RELIEF efforts to help frontliners and those affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) aimed at fighting the pandemic continue to receive a number of shots in the arm with initiatives from the private sector. From an emergency facility being readied to high grade ventilators, from food packs to million-peso donations, from free job postings to insurance coverage, from gas promos to hygiene kits, from grocery vouchers to free rides, aid programs have poured in to ease the crushing effects of the pandemic-induced ECQ.
Emergency facility completed soon
Prime BMD, an affiliate of Prime Infrastructure of the Razon Group, has mobilized resources and personnel to complete the building works on the Ninoy Aquino Stadium at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in order to become a level 2 new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency facility.
Prime BMD said phase 1 of the project, now 75 percent complete involves the construction of 116 patients’ cubicles, two nurses’ stations, drywall partition wall, installation of temporary furniture and conversion of facility common areas.
Prime BMD has 180 direct workers and 30 staff working on the project 24/7 and has established strict guidelines to ensure proper social distancing and advanced hygiene practices on the project.
“The project has been delivered at breakneck speed to quickly respond to the urgent requirement to provide additional treatment,” said Enrique K. Razon Jr, Prime BMD chairman.
ICU-grade ventilators to medical institutions
SM Investments Corp. said its corporate social responsibility arm SM Foundation has delivered several intensive care unit-grade ventilators to medical institutions in the country.
“Ventilators were distributed to the following institutions: Philippine General Hospital, Lung Center of the Philippines, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and San Lazaro Hospital,” the company said.
“SM also provided ICU-grade ventilator units to West Visayas State University Medical Center in Iloilo and Baguio General Hospital,” it added.
This donation forms part of P170 million in allocations pledged by SM Foundation to help front liners and medical institutions nationwide in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.
SMC donations reach P877.8M
Donations from (SMC) to the nationwide effort to manage the impact of the Covid-19 on the country, has reached P877.8 million, including a personal donation of P100 million from its president, Ramon S. Ang.
On the third week of the enhanced community quarantine implemented by government, the company reported on the progress of its ongoing initiatives to help medical front-liners, the national government, local government units, and other organizations.
The company has started to operationalize its commitment to donate P500 million worth of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for medical front-liners. It has partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to tap local suppliers. Sourcing of PPEs through its network of global suppliers is also ongoing.
A total of P199.4 million worth of canned goods, meat products, biscuits, bread, coffee, are being donated to vulnerable communities through the LGUs, non-profit organizations, charitable institutions, church-based groups and through direct donations.
The company has also more than doubled its initial commitment to donate 500,000 kilos of rice to vulnerable communities. To date, it has sourced P1.1 million kilos of rice worth over P38 million.
Ang and his family also donated P100 million to “Project Ugnayan”, a broad coalition of private companies working together to assist government in the fight against Covid-19.
Ginebra San Miguel Inc. has completed retooling its facilities nationwide to produce 70% ethyl alcohol for disinfection. With this, it is now able to produce 100,000 liters of rubbing alcohol daily. As of April 4, SMC’s alcohol donations to hospitals, the Department of Health (DoH), LGUS, PNP checkpoints, and other vital institutions, has reached 518,340 liters, or P38.9 million.
SMC tollways – Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Skyway, NAIAx, and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX)- offer free use of the road network for medical doctors and nurses, which was implemented a week ago, has also reached P1.1 million as of April 4. About 2,000 medical practitioners had availed of the privilege thus far.
SMC Infrastructure has also provided support to the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines for the checkpoints set up along its expressways. This includes providing portalets, motorcycles and riders, passenger vehicles, generator sets, tower lights, traffic cones, barriers, tents, water, and disinfectant teams.
Free job postings
Hospitals and nonprofits working on coronavirus disaster relief and essential services (such as supermarkets, package delivery and warehousing companies), can now post new mission critical jobs for free for the next three months, on LinkedIn the world’s largest professional network.
This is to help these organizations connect with professionals with the relevant skills and experience to fill critical frontline roles.
LinkedIn is offering companies and organizations in healthcare (including hospitals, medical device, medical practices and mental healthcare companies), disaster relief nonprofits, warehousing, supermarket and package delivery companies, the ability to post new mission critical jobs for free for the next three months (April 2 to June 30) so they can find and hire the people they need to meet the surge for urgent roles.
To help healthcare organizations and disaster relief nonprofits who are managing the secondary effects of Coronavirus, such as unemployment, childcare, and mental health issues, LinkedIn has expanded its Recruiting For Good program.
Insurance for COVID frontliners
Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation Inc. said it will be donating digital life insurance to health workers, to bolster support for those fighting in the frontlines against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Sun Life Philippines said in a statement over the weekend that a total of 3,000 Life Armor products, with up to P75 million coverage, will be donated to various Philippine hospitals.
These will be allocated to health workers such as doctors, nurses, or other medical support staff who are directly involved in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
The company said that this donation is among Sun Life Foundation’s efforts to support Filipinos amid the pandemic.
It recently donated 3,000 personal protective equipment to medical frontliners and much needed equipment to a number of hospitals, including the Philippine General Hospital and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.
It is also part of the Project Ugnayan consortium
Oil promos
Two local oil retailers announced different promos and programs meant to benefit frontliners amid the ongoing enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
Total said in appreciation for the service of healthcare workers in the fight against COVID-19, some of its stations across the country will provide free fuel for medical frontliners.
Under the program, the first 30 qualified vehicles to gas up in participating stations each day are entitled to free fuel. Medical frontliners driving their vehicles including cars, vans or motorcycles, can avail of up to P300 worth of free fuel per day upon presenting their valid ID.
The Department of Transportation accredited shuttle buses serving Metro Manila can avail of up to P1,000 worth of free fuel per day.
Among the stations which will offer said service until April 17 are those located in Alabang, Filinvest Corporate City, Muntinlupa City; NAIA, Tambo, Paranaque City; EDSA Pasay, Malibay, Pasay City; C5 Pasig, Bagong Ilog, Pasig City;Greenhills, Ortigas Ave., San Juan; R. Magsaysay, Sta. Mesa, Manila; JP Rizal, Malanday, Marikina City; Marcos Hi-way, Mayamot, Antipolo City, Rizal; Valenzuela, Karuhatan, Valenzuela City; Mindanao Ave., Bagong Pag-asa, Quezon City;Commonwealth, Matandang Balara, Quezon City; Tuguegarao 1 , Carig Sur, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan; Rioeng, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte; Abanao, Kisad Rd, Baguio City; Cabcaben Hi-way, Mariveles, Bataan; San Fernando, Dolores, San Fernando City, Pampanga; San Jose Del Monte, Gov Fortunato Halili Rd, SJDM, Bulacan; San Pedro Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Palawan;San Agustin, Romblon; San Angel, San Jose de Buenavista, Antique; Bata-Pepsi, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental; Looc, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental and Tagbilaran, TagbilaranCity, Bohol.
Unioil said it will offer all delivery movers and logistics company drivers with a discount on fuel products.
Customers will need to show their driver apps installed on their phones and present their company IDs to avail P2.50 off per literon diesel, P3 off per liter for Gasoline 91 and P5 off per liter onGasoline 95 and 97 at all Unioil stations.
Hygiene kits
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Philippines has distributed 20,000 ‘Care Kits’ to 26 hospitals and 9 non-profit organizations nationwide to support Filipino healthcare workers.
The global healthcare company donated almost P10 million worth of essential consumer health products from within their portfolio, including rubbing alcohol, oral antiseptic, mouthwash, feminine care products, and bath soap.
The company has also pledged P10 million worth of their Vivity rehydration drinks to hospitals and organizations supporting the frontlines.
It will be providing more aid within the coming weeks to supply partner hospitals with additional surgical masks and personal protective equipment (PPE).
3.2M Pinoys get grocery vouchers from fundraiser
The Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF)-led distribution of grocery vouchers to urban poor families in the Greater Manila Area during the pandemic has so far reached over 651,000 families or over 3.2 million individuals as of April 4.
A total of P1.63 billion was raised to extend assistance to about 7.5 million people in poor communities. The assistance is in the form of gift certificates to supermarkets at P1,000 per family.
The Aboitiz Group, a member of the approximately 50-member strong PDRF, donated P100 million to Project Ugnayan, a COVID-19 relief collaboration among local companies, as part of the group’s sustained efforts in assisting COVID-19-affected communities.
PDRF has tapped the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as a third channel for food distribution to some communities in Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna where the use of gift vouchers is not easily viable.
Free ride
The management of Lopez-led First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP), the developer and operator of the industrial park in Batangas, has partnered with two leading hospitals in Tanauan and Santo Tomas to provide free shuttle service to medical workers and other frontliners battling the COVID-19 pandemic.
FPIP is providing two shuttles each to ferry frontliners in Saint Francis Cabrini in Santo Tomas and Daniel Mercado Medical Center in Tanauan to and from their homes when their shifts end.
FPIP is controlled by a First Philippine Holdings Corp. (FPH) with Sumitomo Corp. of Japan as partner. FPH also donated P100 million to ABS-CBN’s “Pantawid ng Pag-Ibig” program, which is providing food and other basic goods to local governments as they help their communities deal with the COVID 19 pandemic.
Homebound residents get food packs
SM Foundation Inc. together with Japanese clothing company Uniqlo, recently brought smiles to residents of SM Cares Villages when they distributed food packs to almost 900 families in Bogo City, in Cebu province, Concepcion in IloIlo, Ormoc City, and in Tacloban City.
Beneficiaries of the SM Cares Villages, residents who have been homebound by the enhanced community quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were happy to receive kilos of rice, cup noodles, cans of sardines and tuna, and bottles of distilled water.
SM Cares Villages, built to help survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 rebuild their lives, is a joint undertaking of SM and its service providers, tenants, business partners, employees, and communities.
The first SM Cares Village was turned over to 200 beneficiaries last November 9, 2014 in Bogo City, Cebu. This was followed by SM Cares Villages in Concepcion, Iloilo (200 houses), Tacloban (400 houses), and Ormoc City (200 houses).
The disaster-resilient houses, given to the beneficiaries for free, have basic amenities like street lights, as well as a community center, and a basketball court. There are also chapels and convenience stores for its residents.
SM Cares Villages have amenities such as sewage treatment plant, materials recovery facility, rain-catchment system and provisions for water and electricity.
