SAVING lives and protecting communities, even helping school children deal with limitations arising from the pandemic-induced quarantine, is of utmost importance that more and more initiatives from the corporate world are emerging.
Free water
Maynilad Water Services Inc. is providing free water to the 16 disinfecting stations set up by the Department of Public Works and Highways to sanitize vehicles traversing several national roads and highways, as well as some disinfecting stations in Cavite, Muntinlupa, Manila, Quezon City, and in some exits/entrances along the North Luzon Expressway, in support of the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act” (Republic Act 11469).
Maynilad is also providing free water supply for the quarantine facilities set up by government for COVID-19 patients at the World Trade Center Philippine International Convention Center and Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, and distributing drinking water to frontliners.
The company is also assisting its own frontline personnel, who continue to operate all water and wastewater facilities to ensure sustained service for its 9.7 million customers.
Free flour & more
San Miguel Corp. has donated over 8,400 sacks of flour for bakers in all 17 local government units in Metro Manila to ensure a steady supply of bread. Outside of the NCR, SMC has also donated to Batangas, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija as well as to four army camps and two non-government organizations.
Many LGUs have started partnering with local bakeshops to produce pandesal, nutribun and other breads to be sold at a discount to constituents, and for distribution to poor communities and to frontliners.
In support of government’s Libreng Sakay program, the group’s Petron Corp. and SMC infrastructure together have donated P3.9 million worth of fuel to be used by the Metro Manila Development Authority and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for shuttle services used by medical and other front liners to and from various hospitals and locations in Metro Manila during the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine. SMC Infrastructure has allotted a total of 54,000 liters of fuel, or 50 liters per day for each of the 60 buses deployed by the DOTr.
SMC earlier announced a P500 million fund to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE). It has already committed to purchase the first 10,000 sets of medical-grade PPEs to be produced by a local manufacturer under the Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines through the Department of Trade and Industry
P500M groceries
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said it has started the distribution of P500 million worth of groceries as part of a P1 billion assistance to the national government’s COVID-19 relief and response.
NGCP added that is procuring medical equipment to be distributed to identified hospitals as soon as they arrive.
“The donation is over and above earlier NGCP donations of personal protective equipment, meals and other equipment for medical frontliners, as well as the Meals on Wheels program where hot meals are distributed to indigent members of the community. NGCP plans to continue helping various host communities, even beyond its previous efforts and P1 billion pledge of assistance,” NGCP said.
Medical facilities
Bloomberry Resorts Corp. has completed Phase 1 of the COVID-19 emergency facility at the Rizal Memorial Sport Complex (RMSC). The project is funded by Bloomberry Cultural Foundation Inc., the social responsibility arm of Bloomberry.
Construction started on April 1, done by Prime BMD — under the Razon Group of Companies, includes 116 beds for patients, two nurses’ stations, drywall partition wall, installation of the temporary furniture, and conversion of the facility common areas in the existing Ninoy Aquino Stadium at the RMSC, Bloomberry said.
Phase 2 was set to start construction on April 8 on advice of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Department of Health will provide an additional 108 beds at the RMSC.
Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) at Pier 15 of Manila South Harbor is making available its passenger terminal building (PTB) and adjacent berthing facilities as added temporary quarantine areas.
The PTB with 2,000-seating capacity will be converted into a temporary holding facility while Pier 15’s two southside berths will accommodate the floating hospital vessels being deployed by the DOTr.
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), agencies attached under the DOTr along with Department of Public Works and Highways as members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, are leading the terminal’s conversion.
Pier 15’s southside berths are located near PCG’s national headquarters, guaranteeing strict isolation, tight area security and regular disinfection. This will ensure that the temporary quarantine facility will be totally secluded from the general stevedoring operations at Pier 15 which will continue operating as usual from the northside berths, handling international non-containerized cargoes.
2GO Shipping’s two private passenger vessels converted into a temporary quarantine ships for OFWs and other repatriates are now ready to accommodate returning seafarers and other overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr). The quarantine ships started operation yesterday April 12, and are now docked at Pier 15, South Harbor, Port Area in Manila.
Artemio Tuazon DOTr undersecretary for administrative affairs said the quarantine ships will be used by those who show no COVID-19 symptoms, and those who have to take the mandatory 14-day quarantine.
In cooperation with the Philippine Ports Authority, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and the Maritime Industry Authority, the DOTr is the setting up a quarantine facility at the Eva Macapagal Terminal in Manila’s Port Area, intended for people showing mild symptoms. This will be adjacent to the two docked quarantine ships.
EEI Corp. has completed construction of temporary medical facilities at the Philippine International Convention Center and Rizal Memorial Complex.
The company said these facilities are now ready to accommodate patients who are asymptomatic and with mild symptoms.
Paying it forward
Ayala Land employees launched the ALI Pays it Forward campaign to generate donations for the Philippine General Hospital, the Philippine Lung Center, Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, and Caritas Manila through Project Ugnayan. This will provide sustained support for patients.
The fund-raising project is supported by the company’s subsidiaries, such as Ayala Land Estates Inc., residential groups Ayala Land Premier, Alveo, Avida, Amaia, and BellaVita, as well as AyalaLand International Sales Inc., Amicassa and AyalaLand Sales Inc., Ayala Land Offices, Ayala Malls, AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts, AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp. and ALI Capital. Ayala Land’s service businesses Ayala Property Management Corp., Makati Development Corp., AirSwift and DirectPower likewise helped. Also providing support to this cause were Seda Hotels, Ten Knots Development Corporation, Cebu Holdings Inc. and Ortigas & Company. ALI’s support groups such as AyalaLand Corporate Support and Aprisa also participated in the project.
The campaign had an overall participation rate of 99 percent with around 5,000 employees contributing.
Makati Development Corp. has so far completed the retrofitting of an area inside the Philippine Red Cross headquarters for use as a COVID 19 testing facility. It is likewise leading the renovation of the World Trade Center in Pasay for a 500-bed quarantine facility.
The Ayala Group companies announced that it is rolling out a P2.4 billion COVID 19 emergency response package, part of which the waiving of rental payments amounting to P1.4 billion for all mall merchants in Luzon.
Emergency response
PLDT Inc. said it is making available to the public its emergency response app StaySafe.ph as part of support to the fight against COVID-19.
StaySafe.ph is a newly launched emergency response website developed by PLDT unit Multisys Technologies Corp., which allows users to protect their loved ones and community by voluntarily answering a series of questions about their health without disclosing personal identity.
Based on the users’ responses, the online platform classifies individuals as being in good health, or experiencing mild symptoms or severe conditions.
The data will be translated into a “heat map” showing health authorities the distribution of possible COVID cases across areas, allowing for a real-time information . Access to the said application will be free of charge for Smart subscribers.
Special tribute
To recognize the noble work of employees of CDO-Foodsphere Inc., musicians Divine Gil Reyes and Noel Mendez composed a special song for them which was aired on April 6.
The song titled “Salamat Sa’Yo” immediately drew people’s attention after it was posted on YouTube.
“Proudly sharing with all of you, as we try to inspire everyone to do what we can for our frontliners and employees in the fight versus Covid-19,” said CDO-Foodsphere president and chief executive officer Jerome Ong in a statement.
Aside from recognizing CDO employees’ zeal to serve the people, the song also highlights the company’s solidarity with frontliners to contain the pandemic.
CDO is supporting the government’s efforts to provide food to the Filipino people during the crisis.
Feeding 200
The Aboitiz Group has stepped up its relief efforts and committed a month of food provisions for around 200 patients and frontliners at the Rizal Memorial Quarantine Facility in Manila which opened on April 8.
Through its corporate social responsibility arm Aboitiz Foundation, the Aboitiz Group will provide the three daily meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) of about 84 medical and administrative personnel and 116 patients at the new quarantine facility.
“The Aboitiz Group continues to ensure that our initial support to our brave COVID-19 frontliners and patients will be sustained in the days to come. We hope that by addressing the immediate nutritional needs of the healthcare staff and patients at the Rizal Memorial Quarantine Facility, we are able to strengthen the ‘warriors’ fighting the battle to defeat COVID-19 in our country,” said Sabin M. Aboitiz, Aboitiz Group president and chief executive officer.
eLibrary
Globe Telecom launched its eLibrary to give K-to-12 students, educators, and parents nationwide free and quick access to hundreds of age-appropriate and engaging ebooks and videos provided by the Department of Education (DepEd) and other sources. These will be accessible through through mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. It is also available on DepEd Commons (commons.deped.gov.ph), DepEd’s pilot program on learning continuity which also contains online quizzes and exercises for K-12 learners and content for Alternative Learning System (ALS). This will allow for continuous learning during the enhanced community quarantine.
With Globe eLibrary, anyone may read all ebooks and watch all videos that they want. Downloaded ebooks may be opened using any ebook reader that supports ePUB and PDF formats while downloaded videos may be viewed through any .mp4 player.
The eLearning videos, some of which were developed by teachers themselves, introduce important concepts in English, Math, and Science, incorporating sights and sounds that are familiar to the students. It originated from Text2Teach, a 10-year program launched by the Ayala Foundation, Globe, DepEd, and various organizations in 2003.
Test kits
To boost the country’s fight against the coronavirus outbreak, SM Foundation donated test kits for around 10,000 samples to the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa City.
Aside from the testing kits, SM has previously donated N95 masks, surgical masks, disinfecting alcohol, goggles, medical gloves and personal protective equipment to RITM for the protection of their medical workers and front liners.
The said donations form part of SM’s P170-million allocation to support the country’s fight against the outbreak by providing medical supplies to hospitals nationwide and improving the availability of COVID-19 testing kits.
Digital platform
Union Bank of the Philippines is using its digital platforms to provide assistance to communities heavily affected by the pandemic.
Through its corporate social responsibility program and its employee volunteerism arm called Go Beyond Communities, UnionBank extended aid to at least 6,000 communities in Metro Manila through its partner foundations. The bank also earmarked P3.8 million to procure and donate personal protective equipment for medical frontliners, and allocated another P1 million to support the nationwide food relief program of Aboitiz Foundation Inc.
Soon after the community quarantine was implemented, UnionBank’s Go Beyond Partners like Caritas Manila and Tulong Kapwa Kapatid (2KK) Foundation mobilized resources to secure relief packs to identified communities that are expected to be hit hard by the pandemic.
Donations were immediately transferred online and a fund-raising campaign was set up by Caritas and 2KK using UnionBank’s digital platforms including the option for card customers to convert their points into cash donations.
“UnionBank was one of the first to respond to our call for assistance. The donation of the bank, transferred online, was able to send 4,000 packs of food and vitamins to Caritas family beneficiaries… in the districts of Tondo, Intramuros, Paco, and Sta. Ana in Manila City,” said May Tiangco, head of development planning and strategy of Caritas Manila.
The bank’s Go Beyond Communities also enabled 2KK Foundation to send food packs and vitamins to the 12 most impoverished barangays of the metro like Maisan, Sampaloc, Payatas and Smokey Mountain, as well as to frontliners.
UnionBank will join Aboitiz Foundation in launching a nationwide food distribution program by allocating P1 million from its annual contribution. The feeding program will target municipalities from across the country affected the most by the pandemic.
UnionBank will donate 7,000 N95 masks, 2,000 hazmat suits, 1,000 face shields, and 700 protective goggles to Philippine General Hospital, designated as COVID-19 referral center.
UnionBank has extended special subsidy in the form of a one-time benefit to its outsourced service providers that employ security guards, janitors, and messengers on top of the employees’ daily wages covering March 30 to April 14.
