Around 3,000 underserved Filipinos in Manila were given more than just food, as they received hot, nourishing meals prepared and distributed by volunteers from Manila Electric Company (Meralco) in partnership with Kawa Pilipinas.
The outreach was led by employee-volunteers from the One Meralco Foundation (OMF), Meralco’s corporate social responsibility arm, together with volunteers from CIS Bayad Center, Inc. (Bayad). Beneficiaries included street dwellers along Kalaw Avenue and caregivers patiently waiting outside Philippine General Hospital, many of whom spend long days and nights caring for loved ones with little access to proper meals.
Employees from Meralco’s Pasay Business Center, Corporate Communications Department, and OMF worked side by side with Kawa Pilipinas volunteers, turning large cauldrons of freshly cooked food into moments of comfort for those in need. The activity underscored Meralco’s core value of malasakit, bringing compassion directly to communities where the company operates.
Joining the distribution were Meralco Chief CSR Officer and OMF President Jeffrey O. Tarayao, Kawa Pilipinas founder Mae Paner, OMF Program Manager Grace G. Noche, and Meralco Advocacy and Communication Management Head Michelle L. Caguioa, who personally handed out meals and shared conversations with beneficiaries.
Kawa Pilipinas, a volunteer-powered community kitchen founded in 2020, has become a lifeline for many marginalized Filipinos. Since its launch, the group has already served more than 570,000 meals to homeless individuals and urban poor communities across the country.
“For Filipinos, sharing meals is a love language,” Tarayao said. “By sharing these hot, nutritious meals with our fellow Filipinos in need, together with our partners in Kawa Pilipinas, we turn malasakit into something tangible—bringing warmth, dignity, and nourishment to those who need it most.”