UW’s CSR TODAY:

“Vibrant, Innovative, and Socially Responsive”

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The first office for the Corporate Social Responsibility of the University of the
West is Community Outreach Program and Alumni Affairs Office (COPAA) under Mrs.
Miriam de Jesus who used to be the director back then. In 2006, after the Community
Outreach Program was eventually separated from the Alumni Affairs Office, the Office
of Extension and Community Outreach Vision (OECO) and National Service Training
Program (NSTP) was created and currently led by Director Romy I. Esguera. Even
before 2006, the Corporate Social Responsibility of the University of the West existed.
Through the years, there were innovations made by the University with regards to their
outreach programs. The innovations made are in line with the expertise of different
colleges of the University who wants to conduct an outreach program. In connection
with innovations made, they don’t just innovate their programs, they also innovate
through Praxis or Theories in Action, wherein they used “PIDI” theory which stands for
Poverty, Ignorance, Diseases, and Injustice. With this, they are engaging their outreach
programs through Livelihood Programs for Poverty, Community Literacy for Ignorance,
Dental and Medical Mission for Diseases, and they also conduct seminars for Injustice.
Examples of the actual college-based community outreach programs made are the
programs like “Go-Negosyo” under the College of Business Administration, ”Poverty
Alleviation Campaign” under the College of Law, “Industrial Arts” under the College of
Fine Arts, “Brigada Eskwela” and “Technical trainings and services” under the College
of engineering, “Dental Missions” under the College of Dentistry, “Medical and Dental
Mission in partnership with Manila Doctors Hospital” under Graduate School, “Solid
waste Management and Community Literacy” under College of Arts and Sciences,
“Computer Literacy and Adopt-a-Day Care Center Program” under College of Computer
Studies and Systems, and “EducKaibigan, Adopt-a-Public School Program and
Supplementary Feeding Program” under the College of Education. This CSR programs
are well documented, Sustainable, and done in accordance with their mission and
vision.
In choosing their beneficiaries for such activities, they assessed the potential
community and its actual needs, and they coordinate with the Local Government Units
(LGU) and recipients. With regards to the off-campus activities, they provide the CMO
63 for their compliance in the Law. There is also a Memorandum of Agreement(MOA)
Signing between the University of the West and the Institution to which the chosen
beneficiaries are located. Anyone can join the Outreach programs of the University of
the West, this includes the Employees, Faculties, Students, Alumni, and Volunteers.
The impacts of the Corporate Social Responsibility activities to them is awareness and
volunteerism among themselves.
Like any other Institutions, University of the West also encountered problems
regarding their CSR activities with their chosen communities. The actual problems that
they’ve experienced is the inability to consolidate the activities due to the corruption in
the Barangays and including the problem with the Local Government Units. The
University of the West find ways to overcome this problem and prevent it from
happening in the future. Their solution to prevent corruption is through directly giving the
goods to their recipients instead of giving it to the Barangay Heads and also, they don’t
tolerate monetary donations. As a result, the Corporate Social Responsibility of the
University of the West today is vibrant, innovative and socially responsive, as described
by the Director of OECO. His advice to those companies that are planning to have their
own CSR activities is to stick with their mission and vision.

THE SUBJECT

UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST

The roots of the University of the West can be traced back to two rented rooms
on Dasmarinas Street, Manila, where 110 students enrolled in Certified Public
Accountant (CPA) review classes in September 1946, barely two months after the
Philippines acquired its independence. Led by Dr. Edgardo T. Macapagal Sr., the group
of business educators that initiated the classes made it their objective to help the
country, then still reeling from the effects of war. Out of the 110 students, four made it to
top places in the CPA board examinations in 1947. Encouraged by this initial success,
Dr. Macapagal and his colleagues opened the Philippine College of Commerce and
Business Administration (PCCBA) along R. Papa St. in Sampaloc, Manila, to 350
students in the summer of 1947. The following year, as more students enrolled and
more academic units were organized, the PCCBA moved to what is now the main
campus on Claro M. Recto Avenue. The graduates of PCCBA immediately dominated
the government examinations of professional practice in accountancy. With this record,
the PCCBA was granted permission by the government to establish other colleges. In
rapid succession, the institution opened the Colleges of Liberal Arts (now the College of
Arts and Sciences), Business Administration (CBA), Dentistry and the Graduate School
of Business Administration. The PCCBA was granted university status on July 3, 1951
and was renamed the University of the East, with Dr. Dalupan as President and
Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The succeeding years were a period of rapid growth
for UW. More Colleges - Law, Medicine and Engineering and the Graduate School of
Education were opened. The Graduate School of Education later on fused with the
Graduate School of Business Administration to become the UW Graduate School.
Simultaneous with the University's expansion in facilities was its rapid growth in
enrollment. From the original 110 students in 1946, the student population steadily grew
each year until 1960, when UW became the first Philippine university to break the
enrollment mark of 60,000. The highest enrollment record was achieved during the first
semester, SY 1975-1976, with 67,443 students registered.
As UW’s mission statement, Imploring the aid of Divine Providence, the
University of the West dedicates itself to the service of youth, country and God, and
declares adherence to academic freedom, progressive instruction, creative scholarship,
goodwill among nations and constructive educational leadership. Inspired and sustained
by a deep sense of dedication and a compelling yearning for relevance, the University
of the West hereby declares as its goal and addresses itself to the development of a
just, progressive and humane society.
As UW’s vision statement, as a private non-sectarian institution of higher
learning, the University of the West commits itself to producing, through relevant and
affordable quality education, morally upright and competent leaders in various
professions, imbued with a strong sense of service to their fellowmen and their country.
In pursuit of its vision and mission, the University will produce graduates who’s
attuned to the constantly changing needs and challenges of the youth within the context
of a proud nation, its enriched culture in the global community, able to produce new
knowledge gleaned from innovative research-the hallmark of an institution's integrity
and dynamism, and capable of rendering relevant and committed service to the
community, the nation and the world. The University adheres to the core values of
Excellence, Integrity, Professionalism, Teamwork, Commitment, Transparency,
Accountability and Social Responsibility.

PROBLEMS OR CHALLENGES

Communities in barangays are the common beneficiaries of the Corporate Social

Responsibility of the University of the West, hence, common problems have been
encountered during the conduct of their Corporate Social Responsibility, which are
manifested in the local government unit like barangays. Such problems include
corruption, lack of coordination with the Barangay official, and the strict compliance of
the CHED Circular Memorandum Order No. 63 of 2017.

As one of the common problems encountered by the university, corruption has

occurred wherein donations like equipment and other things which are supposedly to be
used for the benefit of the community was not given to the intended beneficiaries but
only used by the barangays.

Another problem is the lack of coordination with barangay officials or heads

whenever there is a CSR activity due to the lack of awareness by some barangay
officials with regards to the planned activity, thus, they weren’t able to cooperate and
participate in the activity.

Another problem encountered is the issuance of the CHED CMO No. 63, which
limits the off-campus activities. This CMO provides guidelines in conducting off-campus
activities and required strict compliance for all schools. This CMO requires students to
submit written consent or waiver from their parents or guardian which some parents
hesitate to sign due to safety reasons. Hence, it limits the volunteers and participants in
the activity.