A Day Well Spent: NetSuite Manila Employees Give Back

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”

That’s how the famous Holiday tune goes. Indeed, Christmas time is wonderful especially when we take it all in and enjoy every moment of it. Sometimes we get caught up in the madness that goes with the season – “I still haven’t completed my list!”… “So many people out and about, traffic is crazy!”… “I haven’t got a thing to wear for the party!”—that we forget what the Holidays are all about. For me, it’s about love and happiness, and extending those emotions beyond ourselves.

At NetSuite Philippines, we always take time to spread the holiday cheer to the community in which we operate. Although we give back year-round through our regular SuiteImpact Team and Social Committee volunteer events and drives, there is always something extra special about our Holiday giving program. The spirit of giving among our employees is simply at its best during this time of the year – and that is what this season is all about.

To kick off the Holiday countdown, NetSuite employees participated in three different events, all in one Saturday. Let’s see how the day went:

Clocking in at 5:00 AM
The first event of the day started at 5:00 a.m., when our Collections Team decided to spend their annual team building event with the elders from the Kanlungan ni Maria Home for the Aged, a family and home environment wherein the elders can live a better and dignified life. 12 members of the team went to Antipolo City and visited the elderly home with one goal in mind – to give the residents a day of happiness and companionship. The day was filled with heartwarming life stories, tasty cupcakes, awesome gifts for the elders and a fun and cheerful Christmas song performed by the Team. It was a great way to start the day!

Spreading the love at 9:00 AM
The second activity of the day started at 9:00 a.m., when 24 employee volunteers cheerfully distributed 120 gift packs with toys, grocery items and hospital kit toiletries to the Philippine General Hospital pediatric wards (General, Surgery, Rehabilitation & Burn Pediatrics, and Cancer Institute). NetSuite donations brought “Suite” smiles to the young patients, as well as their parents.

Before the event, Manila employees donated the funds to purchase 200 toy bears, of which 120 were delivered to Philippine General Hospital, and the remaining 80 were distributed to two charities supported by NetSuite, namely C.R.I.B.S Foundation and Kanlungan Pilipinas Movement Inc.

It was an emotionally moving day for many of the volunteers. Between the joy they were able to bring to the children and the raw emotion they felt for these children and parents who were going through such a difficult time in their lives. Still, they left with that warm feeling from knowing they made other people happy when it matters the most.

Capping a meaningful day off at 4:00 PM
The last event of the day happened at 4:00 pm when NetSuite Philippines’ Social Committee hosted NetSuite Movie-For-A-Cause, their annual charity event, wherein one whole cinema showing the 3rd instalment in the hit movie series Hunger Games was reserved for NetSuite employees and their friends and families. Tickets were sold exclusively to NetSuite employees leading up to the premiere, with all ticket sales given to C.R.I.B.S to purchase medicines, diapers, milk and more. Over 50 children benefited from the proceeds of the event!

I am so proud of the employees who participated in the day’s events and I hope it encourages more employees to take part in our regular Social Responsibility activities and events. A huge THANK YOU to all our volunteers who participate year round to give back to our local community!

Posted by Rhoda Navarro, Program Manager, Corporate Citizenship, NetSuite.org