Aug. 25, 2014 — RECOGNIZING its efforts in promoting the welfare of children, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) named SM Supermalls and SM Prime Holdings as corporate champions for children.

In a simple ceremony, UNICEF representatives presented plaques of recognition to SM Prime Holdings Inc. president Hans T. Sy, SM Supermalls president Annie  Garcia, and SM Cares Program for the Youth and Children’s Welfare program director Royston Cabunag for their leadership in SM’s work with the UN organization.

“We are here to recognize SM Supermalls’ continued commitment in supporting our aim to uphold child rights,” said UNICEF regional chief Yasumasa Kimura.

But even without the pledges for donations, Kimura said the free spaces for booths provided for free by SM to UNICEF served as platform to explain issues concerning children in the Philippines and around the world.

THE UNICEF booths had already generated 14,500 donors to support the organization’s programs for children.

SM supermalls also played a significant role in providing breastfeeding amenities to nursing mothers in all its malls and gave children access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities by donating a portion of the proceeds from the sales of SM Supermalls’ bottled water.

It has donated some P27 million in support of UNICEF programs for water and sanitation, said  Michelle Parazo-Borromeo, head of UNICEF private sector partnership in the Philippines.

SM has been a consistent and reliable partner in UNICEF’s work to “raise funds and deliver critical, innovative, and effective programs for children in the Philippines and worldwide”.

Kimura highlighted SM’s role in promoting advocacies that align with UNICEF’s goals, such as breastfeeding, child protection and Internet safety, access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, and good hygiene.

Parazo-Borromeo, described the six-year partnership with SM “a good fit”.

She recalled how SM responded their call in 2008 when UNICEF was looking for a private sector partner to help push for the achievement of one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of the UN—reducing infant mortality.

She said part of the MDG was the provision of safe water, sanitation, and hygiene in order for children to survive and then thrive.

Since then, SM Supermalls has played an active role in this campaign.