MANILA: Berjaya Corporation Berhad has inaugurated the Berjaya Garden Restaurant and Culinary Centre (BGRCC) in Angat, Bulacan, the Philippines.
The centre, located on the grounds of the GK Enchanted Farm, which is touted as the first farm village university in Asia, is a training facility that supports the farm's dynamic role as an incubator hub for the country's growing social entrepreneurship.
BGRCC serves as the primary food centre of the farm, catering to the 200,000 partners, entrepreneurs and students who visit the farm annually. It's also a school within a community where students and social entrepreneurs can develop their culinary skills and products.
The newly-built BGRCC occupies a total floor area of 755 sq m and has a main dining area, function room, kitchen, pathways and garden.
GK Enchanted Farm was built by Gawad Kalinga (GK), a Philippines-based movement that aims to end poverty, and founded by Tony Meloto.
Berjaya Group founder Tan Sri Dato' Seri Vincent Tan launched the centre at around 11am today, an event witnessed by Philippine Senator Bam Aquino; Meloto; the executive director of GK, Jose Luis Oquinena; and Country Head of Berjaya Philippines Inc., Paul Soo.
Berjaya's collaboration with GK started in 2012 when Tan, through Berjaya Philippines Inc, pledged to contribute PHP300 million over three years to GK for the construction of houses for Filipinos affected by Typhoon Sendong and other natural calamities, as well as for poverty-stricken families across the Philippines.
“GK is a fantastic organisation. Many countries should have an organisation like this. They're helping the poor, building homes for them and they don't even have to pay for it.
“We're very pleased to help as well. Like I always say, the rich need the poor to support their business. So the rich must give back as much as possible. It's time to play our role as a good corporate citizen so we are deserving of the support we get from the community,” said Tan during a press conference at the farm.
Berjaya has been in business in the Philippines for 24 years, holding a majority stake in several establishments, such as the Philippine Gaming Management Corporation, Papa John's Pizza, E-Load Central, Berjaya Makati Hotel, as well as the distributorship of Mazda and Ssangyong.
Berjaya will continue to invest in the Philippines both financially and in terms of human resource.