Amid the vibrant parols and festive carols that adorn the holidays, local enterprises in the Philippines pay homage to the reason for the season. From an artisan cafe to a startup fashion line, these micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) spread Christmas cheer through charitable activities.

Also read: Food That Fulfills: Four Food Establishments Working to Achieve Social Impact

Pugpog Biker’s Highlands: Crafting Community and Coffee with Compassion

Nestled in the hills of Bulacan, an al fresco café overlooks the Sierra Madre mountain range. To many, Pugpog Biker’s Highlands is more than just a coffee shop. Founded in February 2021, the café was born out of the desire to provide the community with a therapeutic outlet amid the pandemic.

“Our mission is rooted in our family’s experience of gathering, celebrating, and enjoying cups of coffee and meals together,” Kristel Ann Trinidad tells NewsNarratives in an email interview. “Our porch by the river has been a great venue for our coming together as a family, inviting friends, and building a community.”

Project CAFE: Brewing Inclusivity in the Community

Upon its inception, the café immediately became one of the inaugural supporters of the Angat Special Education (SPED) Center’s project—Competency Alignment for Employment to Community Inclusion, also known as Project CAFE. Initiated by Elmark “Elmo” Joaquin, the head of Angat SPED Center, Project CAFE aimed to equip learners with disabilities (LWDs) with skills for food and beverage services. 

LWDs encompass various learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). 

“Sir Elmo felt the need to do more than teach them how to make pastries or craft bracelets, which gave him the idea to encourage workers to consider accepting LWDs as service crew members,” Trinidad says.  

Project CAFE sought to dismantle barriers and foster an inclusive environment for those with diverse learning needs. After Pugpog Biker’s Highlands partnered with Project CAFE, more learning centers were encouraged to consider the project. 

The project’s benchmarking activities have welcomed visitors and heads of different SPED schools from different districts and divisions in Region III. These activities are aimed at sharing how administrators can duplicate, adapt, and learn how they can teach and guide these “rainbow children.” The project is currently in its third year of immersion.

Meanwhile, Joaquin, thanking the café, says, “We thank Pugpog Biker’s Highlands for welcoming us first without any hesitation. We felt empowered and accepted.”

According to Joaquin, the project paved the way for the residents to embrace inclusivity. Parents took pride in their children with special needs having avenues to serve the community. He also shares that positive feedback from customers has been heartening, on top of Pugpog Biker’s Highlands welcoming the children as part of their family.

A Prayerful Legacy: Pugpog Biker’s Highlands’ Bottles of Hope

Pugpog Biker’s Highlands has intertwined social responsibility into its business model since its inception. Its prayer wall is another feature that sets it above the crowd of aesthetic hangouts for coffee enthusiasts. Trinidad explains, “Since we built the café in the midst of a pandemic where many of us struggled, we made a prayer wall where you can write your prayer and hang it on our prayer wall.”

“[It] is our way of giving back and reminding the community the value of hope, love, and thanksgiving. When they dine with us, they’re not only helping us (business owners) or our staff, but they also empower, help, and support our outreach programs,” Trinidad says. “It helps us to connect with the community as well, teaching our staff the value of building each other’s strength and developing their sense of responsibility.”

RAK Ph Mountaineers: Peaks of Purpose and Random Acts of Kindness

The RAK Ph Mountaineers, or Random Acts of Kindness, isn’t your typical outdoor group. Whereas mountaineers traditionally avoid engaging with communities’ social and cultural life to minimize disruption, the RAK Ph Mountaineers embraces a different approach. 

“The group was established in 2009, with mountaineers roaming around the area of Marikina, San Mateo, and Montalban, Rizal. [We had] backpacks stuffed with cooked food to be given to typhoon victims after the onslaught of typhoon Ondoy,” Rick Laping, the Team Leader of RAK Ph Mountaineers, tells NewsNarratives in an email interview.

Since then, it ignited the spark of kindness. That very December, they celebrated their first Pasko Fiesta, an annual Christmas event, in the open grounds of Montalban, Rizal. Moving forward, Pasko Fiesta has become a tradition, reaching remote communities in provinces like Rizal, Quezon, Bataan, Pampanga, and Tarlac.

The group has since conducted outreach initiatives, rainforestation projects, medical missions, environmental education programs, livelihood seminars, and the annual Pasko Fiesta.

Yet, as an outdoor organization, RAK Ph Mountaineers has witnessed the erosion of environmental values among enthusiasts, mainly driven by profit-centric commercial tours. Laping acknowledges this challenge and emphasizes the group’s commitment to principles rooted in sound mountaineering practices, Leave No Trace principles, and cultural sensitivity.

“So, what’s RAK’s aim? To impart environmentally sound practices in all our outdoor and outreach activities, and to help any community and individuals needing support of any sort, ayon sa aming makakaya,” explains Laping.

Pasko Fiesta: More Than a Celebration

The Pasko Fiesta, conceived in 2009 as a psychosocial activity, has evolved into an annual Christmas celebration that transcends the mere act of gift-giving. It now encompasses outreach, rainforestation efforts, medical missions, environmental education, and livelihood seminars.

“The [recipients] are [all] thankful that RAK and its partners braved walking for hours — crossing rivers and mountains — to bring gifts and joys to the community, especially to children,” shares Laping. “You will hear how happy the kids are while eating Jollibee, McDonald’s, or [home-cooked meals] for the first time. You will hear fathers gleefully receiving free seeds of fruits and veggies to be planted in the rainy seasons.”

Pacific Coast Trail: A Trail of Support and Sustainability

In April 2023, RAK unveiled its very own Pacific Coast Trail – PCT. The trek commenced from Barangay Umiray in Dingalan, Aurora, and concluded in Purok Ago. Spanning three days, the trek allowed the community of Purok Ago to host the group, providing a space for rest, recuperation, and the enjoyment of its beaches.

However, RAK discovered an essential need in the community. “The place had no comfort rooms and a potable water source,” reveals Laping. 

In response, RAK committed to assisting the community. They have already built two bathrooms and hope to construct a WASH (Water And Sanitation and Hygiene) facility from the funds generated from Pasko Fiesta 2023.

Also read: The Faithful and the Playful, and Other Taal Tales That Bind

Infixus Clothing Co.: Stitching Narratives of Fashion and Philanthropy

In 2017, Infixus Clothing Co. emerged as a venture by Jyllan Siapengco, a college student aspiring to juggle academics and entrepreneurship. Derived from the Latin word “fix,” the brand reflects the ambition to bring order and quality. 

“2017 was the year of streetwear style obsession in Angeles City, Pampanga. [We] started as an online business — 30 pieces of shirts — sharing the brand here and there,” Siapengco shares with NewsNarratives in an email interview.  “[We] came up with the consistency, serving high-quality goods with limited stocks. That is why people kept asking for new releases.” 

However, the brand experienced a setback in 2021. Its official page was disabled, resulting in the loss of valuable content, likes, and followers. “All of what we built since then has vanished,” Siapengco reveals.

Nevertheless, Infixus was undeterred, later marking 2022 as a year of resilience. Siapengco echoes the mantra, “We will never know the reward that awaits us if we give up before the race ends.” This philosophy inspired the adoption of the “;” logo, representing both “I” for Infixus and the determination to keep going. And keep going they did.

Philanthropy and Collaboration

Now, Infixus has been seeing a steady enough market, allowing it to partner with Project Bente. On December 2, the non-profit organization behind Alay Paskuhan 2023 held a Christmas event for children from San Nicolas Elementary School in San Simon, Pampanga. 

“We all know that Christmas is all about kindness and generosity. When we give to others, we are sharing the love of God. He always blesses us and gives us what we need; with that, we can turn these opportunities to give back to others, and that positively impacts the people around us,” Siapengco explains her motivation for joining the charity program.

For the event, the Infixus prepared shirts and dri-fits for over a hundred children, unexpectedly fulfilling a need for uniforms for an upcoming competition.  

“We did not expect a teacher to come to us and say that we were a blessing to them. The students will be having a District Meet Palaro Competition for their school, and they didn’t have any jerseys or uniforms. The teacher said God answered their prayers through Project Bente’s activity. God really made a way,” says Siapengco.

The event benefited 109 kids with food packs, toys, clothes, and various gifts. 

Siapengco emphasizes the joy of being a helping hand and witnessing priceless smiles. Grateful for life’s blessings, she underscores the brand’s commitment to giving back, considering themselves blessed and grateful, not merely lucky.

Looking ahead, Siapengco shares that the brand will continue to bless others during the holiday season, embodying its mission as more than a clothing brand—a force for positive change in the community.

Disclaimer: This piece is not a paid post.

What is your business doing to celebrate the Christmas season? Tell us in the comments section!