The Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc or VF is working aggressively with other partners in innovating sustainable solutions to end human trafficking and the modern day slavery. VF is offers specialized services to the victims and their families, advocates for lasting changes, and builds social movements to fight human trafficking, exploitation, and domestic servitude.
History
Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc or VF is a Non Government Organization or NGO in the Philippines. It was established in 1991 regarded extensively in the innovation of sustainable solutions to end the modern day slavery totally. The founder and executive director of VF is Maria Cecilia Flores-Oebanda. Maria Cecilla is globally recognized as a human rights advocate, and a multi-awarded fighter for freedom. She serves as an expert on human trafficking, domestic work, and child labor internationally. She was appointed as a member of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking as an NGO Representative for Women’s Sector by the President of the Philippines. Maria Cecilia received the 2005 Anti-Slavery Award from the Anti-Slavery International, and world’s oldest organization for human rights. In 2007, she was recognized as one of the Modern Day Abolitionists in the celebration of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act by the United Kingdom Government. In 2008, she was conferred by the Skoll Foundation with the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, Oxford University in the United Kingdom. The United States Department of State named her as one of its Heroes Acting to End Modern Day Slavery in 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report. She was presented as the first Iqbal Masih Award by the United States Department of Labor for the Elimination of Child Labor. In 2011, Maria Cecilia was one of the honorary awardees of the World’s Children Prize for the Rights of the Child, patrons include H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden and Nelson Mandela of South Africa. In addition, she was recently presented by the Caritas Switzerland, the Prix Caritas Award 2011 for her innovative and pioneering work in the combat against child prostitution, child labor, and child trafficking.
Summary of activities
VF is the frontline in the fight against human trafficking; built Anti-trafficking Task Forces that is composed of social workers, law enforcers, port and airport authorities, and transport groups to guard the key transit areas. The key transit areas are ports, bus terminals, and airports against traffickers and cohorts.
The Halfway Houses serves 24 hours as haven to provide security, safety, and services to migrants.
In partnership with prosecutors, lawyers group and other pillars of Justice System that assist secure justice for abused domestic workers and trafficking victims.
VF transforms the victims to survivors; the Center of Hope provides comprehensive services in psychosocial to victims of forced labor, trafficking, and involuntary domestic servitudes.
Build and rally social movements to address the root causes of the modern day slavery. It facilitates the formation of the broad-based alliances to counterfeit concrete solutions to reduce the susceptibilities of the migrants.
Engaged with government to improve the public policy and encourage the accountability of culture. It utilizes the experiences and broad-based to perform with legislators and political leaders in the reform of the existing laws for implementation.
Help the private sectors to ensure practices that do not lead to trafficking and slavery. It helps to develop codes of conduct and verification activity in private sectors to create sure employment, and contracts practices that do not contribute any enslavement of Filipinos. It serves as a resource center; documents its own good practices and experiences with its partners to serve as vital tools in innovation.
Funding sources
VF catalyzes multi-stakeholder partnerships in the creation of movements to promote practical, concrete, and sustainable solutions. It conducts in-depth and independent research on Human Trafficking situation in the Philippines. It follows the human trafficking schemes in and outside the country through thorough interviews of different case studies and community immersions. VF has programs on community-based prevention mechanisms and rescue operations; the program served as a model to other government agencies in the implementation of the programs. Promotes international solidarity; it establishes many linkages with its stakeholders from other countries to share resources and information, coordinate the provision of right-based services, and wage point campaigns to victims across any borders.
The active work of VF with child domestic workers is cited by the International
Labor organization-International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor or ILO-IPEC. In addition, it is an international best practice as recognized by the United Nations Girls Education Initiative or UNGEI. VF’s anti-trafficking partnership with the Philippine government and other private shipping companies is hailed as one of the international best practices by the United States of America in the 2005 Trafficking in Persons or TIP Report.
Personnel
How many employees does the company have?
- It is operating 11 offices that cover 20 cities and provinces throughout the Philippines.What obstacles does the company face in its sector, and does the company have any innovative approaches to overcoming those obstacles?
According to Maria Cecilia, the main culprit is the slow legal process that many victims do not feel safety to seek justice against the perpetrators. There are many of the victims fear from any threatened retaliations. The traffickers have the capability to intimidate the victims in and out of the courts. There are difficulties to attract the participations of the victims to testify against traffickers. They fear that the traffickers can trace their whereabouts and even force their family to retrieve their children from the custody of the social workers assigned. In addition, they fear that their economically superiors can back in the provinces where their families are staying. The Philippine government created policies and services responsive to the issues of trafficking in the country. The Department of Labor in the Philippines strictly monitors the compliance of the recruitment agencies and crack down all illegal recruiters. The intensified preventive programs are a great help through public awareness raising, education, and creation of community anti-trafficking watch groups. It provides great opportunity to the youth and their respective families through the economic sustainability program such as training for the survivors.
Describe a time in which the company faced a major crisis that threatened its business. How did the company address and overcome this situation?
Victims are pushed by unemployment, lack of educational alternatives, poverty, social expectations, peer influence, inability of young people to continue their study, and armed conflicts. In the Philippines, the incident of women and children trafficking has two faces; these are serving overseas job markets and local markets. The victims earn as much as 10 to 20 dollars per head and out the recruits in indebtedness to recruiters. Trafficking against the individuals is a crime, an evil act, and threats the society. This crime never cares about borders, age, or sex. VF generally believes that the key to combat or fight trafficking is prevention. A joint force with local government units help support all the victims.
History
In 1975, Mr. Tony Tan with his family opened a Magnolia Ice cream parlor in Cubao, Quezon City, Manila, Philippines. The ice cream parlor became the first Jollibee outlet. In 1978, the owner established a bakery, and the first year sale was about 2 million pesos. Jollibee incorporated a 100 percent Filipino-owned Company with its seven fast food restaurant in Metro Manila and its flagship product was the Yum burger. Spaghetti special was introduced in 1979, and the first franchise owned store was opened in Ronquillo, Sta. Cruz, Manila.
In 1980, the company launched its first television commercial, and Chickenjoy (best selling menu) and French Fries were launched, as well. To support brand awareness and identity efforts, the well-loved Jollibee mascot was conceived and other mascots were introduced. The company entered in the list of Top 1000 Corporations in 1981 and ended the year with 10 established stores. Jollibee pioneered the use of in-store promotions, novelty premium items, Kiddie birthday packages, and Palabok Fiesta was introduced in 1982. The Langhap-Sarap (smells delicious) television Ad 1983 Campaign was launched, and Chickee and Lady Moo joined the Jollibee mascot. In 1984, Champ hamburger was launched and mascots Champ and Hetty joined the Jollibee family. The company entered the list of Top 500 Corporations and assumed as the market leadership in local fast food industry. Jollibee received a Gold record award for the outstanding sales of Jollibee songs by WEA.
In 1985, Jollibee became the market leader of the fast food industry and Breakfast Joys were introduced. During the 9th Philippine Advertising Congress, Jollibee Langhap-Sarap was awarded as the most effective Ad Campaign in the food category. A year after, Jollibee won the 9th International Foods Award from El Comestible in Barcelona, Spain. In addition, Mr. Tony Tan won the Agora Award given by the Philippine Marketing Association for entrepreneurship. In the Top 250 Corporation list, Jollibee Foods Corporation was included. In the same year, the company opened the first international store in Taiwan and added Chunky Chicken Sandwich in the menu. In 1987, Jollibee opened the second store in Taiwan and in Brunei that marked its entry in the global market, and the sale of 570 million pesos that pushed the company in the elite Top 100 Corporations. Jollibee system wide sales hit 921 million pesos leading to market share of 31 percent in the fast food industry and dominant 57 percent in the hamburger segment in 1988. The same year, the company celebrated its 10th anniversary and Jolly Twirls soft-serve was launched successfully. Mr. Tony Tan was known as one of the Ten Outstanding Businessman in Manila and the company won the Anvil Award for outstanding PR campaign to the achievement of marketing with Filipino Talents Campaign. After a year, the second store was opened in Brunei and Balut and Ligaw television commercial won during the 11th Philippine Ad Congress the Kidlat Award in Service and Leisure Products category. Jollibee sales hit 1.3 billion pesos that marked as the first fast food chain to surpass billion pesos sales.
In 1990, Jollibee added coleslaw, Jolly Hotdog, Chickenjoy, Peach Mango, and Take-Me-Out to its menu. Mr. Tony Tan won the Triple Award by AIM as Outstanding AIM Alumnus, and received the Excellence in Marketing Management Award from the Asian Institute of Management with its post sales of 1.8 billion pesos. In 1991, Jollibee opened a100th store in Davao City, first store out Luzon in Cagayan de Oro City and launched its Pancake and Jolly meals and hits a whopping 2.65 billion pesos sales. The Lola (grandmother) television commercial won the Grand Araw Awards and the Excellence for the promotion of Filipino Values during the Philippine Ad Congress and received the Outstanding Corporate Safety Consciousness Programs by Safety Organization of the Philippines or SOP. Jollibee hits 3.365 billion pesos in 1992, started using frozen patties, improved ice cream line with flavors, and acquired 75 percent in the hamburger segment. Another two stores were opened in Jakarta, Indonesia with its advantage over the competitors by acquiring 50 percent shares in the fast food industry.
Jollibee was listed in the Philippine Stocks Exchange in 1993, launched the At Home Ako sa Jollibee Ad Campaign, expanded into the pizza-pasta segment with the acquisition of Greenwich Pizza Corporation, and moved Jollibee Centre building in Ortigas Center, Pasig, the new Main office site. In 1995, Jollibee acquired a franchise of Delifrance, opened stores in Dubai, Guam, UAE, Jeddah, Kuwait, and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Jollibee was cited by the Far Eastern Economic Review as a one of the leading companies in Asia in 1996, sale increased to 8.29 billion that translated to a market share of more than 50 percent among all hamburger fast food chains and opened the first store in Hong Kong. Jollibee celebrated its 20th anniversary in 1998 and received the ISO 9002 Certification, won the Employer of the Year Award.
In 2000, Jollibee acquired Chowking Foods Corporation. Mr. Tony Tan made the MAP or Management Man of the Year in 2002 and named as the Ernst and Young’s 2004 World Entrepreneur of the Year. The company received the Corporation Citizen Award of the year from CNBC Asian Business Leaders Awards and opened its 600th store in Las Vegas in 2007. In 2008, Jollibee bested the Asia Pacific’s biggest multinationals, National winner of Meat Processing Plant AAA category, and received CMMA and three Araw Values Awards. In addition, donated charity (Hug and Share Doll / MaAga anf Pasko) and continues to offer its services in the Philippines and other part of the world up to present.
Summary of activities
Jollibee Delivery, 30 minutes guarantee. Customer will only dial 8-7000 and enjoy the extensive menu of tasty Filipino food, complete, fresh, and affordable anytime and anywhere.
Jollibee Kids Party, the best way to make a child’s birthday extra special; it is fun, enjoyable, and memorable experience for everyone.
Jollibee Drive Thru, Jollibee with the most number of drive thru in the country and await hungry motorists wherever they may be or when hunger strikes on the road.
Jollibee 24-hour services. It allows the people enjoy Jollibee favorites even in the wee hours in the morning or anytime.
Family Values Award for outstanding Filipino families local and overseas. Filipino families and one OFW family will be chosen as Global Pinoy Family category.
MaAga ang Pasko (early Christmas gifts) lights up the people and the world by giving. A chance for every Pinoy family or people to share love and hope with all the less fortunate children through the magic of toys and books.
Jollibee Foundation is established to make giving back organized corporate commitments. Its goals are to invest and help people succeed. Taking the values, system, tools, and years of experiences that made Jollibee what it is today and shares it with the people, most attribute their success to the everyday Filipino.
Mission statement
The natural principle of duty that the company has is their FSC standard. The F or Food is served to the customer that meets the standards of the company, the (S) or Service is fast and courteous, and C or Cleanliness from the kitchen to all utensils are always maintained. Jollibee is confident to say that the company and its employees carry out their respective jobs well.
Competitiveness
How does the company compare to its main competitors? Consider both domestic and local markets.
Jollibee Foods Corporation is dedicated to its continuous success to the Filipinos who have been there from the very start. The company’s quality of foods and services are well loved every time a new store opens, local or overseas. Customers always form long lines to the store, especially Filipinos in other countries and it is more than home for them. it shows that Jollibee is a stronghold of heritage of Filipino pride.
What obstacles does the company face in its sector, and does the company have any innovative approaches to overcoming them?
One of the obstacles the company is facing is the food consistency. According to Mr. Tony Tan, “Food development is key, in terms of making sure that the hamburger here and there tastes the same regardless of whether ingredients might be different quality; beef might vary in taste or tomatoes in sweetness” . The strategy is to know the community in order to understand the traffic flow, understand the local customers and their tastes, and adjust the other recipes since it is a location-based business. As a Filipino market, the company made sure that they provide good service and excellent quality of food. In addition, the company makes a product survey, balances the organization, and does market research.
Leadership
Research and describe a time in which the company faced a major crisis that threatened its business. How did the company address and overcome this situation?
The biggest overseas market of Jollibee is China; however, it is not yet profitable. According to Maybank Kim Eng’s Sarreal, “Overall, if you include the head-office expense, they are still not making money in China”. The market is tough and the company put many possible resources. In addition, they have a tough competition from other brands like McDonald and KFC that are bigger in China. The Philippine business is doing very well, but the consolidated financial statement is not very evident. The owner of Jollibee, Mr. Tony Tan said, “It is a matter of getting to a certain number of stores and continuously growing our same-store sales to achieve absolute profitability in China” . The company has nearly about 400 stores, and their estimate that the company needs to have additional 100 stores to breakeven and Mr. Tony Tan is determined to reach the target in 2014. Mr. Tony Tan persuades people instead orders people; he motivates people by maintaining and delegating strong reward system. He learned to be kind to people, and he seldom reprimand or scold a person even privately. He added, “I try to put myself in his shoes–try to imagine how he feels and respond from that point of view. I try to see if he did something wrong, is it intentional? Usually it is not. You try to understand why so you can teach him” . The culture of the company is what keeps Gerry Refugio Jr., one of the store managers in Hong Kong for more than 20 years. Mr. Tony Tan has the charisma to move his people and his strategic capacity.
Reference
Flores-Oebanda, M. C. (2001). Expert Corner: CECILIA FLORES-OEBANDA, Founder and
Director, Visayan Forum Foundation (VFI). (HumanTrafficking.org, Interviewer)
Forbes Staff. (2013, February 11). Billionaire Tony Tan Caktiong Takes Jollibee Foods Global.
Forbes Asia , pp. 1-2. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesasia/2013/01/30/billionaire-tony-tan-caktiong-takes-jollibee-foods-global/2/.
Frantz, P. (2005, February 13). Company profile template. Connexions , Retrieved from
http://cnx.org/content/m12649/1.1/.
Jollibee. (1975). Jollibee Foods Corporation. Retrieved March 21, 2014, from Jollibee:
http://www.jollibee.com.ph/
Visayan Forum Foundation Inc. (1991). Visayan Forum. Retrieved March 21, 2014, from
Visayan Forum: http://www.visayanforum.org/portal/index.php
