Philippine building is 1st in Southeast Asia to receive the Health-Safety Rating from IWBI

Menarco Tower on 32nd Street in BGC is the first building in Southeast Asia to receive the Health-Safety Rating from the International Well Building Institute.

In being given the rating, Menarco Tower joins the likes of New York's Yankee Stadium and the Empire State Building, as well as the Cartier facilities in China.

In a statement, Carmen Jimenez-Ong, founder and CEO of Menarco Development Corporation said, "We know that with our WELL Health-Safety Rating, we are locally executing international best practices, and it makes me happy to share that during this crucial season, Menarco Tower helps keep people safe and well." 

According to the IWBI website, the Health-Safety Rating for Facility Operations and Management is a new program that aims "to guide and empower the actions of large and small businesses alike in taking the necessary steps to prioritise the health and safety of their staff visitors and stakeholders."

The Rating "is informed by guidance developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), global disease control and prevention centres and emergency management agencies." 

To achieve the rating, the IWBI said Menarco Tower implemented features in five categories including cleaning and sanitization procedures, emergency preparedness programs for both staff and visitors, health service resources such as having access to sick leave and mental health recovery, air and water quality management, and stakeholder engagement and communications resources to promote health and wellness.

“The latest achievement by Menarco gives the sense of reassurance to the project team, employees and stakeholders that the measures they took have been mapped to scientific evidence and verified through an internationally trusted third-party review process,” said IWBI President Rachel Gutter in a statement.

This is the third accolade that Menarco Tower has under its belt, following the gold certifications of LEED (which measures a building's impact on the environment) and WELL (which measures a building's impact on the health of its occupants).

Incidentally, Menarco is first WELL Certified project in the Philippines and the only building in Southeast Asia to have this double certification. — LA, GMA News