (LVHD) fish cage system, 

E-farmers and Hybrid and Inbred Rice 

Seeds Production. 

AMCHAM’s 2nd Human Face of CSR Photo exhibition features Shell photo entries 

Shell companies in the Philippines’ 

photo entry “Malaria Free by 2020” 

was accorded an Honourable Mention 

under the Health category by the 

American Chamber (AmCham) Foundation 

Philippines, Inc. during the 2nd ‘Human 

Face of CSR’ Photo Exhibition. 

The photo shows an indigenous tribe in 

Palawan – a Tau’t Bato family with treated 

mosquito nets in tow, which they received 

from the Kilusan Ligtas Malaria (KLM), an 

anti-malaria programme implemented by the 

Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. in partnership 

with the Malampaya Joint Venture Partners and 

the local government units of Palawan. 

This year’s top winners were TLC submitted 

by Quezon Power (Environment category); 

Super Duo by Globe Telecoms (Education 

category); ‘Sagot ni Kap’ by Globe Telecoms 

(Peacekeeping category); Seeds of Life by 

Dole Philippines, Inc. (Livelihood category); 

and ‘Sarap’ by Nu Skin Enterprise Phils. 

(Health category). 

Other winners that received the 

Honourable distinction were ‘5 Es’ 

(Education (category) and ‘Kaunlaran 

sa Kamay ng Kababaihan’ (Livelihood 

category) by Chevron Geothermal Phils. 

Holdings, Inc.; ‘Paandarin mo na’ by 

Quezon Power (Livelihood category) 

and Living Water by Dole Philippines 

(Environment category). 



Jacinto and Lirio Fashion Bags emerged as 

the top winner, receiving a Php 350,000 

cash prize. The best business plan will 

represent the country in the International BiD 

Competition in Amsterdam, Netherlands 

where winners have the chance to bring 

home up to 20,000 euros. 

The BiD Challenge is an enterprise concept 

geared towards balance between profit 

and development. Supporting the goal of 

Human Face of CSR Photo Exhibition 

at Glorietta 5, Makati City 

From over 200 photo entries, Shell entries such 

as Teaching Kids Safety on the Road (Education 

category), Shell Project Better World Coastal 

Clean-up (Environment category), and Sanayan 

sa Kakayahang Agrikultura (SAKA) Sea 

Cucumber Farming in Palawan were among the 

50 finalists chosen as part of the five-day photo 

exhibition. AmCham selected the winners based 

on the criteria and five social development 

aspects, namely education, health, livelihood, 

environment, and peace. 

AmCham and US Embassy Deputy Chief of 

Mission Leslie Basset, AmCham President Edwin 

D. Feist, American Chamber of Commerce 

Executive Director Robert M. Sears, joined other 

dignitaries in the ribbon-cutting ceremonies that 

officially opened the photo exhibition, which ran 

from April 21-25, 2010. [Jo Diana-Diga] 

poverty alleviation, which is among the 

United Nations Millennium Development 

Goals (UN MDGs), the BiD Challenge 

provides a venue for small and mediumscale 

businesses to act as a catalyst for the 

economic growth of Third World countries. 

Since 2008, Shell has been supporting 

the BiD Challenge in recognition of 

the Filipinos’ business innovations and 

expertise – demonstrating the company’s 

commitment towards the achievement of 

the UN MDGs. The BiD Challenge event 

was organised by the Philippine Business for 

Social Progress. Joining the Bid Challenge 

winners were Sustainable Development 

Manager Suiee Suarez, member of the 

2009 BiD Challenge Technical Working 

Group who screened all the entries; and 

Shell Pandacan Social Performance Head 

Janot Barretto who was one of the Board 

of Jurors for the BiD Challenge. [Clara 

Antonette Eser] 

Pilipinas Shell Vice President for Communications Roberto Kanapi 

together with the Shell Communications Team admire the photo entries 

which showcase the different faces of CSR from participating companies.

The Road Safety Camp is part of PSFI’s Batangas Road Safety for Children 

Programme, which aims to create awareness and shape the values of children on 

traffic regulations, safety conduct, and road courtesy, even at an early stage. 

Shell backs Palarong 

Pambansa 2010 

Photo shows Shell National Youth Active Chess Overall Project 

Coordinator Aileen Duran with Tarlac Governor Victor Yap and 

Department of Education (DepEd) officials led by former 

DepEd Director for Physical Fitness, Wellness and Recreation 

Rolando Brillantes. 

With its thrust of promoting youth 

development, Shell supported the first-ever 

torch relay ceremonies conducted during the 

opening of Palarong Pambansa (National 

Sports Competitions) in Tarlac City. 

Tarlac Governor Victor Yap lauded all the 

youth athletes who gave their time for the 

torch relay ceremonies, which commenced 

the Palarong Pambansa 2010. 

Palarong Pambansa is an annual showcase 

of youth talents on different sports, with 

Tarlac province as this year's host city. Shell 

supported the annual sports festival by 

providing shirts for 500 athletes for the torchrelay 

event. 

Shell works in partnership with the 

Department of Education (DepEd) in the 

promotion of sports and physical wellbeing 

of students/athletes through the 

Shell Chess Interaction, dubbed "An 

Interaction with the Chess Masters," or 

A.I.M. The programme is in support of the 

latter's Memorandum No. 1, 2009, which 

seeks to integrate chess into the school 

curriculum as a way of strengthening the 

development of higher order thinking 

skills and values among children enrolled 

in Grade III-VI and the secondary levels 

as part of Physical Education. [Clara 

Antonette Eser and Aileen Duran] 

300 Kids join the Batangas Road Safety Camp 

Be Smart! Be Prepared! Be Safe! This was 

the motto of 300 children aged 5 to 16 who 

trooped to SM City Batangas to participate in 

the 2nd Road Safety Camp for Children held 

on May 20, 2010. 

The Road Safety Camp for Children was 

organised by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum 

Corporation and Pilipinas Shell Foundation, 

Inc. together with its partners, the Batangas 

City Mayor’s Office, Traffic Development 

and Regulatory Office, Batangas City Public 

Information Office, Land Transportation Office, 

the Department of Education – Batangas 

City, and SM City Batangas. This annual 

activity brings together participants from 

different schools with the objective of creating 

awareness on road safety while teaching 

them how to become smart road users. 

SPBW runs to save lives 

Shell Project Better World (SPBW) ran for 

a new, active and healthy lifestyle as they 

took part in RUNew 2010, a fund raising 

and wellness activity of Asian Hospital and 

Medical Centre for the benefit of Asian 

Hospital Charities, Inc. 

Now on its second year, RUNew 2010 is 

part of Asian Hospital and Medical Centre’s 

efforts to instill among its patients and the 

public the importance of getting into a healthy 

lifestyle and caring for the less fortunate. 

“RUNew has been conceived not only to 

promote a healthy lifestyle but also to raise 

The Road Safety Campers were selected 

from 12 participating schools namely: 

Tabangao Elementary School, Tabangao 

National High School, Ambulong Elementary 

School, Libjo Elementary School, San Isidro 

Elementary School, Malitam Elementary 

School, Saint Bridget's College, University 

of Batangas, Batangas State University, 

Batangas National High School, Girl 

Scouts of the Philippines and Jose C. Pastor 

Memorial Elementary School. 

The Road Safety Camp is part of PSFI’s 

Batangas Road Safety for Children 

Programme, which aims to create awareness 

and shape the values of children on traffic 

regulations, safety conduct, and road courtesy 

even at an early stage. [Daday Deleon] 

Shell companies in the Philippines Country Chairman 

Edgar Chua (in red shirt) runs with Shell staff. 

funds for the indigent patients of Asian Hospital 

Charities, Inc. Most of these patients belong to 

the poorest of the poor in our community who 

cannot afford the medical and surgical services 

of Asian Hospital. There is joy in giving, let 

us run not only for our own health but for the 

health of others, especially the poor,” enthused 

RUNew organiser Dra. Lora Tansengco. 

The well-attended fun run was held on 

May 2, 2010 at the Filinvest Corporate 

City, Muntinlupa City where Shell running 

aficionados chose from four race events: 16k, 

10k, 5k and 3k categories. [Christine Guison] 


WORLDPHILIPPINES35


The 27th AIDS Candlelight Memorial: Raising awareness about the disease 

As the picturesque yellow-orange sunset in 

Manila Bay was taking place, hundreds 

of people also lit candles along Rajah 

Sulayman Park in Malate, Manila to 

remember those who were infected and 

eventually succumbed to HIV and AIDS. 

Celebrated annually, this year’s AIDS 

Candlelight Memorial was held on May 

28. The theme for this year, “Many lights 

for human rights: remember, honour, and 

act,” meant to raise public awareness on 

the disease as a matter of human right, 

and remove the stigma and discrimination 

against persons living with HIV. NGOs, 

key stakeholders in HIV and AIDS response 

in both public and private organisations, 

faith-based groups, among others, were 

represented in the gathering. Pilipinas 

Shell Petroleum Corporation and Pilipinas 

Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) sent a 50-man 

contingent to join the memorial event. 

“The fight against HIV and AIDS begins with 

knowledge and awareness. The Department 

of Health is always doing its task to raise 

awareness in the hope that this will result in 

A Day at the Museum 

One hundred children from Pandacan were 

treated to a day of culture, history, fun, and 

art last May 25 and 27, 2010. Split into 

two batches, the children, residents of Brgy. 

830, 833, 834, 848, ages nine to eleven, 

were taken to the Ayala Museum for an 

educational tour. 

The children explored the richness of 

Philippine culture, art, and history. Viewing 

the exquisitely carved dioramas, the children 

got a visual encounter of the major events 

and themes in history, from pre-historic 

Philippines to contemporary times. They 

marvelled at the spectacular array of golden 

sashes, necklaces, earrings, pectoral, and 

other similar adornments of the pre-colonial 

period. The children were enthralled with 

the paintings, sculptures, and mixed media 

works of several world-class Filipino masters. 

To enhance interest in art, the children were 

given an art workshop where they were 

asked to draw and colour the art and/or 

artifacts inside the museum that caught their 

attention the most. The workshop ended 

with the participants happily showing each 

other the “masterpieces” that they created. 

They received loot bags with art materials 

as souvenirs. 



better prevention of the spread of the disease,” 

said former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral. 

“We at the Business Sector Response to HIV 

and AIDS aim to advocate HIV and AIDS 

awareness in the workplace by strengthening 

and establishing workplace policies to make 

sure that the employees are well aware of 

the prevention and referral systems of their 

companies,” PSFI Programme Manager Marvi 

Trudeau said. 

To cap off the day’s activity, the children were 

brought to the Ayala Triangle Gardens, where 

they had the chance to view, touch and play 

with the brightly coloured art installations. The 

children of Pandacan thoroughly enjoyed their 

day at the museum. At the end of the trip, the 

children were one in expressing their gratitude 

for it, as well as wishing that they would 

PSFI, in partnership with UNAIDS and other 

UN agencies, and the Philippine Business 

for Social Progress set up the Business Sector 

Response to HIV and AIDS Programme in 

2009 to enjoin businesses to contribute 

their resources to HIV and AIDS awareness 

and prevention. To date, the partners 

have engaged close to 100 firms, and 

are conducting a series of peer education 

and trainers’ trainings. [Angela Lourdes R. 

Rebueno] 

be able to return to the Ayala Museum for 

another “day at the museum.” 

The summer kiddie museum tour for the 

children of Pandacan was sponsored 

by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation 

Pandacan Depot as part of its sustainable 

development initiatives with neighbouring 

communities. [Monaleizl Dy/Photos by 

Viva Generoso]

Shell Active Chess promotes 

Youth Development 

BY AILEEN F. DURAN 

P 

ilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation 

(Pilipinas Shell) unveiled its 2010 

Shell National Youth Active Chess 

Championship (Shell Active Chess) season 

with another leg added to the tournament, 

guaranteeing another banner year for the sport 

and exposure for the country’s leading and 

rising players. 

Considered as the nation's longest running, 

grassroots-based chess tournament, this year’s 

Shell Active Chess bearing the theme “Chess 

Barkada” started on June 26-27, 2010 at 

SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City for the 

National Capital Region Leg. 

In his welcome message, Pilipinas Shell 

VP for Communications Roberto Kanapi 

encouraged the tournament participants to 

continue honing their chess skills because it 

helps in developing mental faculties as well as 

values. Grandmaster (GM) Jayson Gonzales, 

on the other hand, inspired the participants to 

continue participating in chess competitions 

and praised Shell for its commitment to help 

the Filipino youth in developing their potentials. 

The top three finishers from each division 

in all legs advance to the grand finals on 

Oct. 23-24, 2010 at SM Megamall in 

Mandaluyong City. 

Shell Active Chess is an annual programme 

of Pilipinas Shell that empowers the Filipino 

The participants of An Interaction with the Masters. Above photo shows 

Pilipinas Shell Vice President for Communications Roberto Kanapi (seated, 

left) making a ceremonial move with Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales to 

formally open the 2010 Shell Active Chess season during the NCR Leg. 

youth in line with the company’s commitment to 

sustainable development. Aside from technical 

excellence acquired from playing chess, Shell 

instills in the minds of young chess enthusiasts the 

values of discipline, sportsmanship, diligence, 

sense of fair play, maturity, and responsibility. 

The competition has produced 11 national 

masters, 2 FIDE masters, 5 international 

masters, and 5 grand masters, proving 

that the Philippines is a breeding ground 

of individuals with exceptional talents 

and skills. It is sanctioned by the National 

Chess Federation of the Philippines, and 

supported by Shell V-Power, Shellane, Shell 

Helix, and McDonald's, in partnership with 

SM Megamall, SM Supermalls, Cagayan 

Colleges Tuguegarao, Central Philippine 

University Iloilo, University of San Carlos 

Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro City Tourism. 

Chess players continue to AIM high 

Aiming to produce globally competitive 

Filipino chess players, Pilipinas Shell and 

the Department of Education (DepEd) once 

again staged a two-day chess clinic titled 

“An Interaction with the Masters” or A.I.M. 

on May 22-23, 2010 held at the Bulwagan 

ng Karunungan, DepEd Complex in Pasig 

City. Pilipinas Shell’s partnership with DepEd 

follows the recent issuance of DepEd Memo 

#1, series of 2009 which integrates chess in 

the curriculum of elementary and high school 

students beginning SY 2009-2010. 

Aside from technical 

excellence acquired from 

playing chess, Shell instills in 

the minds of young chess 

enthusiasts the values of 

discipline, sportsmanship, 

diligence, sense of fair play, 

maturity, and responsibility. 

Over 200 participants, including students, 

teachers, coaches, principals, and parents 

from various public elementary and high 

schools in Luzon participated in the clinic 

conducted by Shell Active Chess graduates, 

International Masters Idel Datu and Oliver 

Dimakiling, GM Jayson Gonzales and 

International Arbiter Rolly Yutuc, who shared 

their expertise on the fundamentals, techniques 

and advanced strategies of the game. 

Pilipinas Shell Sustainable Development 

Manager Ronald Suarez, in his welcome 

remarks, encouraged school administrators 

to strengthen their support for young chess 

players by putting up chess clubs in their 

respective schools and encouraged them to 

be Pilipinas Shell’s partner in inculcating the 

values that this sport cultivates. SWP 

For more information about 

Shell Active Chess, visit 

www.shell.com.ph/shell_chess. 


WORLDPHILIPPINES37

Impok Pang Kalusugan: 

A battle gear in facing the giant 

IMPOK PANG KALUSUGAN IS A COMMUNITY BASED HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAMME 

THAT AIMS TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE SERVICES THAT ARE CONSIDERED ACCESSIBLE, 

AVAILABLE, AND AFFORDABLE, ESPECIALLY TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. 

BY MARITES MANDERI 



Cedric Regondon with his wife.

T 

ears of joy are still evident as Cedric 

Regondon of Barangay Tinagong 

Dagat, Narra, Palawan narrates 

what happened during the unexpected 

hospitalisation of his wife in November 

2008. It was apparent in his face that he 

is relieved, thankful and at the same time 

fulfilled to have survived one of the toughest 

storms in his life. 

One week prior to his wife’s admission to 

the hospital, she manifested flu-like symptoms 

such as headache, fever and body pain. 

The couple thought that it was just ordinary 

influenza and did not even bother to seek 

medical consultation. 

“I was on my way to pick up my mother-in-law 

from the town when I was informed that my 

wife was rushed to the hospital because of 

her worsening condition,” recalls Cedric. “I 

was then filled with extreme fear that I even 

started to tremble. The first thought that came 

to my mind was that I will never forgive myself 

if something bad happens to my wife. I really 

blamed myself for not seeking immediate 

consultation for her,” he narrates. “One of 

my greatest fears is to have a family member 

hospitalised. It’s just like facing a giant without 

the proper gear, aside from the fact that I 

have to deal with emotional stress, having a 

family member in the hospital is also financially 

draining especially for a poor family like us,” 

Cedric states. 

Cedric’s family just earns an average of 

150 pesos a day from fish vending. In 

order to earn a little extra, he sometimes 

accompanies and assists his neighbour 

who owns a fishing boat. His family also 

finds other ways of earning money through 

livestock raising and pillow making. 

“In the hospital, after my wife was given 

medical intervention and was informed that 

she was no longer in a critical condition, 

my anxiety still remained as I didn’t know 

where to get the money to pay for the 

hospital bills,” recalls Cedric. 

Good thing Cedric was a member of Impok 

Pang Kalusugan (IPK). “I was very relieved 

to be reminded about the IPK programme. I 

realised that this will help a lot in paying for 

my wife’s hospital bills,” he shares. 

Cedric works as a barangay kagawad in 

Barangay Tinagong Dagat. He became an 

I was very relieved to be reminded about the IPK 

programme. I realised that this will help a lot in 

paying for my wife’s hospital bills. 

active member of IPK in 2006 and was able 

to convince most of the households in his 

area to become members of IPK. 

Through the initiative of their barangay 

council, a yearly budget for the membership 

premiums of indigent families is being 

allocated. As reported in the Rural Health 

Unit of Narra, Barangay Tinagong Dagat 

has the highest number of IPK enrollees 

among all barangays of Narra since 2006. 

At present, out of the 202 total households 

in Baragay Tinagong Dagat, 116 of them 

are now active members of IPK. 

In September 2009, Cedric’s wife was again 

admitted to the hospital. “I was no longer 

anxious that time because I was confident that 

I am already geared to face the giant. In fact 

many of our constituents who are enrolled in 

IPK feel the same. Being an IPK member is like 

wearing a battle gear in facing the giants in our 

life,” he says. With IPK, members are no longer 

hesitant to seek medical consultation even if they 

do not have a single centavo in their pocket. 

Surveys on Knowledge, Attitude and Practices 

(KAP) and Health Referral System conducted 

by Lingap sa Kalusugan ng Palawan in 

2003 revealed that due to poverty, people in 

Southern Palawan tend to delay seeking for 

medical consultation and treatment. Patients 

are brought to the hospital only when their 

case is already so severe and the survival rates 

are minimal. Most of the time, patients resort to 

getting loans at high interest rates and/or selling 

their properties while others seek financial 

assistance from local officials. 

Impok pang Kalsugan was conceived 

and eventually implemented during 

the first quarter of 2006 in Southern 

Palawan. Through the concerted efforts 

of the eight local chief executives of 

eight municipalities, former Second 

District Representative and now Governor 

Abraham Kahlil B. Mitra, Pilipinas Shell 

Foundation, Inc. and Malampaya Joint 

Venture Partners, IPK was made possible. 

It is a community based health insurance 

programme that aims to provide health 

care services that are considered 

accessible, available, and affordable 

especially to low-income families. With 

the support of local government units, IPK 

is primarily designed to encourage people 

to gain access to health services not as 

passive recipients of government health 

assistance and programmes but as able 

partners in health care and development. 

At present, IPK has over 3,000 active 

members all over Southern Palawan. 

The local government of Palawan 

took the lead in IPK Management in 

January 2007and is currently headed 

by Sofronio Española Municipal Mayor 

Marsito Acoy. SWP 


WORLDPHILIPPINES39

2010 Shell Eco-marathon in Asia

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