Title | UTILITY COMPANY GIVES CUSTOMERS THE POWER TO SURVIVE |
Brand | MERALCO (MANILA ELECTRIC COMPANY) |
Product / Service | SALBA-BOTE FLOTATION DEVICE |
Category | A02. Corporate Responsibility |
Entrant | DDB PHILIPPINES Taguig City, THE PHILIPPINES |
Entrant Company | DDB PHILIPPINES Taguig City, THE PHILIPPINES |
Advertising Agency | DDB PHILIPPINES Taguig City, THE PHILIPPINES |
Name | Company | Position |
---|---|---|
Timmy M. Jayme | DDB Philippines | Chief Operations Officer |
Katherine V. Arellano | DDB Philippines | Chief Business Integrator & Strategist |
Bobby T. Vito | DDB Philippines | Creative Director |
Jasmin S. Saldariega | DDB Philippines | Associate Creative Director |
Bernice C. Reyes | DDB Philippines | Copywriter |
Marnie C. Emralino | DDB Philippines | Account Supervisor |
Ivana T. Bito | DDB Philippines | Account Manager |
Katrina C. Butiong | DDB Philippines | Account Coordinator |
Carmina Gahol | Agency Producer | |
Raul R. Redoblado | DDB-PR | Managing Partner |
Cherie Mijares | DDB-PR | Managing Partner |
Tahl Gopez | DDB-PR | Group Account Director |
Millet Liberato | DDB-PR | Media Relations Director |
Andre E. Figuracion | DDB-PR | Senior Account Manager |
Maricar Angeles | DDB-PR | Content Development Director |
Ringo Macabenta | DDB-PR | Senior Writer |
Alan Vinluan | DDB-PR | Art Director |
Annalyn Munar | DDB-PR | Administrator |
Agapito R. Zaldarriaga | MERALCO (Manila Electric Company) | Head, Meralco Public Information Office |
Jeffrey O. Tarayao | One Meralco Foundation | President |
Meralco is the Philippines’ largest power distributor. Its service area includes many flood-prone cities. How can Meralco help its customers weather the typhoon season? Introducing the Salbabote. It’s not just another improvised flotation device (IFD). It’s a rescue/survival kit that anchors the wearer, keeps family members linked together, and can even form rafts for rescue purposes. The Salbabote is the only IFD publicly and officially endorsed by the Philippine Red Cross and the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary. At least 15,000 units have already been distributed, generating positive earned media and putting one power company in a good light.
Meralco wants to be known as more than just a company that distributes power. To do this, Meralco aims to do its part to help empower the country especially in times of calamity. This is particularly relevant because Meralco’s service area covers many places that are affected by storms like Ketsana or Haiyan. When super typhoons hit, many of the residents in these places are put in danger of drowning or being swept away from their families by raging flood currents.
The Salbabote is the only IFD officially endorsed by the Philippine Red Cross and the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary, after rigid testing. 15,000 units have already been produced. Its launch generated positive free media (approximating Php17.9M++ or US$384,067) in ten days. Through this, Meralco has forged partnerships with Pepsi, Glad, Philippine Red Cross, PCGA, and the Marikina city government; and more are expected to join. With the help of these partners, the Salbabote will soon reach more families in low-lying and coastal areas. "Give this to the rescuers… to train those people beside the perilous rivers, then we could save a lot more lives." - Richard J. Gordon, Chairman and CEO, Philippine Red Cross "Our test on the Salbabote showed that it is innovative and effective, and will definitely enhance our organizations rescue capabilities." - Vice Admiral Valentin B. Prieto, Jr. - National Director, PCGA
Introducing the Salbabote. It’s not just another improvised flotation device. Meralco and its partner agency redesigned older PET bottle flotation devices with the guidance of the Philippine Red Cross and the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary to become a multi-functional rescue device and survival kit: it anchors the wearer, keeps family members linked together, and can even form rafts for rescue purposes. Each Salbabote comes with a waterproof pouch for keeping cellphones and other valuables dry, a reflector to make it easy for rescuers to spot the wearer even at night, and a whistle to help the wearer call for attention or help. The Salbabote is a low-cost device which makes it easy to produce and distribute to Local Government Units, rescue organizations, and ordinary citizens.
The Manila Electric Company (MERALCO), the largest electric distribution utility in the Philippines whose service area includes many flood-prone cities, has always been a source of updates and safety tips during the typhoon season. However, Meralco is often perceived as the company to blame for electricity rate hikes and power outages.
One of the missions of Meralco is to empower Filipino families to achieve a brighter future. How do you do that when disaster strikes? The most devastating effect of disasters, more than the loss of property, is the loss of life. The loss of loved ones. When storm surges hit, keeping afloat is not enough. Ordinary flotation devices cannot prevent family members from being separated from one another and swept away. Meralco sought to create an improved version of IFDs that can help save the lives of more Filipino families —and keep them together—even through rushing floods.