Korean Air’s second home building project in Southeast Asia

HONG KONG – Korean Air, Following Typhoon Haiyan which hit the Philippines seriously on November 8, 2013, Korean Air has once again partnered with Habitat for Humanity Philippines (HFHP) to respond to shelter needs in northern Cebu Province

To extend a helping hand in rebuilding the shelters in Daanbantyaan, a group of 12 Korean Air employees and outsourced staffs gathered at the Cebu office and volunteered with HFHP to distribute shelter repair kits on March 15 to the families whose houses were greatly damaged or destroyed.

“As a responsible and caring company, Korean Air has forged a second partnership with Habitat for Humanity Philippines, bringing our resources and volunteers together to help the community in this time of incredible need. We truly hope that by distributing the shelter repair kits, more of the affected families will be able to rebuild their own homes instead of living in tents or makeshift shelters, bringing back hope and quick recovery for the people suffering from this severe disaster. This is also part of our ongoing commitment to sustainable development and corporate social responsibility,” said Hyung soo Kim, Regional Manager in Cebu, the Philippines.

Korean Air donated a total of 14 shelter repair kits to the affected families. The kits contain plywood, lumber, corrugated roofing sheets, galvanized iron sheets, assorted nails, a hammer and a saw. The materials may be used to construct a small dwelling or to patch up the walls and roofs of the houses. In addition, aside from giving trainings to the beneficiaries on the proper use of the materials and safe building practices, HFHP is under the arrangement of bringing over carpenters to assist the residents in constructing their homes.

Korean Air has emphasized the importance of co-existence and growth together with its local communities. To achieve this, the airline has made its best efforts to fulfill its corporate social responsibility through an array of constant and sincere programs to contribute to the local communities throughout the Southeast Asia.

Last October, Korean Air joined with HFHP to support the habitat builds for the underprivileged in Payatas, Quezon City. This first home building project across Southeast Asia is now about 70% complete. The donated housing unit is expected to be completed by end of May this year.

In addition, Korean Air has been helping with the relief works in the communities suffering from the natural disasters. In November 2013, Korean Air provided relief goods to those affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Goods delivered to the country included 60,000 liters of mineral water, 60,000 noodle cups, 24,000 cups of dried rice and 2,000 blankets. In March 2011, the carrier made donations of relief goods to the victims of the earthquake in the northeast province of Japan. In the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake in 2008, Korean Air also dispatched a special cargo flight to transport blankets and mineral water to the quake zone.

As a leading global carrier, Korean Air will continue to participate actively in support to its corporate social responsibility programs at home and abroad in the near future, include protecting the environment, maintaining sustainable development, sharing with and supporting the local communities.