Rapu-Rapu Minerals receives citation for responsible entrepreneurship

By Marlon A. Loterte

Tuesday 3rd of July 2012

LEGAZPI CITY, July 3 (PIA) -- Rapu-Rapu Minerals, Inc. (RRMI) received the top honors in the Social Empowerment category of the Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards (AREA) 2012 for South East Asia, Friday, June 29.

RRMI president Rogelio E. Corpus and vice-president Cecille Calleja represented the RRMI during the awarding ceremony at Orchid Ballroom of the Marina Bay Sands Resorts in Singapore, which is this year’s awards host country.

The mine company in Rapu-Rapu, Albay - which defines its business by responsible mining - won the award for its corporate responsibility (CSR) initiatives and programs by way of the community development assistance program that promotes the mine project’s social empowerment mission.

CSR program of the RRMI has been in placed since 2008, when the Rapu-Rapu polymetallic project resumed operations, and was managed under the Public Relations and Corporate Affairs (PRCA) department under the auspices of Calleja.

Last year, the program introduced significant innovative and transformational approaches with services focused on nine program lines to address pressing community needs of Rapu-Rapu in areas of education, nutrition, mangrove reforestation, waste management, livelihood and entrepreneurship, youth and sports, emergency relief operations, arts and culture, respect for traditions and religious practices, and others.

AREA program recognizes and honors Asian businesses for championing sustainable and responsible entrepreneurship in the following categories: Green Leadership, Investment in People, Corporate Governance, Health Promotion, Social Empowerment, SME CSR and Responsible Business Leadership.

The awards program is held in four subregions of Asia, namely South East Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and West Asia.

AREA was established four years ago to recognize Asian companies that demonstrate responsible leadership. Yearly, it searches for businesses with outstanding projects in five categories: Green Leadership, Investment in People, Health Promotion, Social Empowerment, and SME CSR. A sixth category, Responsible Business Leader, is an honor bestowed upon an iconic individual.

AREA is one of the core programs of Enterprise Asia, a regional non-government organization that spans 32 countries, 24 major industries, and 8,000 members.

The awards are also focused on connecting leading Asian businesses to strengthen regional ties and showcase success stories to simulate responsible entrepreneurship. (MAL/MLT-PIA 5, Albay/RRMI)