MEMBERS of the Aeta community in Porac, located at the foot of Mt. Pinatubo in Pampanga, have received 50 bicycles from Metro Pacific Investments Foundation Inc. (MPIF) and its partners to help improve their mobility and boost livelihood activities.
“Our Aeta brethren have the potential to contribute to local economies but have merely lacked the avenues to channel their untapped capabilities,” said PEACE KAMP Community Relations Coordinator Patricia Mas in a statement from MPIF.
PEACE KAMP — or the Pinatubo Eco-Adventure and Cultural Enclave Katutubong Anak ng Mount Pinatubo — is one of MPIF’s partners for the project along with Neo Zigma Cycle Corporation, Interval Gear Events Management, and Alagang Kapatid Foundation, Inc.
“We are extremely grateful that cycling events similarly organized by Neo Zigma, are able to elevate social consciousness specially for indigenous communities who have been part of our beneficiaries,” said MPIF President Melody M. del Rosario.
Neo Zigma and Interval Gear Events Management organized the 1st Philippine Cycling Festival held in June at the neighboring Clark in Pampanga.
The non-profit PEACE KAMP helps the indigenous Aeta community build their capability through training and support for sustainable economic endeavors such as in agriculture and tourism.
MPIF is the corporate social responsibility arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., one of three key Philippine units of First Pacific, the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.
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