BDO FOUNDATION SUPPORTS GOV’T PROGRAMS ON COVID
BDO Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank, supports RapidPass and ReliefAgad, two government programs designed to help frontliners and Filipinos severely affected by the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“The RapidPass System and ReliefAgad Program are ways to make movement and transactions more efficient in communities under enhanced community quarantine and general community quarantine,” explained Teresita Sy-Coson, chairperson of BDO. “Because these initiatives will benefit the communities, they are in line with the objectives of BDO Foundation.”
In support of RapidPass, the foundation donated 300 smartphones with prepaid loads and 550 power banks to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The items were turned over by BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito to DOST National Capital Region regional director Jose Patalinjug III.
The donation aims to help the implementation of the RapidPass System, thus enabling the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to safely and efficiently scan QR codes at checkpoints and facilitate the quick passage of vehicles of more than 500,000 authorized frontliners and critical service personnel. RapidPass minimizes vehicle congestion at 180 control points and speeds up the delivery of essential goods during the quarantine. The system prevents COVID-19 transmissions and ultimately helps stimulate economic activity.
“The system allows frontline personnel to apply for a digital pass,” said Winston Damarillo, chief executive of Developers Connect Philippines, the non-profit organization behind both RapidPass and ReliefAgad. “Holders of the pass may go through a special lane without the need for additional documents. Checkpoint officers verify passes via encrypted high-speed scanners provided by BDO Foundation. This saves time at checkpoints.”
BDO Foundation also supported ReliefAgad, a web application that automates and accelerates the distribution of financial assistance to beneficiaries of the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP). Managed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the digital app enables the efficient collection of beneficiary information.
“BDO Foundation provided support to facilitate one-time passwords to users of ReliefAgad. Through its assistance, the foundation ensures that SAP beneficiaries receive their subsidies in a timely and secure manner,” Damarillo said.
With the ReliefAgad Program in place, millions of Filipinos–underserved individuals who lost their incomes due to the pandemic–are expected to receive cash aid safely as they avoid long lines in crowded public spaces and exposure to COVID-19. Beneficiaries also have options to obtain financial assistance through electronic payment systems or directly from banks.
MEKENI’S BAYANIHAN
As a show of Mekeni’s bayanihan spirit, the company recently donated Mekeni food products to several organizations, local government units, and frontliners all over Luzon.
Immediately after the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine was announced in mid-March, the company began pooling all readily available resources so they could bring aid to communities and individuals who needed it as soon as possible.
“We know that countless Filipinos are affected by the lockdown. Even our own employees are affected because they cannot go to work. But when we announced that we were going to conduct a donation initiative for those affected by COVID-19, everyone was on board. They were willing to put in more hours just to be able to help, which is very heartwarming,” said Mekeni president Prudencio Garcia.
The donations were delivered in batches throughout the whole lockdown period. Packing of the donations is done by the company’s production employees themselves, while the delivery is handled by the company drivers. The company’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Team was also tasked to handle some of the community donations on top of their regular work.
“We’re very glad that despite being in a much different situation now, our employees still chose to serve others,” Garcia said.
MVP GROUP EXTENDS AID TO PAMPANGA
Tulong Kapatid, the alliance of Foundations and companies under the Manuel V. Pangilinan group provided relief assistance to areas in Pampanga as part of their nationwide campaign against the CoViD-19 pandemic.
After continuous relief initiatives within Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, Metro Pacific Investments Foundation (MPIF), PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF), Alagang Kapatid Foundation Inc. (AKFI), and the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Corporation, expanded relief responses to Pampanga.
The turnover started with PSF donating 500 grocery packs and 250 PPE sets to Pulung Maragul, Angeles City, through its Vice Mayor Maria Vicenta Vega-Cabigting.
Another 500 PSF grocery packs were also turned over to PNP Region 3 in San Fernando, Pampanga. These donations will be distributed to indigenous communities and poverty-stricken villages in the region, primarily families living in far-flung areas and along the river. PSF also donated ten tents to be used for the PNP checkpoints.
MPIF then distributed 200 full PPE kits to the Task Force Safe Haven Quarantine Facility in Brgy. Aranguren, Capas, Tarlac through Health and Sanitation Division manager Dr. Maria Clemencita D. Dobles. For the municipality in Apalit, 300 grocery packs were turned over to Vice Mayor Pedro Nucom.
“We realize that helping provide aid distribution will help the province stretch its help for all its 505 Barangays,” said MPIF president Melody del Rosario. “It is a daunting task for all provinces and we in the private sector are always ready to extend our support.”
RAFI-MFI EMPOWERING NANAYS
The buwad (dried fish), a staple Cebuano food and a source of livelihood for several local entrepreneurs at the Taboan Public Market in Cebu City, has become a symbolic tool of empowerment for Ducay, a member of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. – Microfinance (RAFI MFI). It is a staple item in RAFI’s relief packs.
With the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, RAFI, the Cebu-based Aboitiz family foundation, has tapped its RAFI MFI Nanays to help in its COVID-19 response effort in the Visayas.
RMF Nanays in the dried fish and vegetable distribution supply businesses provided the contents of some of the 53,000 food relief packages distributed by RAFI to local government units (LGUs) in Cebu and Bohol.
Approximately 4,000 personal protective equipment have also been sewn by RMF Nanay seamstresses.
In addition to the P195 million allotted for COVID-19-related relief operations, a total of P40.5 million was allotted for interventions focused on COVID-19 prevention, screening and treatment, bringing RAFI’s total response efforts to over P235.5 million to date.
These efforts include a partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Visayas for the Bayanihan COVID-19 Centers in Cebu. There are also partnerships with LGUs and various barangays to help prepare isolation areas for patients; prevention initiatives including the provision of PPEs; the #HUNAW handwashing campaign; the Komunidad Kontra COVID communication campaign; and partnerships for provision of various medical supplies to DOH for it massive rapid testing in various LGUs.
UNILAB-BACKED LAB TO OPEN SOON
The Doctors’ Hospital, Inc. (TDHI), a Mount Grace partner, will soon have a PCR-based laboratory set-up within its hospital grounds.
TDHI initiated the project in collaboration with Mount Grace Hospitals Inc. and Unilab, Inc. (UNILAB) to help expand the country’s PCR-based testing capability in the ongoing battle against COVID-19.
The PCR Biolab will be located at the parking area of the hospital.
The Biolab will be housed in a shipping container van with the help from ENDEC, Inc., a company engaged in engineering and construction management. This design has earned the laboratory the distinction of being the first of its kind in the country. Despite its uncommon design, quality and safety have not been compromised.
The Biolab is compliant with the safety standards of a Biosafety Level 2 Laboratory (BSL2).
In addition to its high design and quality standards, the Biolab is equipped with the same RT-PCR machine that is used by the DOH accredited COVID testing facilities. Soon, the laboratory will be fully operational and will give the medical community and the general public access to readily available RT-PCR tests.
