SM strengthens commitment to community resilience

The Operation Tulong Express program was mobilized to assist families displaced by a fire in Tondo, Manila in 2024.

PASAY CITY, Philippines – SM continues to uphold its commitment to responsible and inclusive growth by providing immediate assistance to underserved communities in times of need using corporate resources, including products and company volunteers. As the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of the SM group, SM Foundation has distributed 982,415 Kalinga Packs and conducted 783 relief missions to date—underscoring its role as a reliable partner in disaster response and recovery.

In 2024, SM Foundation, in collaboration with SM Supermalls and SM Markets, conducted 41 Operation Tulong Express (OPTE) and distributed over 108, 000 Kalinga Packs. OPTE is SM Foundation’s disaster relief initiative, providing swift and vital support to victims of natural calamities through the delivery of essential medicines and basic necessities.

SM Foundation continues to advance SM’s vision of committed partnership with their host communities.

“The SM Group, through SM Foundation, has been working directly with communities to give them the assistance they require, especially in times of calamities and natural disasters, by leveraging our corporate assets to secure resources. We are committed to being a responsible neighbor in the communities where we operate,” shared Debbie Sy, SM Foundation Executive Director.

Sy shared that the “SM Foundation works in synergy alongside the different business units of SM.”

SM Markets with their Kalinga packs, consisting of mineral water, rice, ready-to-eat meals and instant noodles, is usually the first to help in underserved areas. When it comes to logistics, Airspeed and 2GO are also present. SM Malls through SM Cares, also a division of SM Foundation, helps in providing essential supplies. Mall employees also help in disseminating assistance to the affected communities.

SM establishments also often serve as temporary homes to victims providing them with spaces to rest in addition to available charging stations since electricity is also often disrupted during these disasters.

With focus on development approaches in operational areas, SM Foundation also collaborates with employees allowing them to take part in relief operations.

From education to a holistic community service

SM founder Henry Sy, Sr,’s advocacy was primarily education. He believed that it is key to ending the cycle of poverty in the Philippines.

Committed to its advocacy in promoting quality education, the SM Foundation inaugurated a school building at the San Fernando South Central Integrated School in San Fernando, La Union in 2024.