2GO moves 500 tons of critical goods
2GO carried Meralco’s power equipment to typhoon-hit areas to help in the power restoration initiatives of the company.
2GO Group Inc.’s business arm 2GO Sea Solutions has transported 500 tons of relief goods port-to-port, free of charge from Manila to Cebu, Tagbilaran, Cagayan de Oro and Ozamiz in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette that affected communities in the region.
As of January 19, 2GO has moved essential goods such as water, food packs, rice, linens, mattresses, tents, generator sets, batteries and medicines in partnership with organizations including the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Courage Cebu, Philippine Multimodal Transport and Logistics Association Inc. and the Philippine Coast Guard.
Together with One Meralco Foundation, 2GO also transported nine basket trucks and carried Meralco’s power restoration teams and equipment to help complete power restoration in Cebu and Bohol.
“Responding to the needs of the communities we serve, especially in times of crisis, is an important part of the work that we do at the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation. While our core advocacy is education, we are equally committed to helping our communities to be able to rebuild and rise strong from this calamity. Through the Bayanihan spirit of various Gokongwei Group companies, the volunteerism of our employees, and the shared goodwill of our partners such as Shang Properties, Kerry Group Philippines Foundation, SM Foundation and logistics firm 2GO, we’re able to swiftly bring help to affected communities. We are grateful for their generosity and the blessings that we are able to share,” said Grace Colet, GBF executive director.
BALAI BERDE Program wins award
The National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation’s (NHMFC) BALAI BERDE Program bagged home the Sustainable Consumption and Production Award (SCP Award) under the Public Policies Category in the recently held Asia-Pacific Housing Forum 2021.
BERDE, or Building Eligible, Resilient Dwelling for Everyone, is the newest program of NHMFC under its Housing Loan Receivables Purchase Program (HLRPP), launched in March 2021.
The BALAI BERDE Program was also among the top 4 finalists out of fifty (50) contenders under the same category for the Asia-Pacific Housing Forum Innovation Awards 2021. The other categories for the Innovation Awards are ShelterTech and Inspirational Practices.
The evaluation of the SCP Award is based on the scores achieved by each initiative under the Sustainability Development Goals (SDG) criteria. The highest scorer in this across the three categories wins the award.
The grand premiere held last Dec. 1 included the virtual pitch competition, where the Top 4 programs from each category presented before a jury panel and live audience. From these finalists, one program won the SCP Award sponsored by the EU-funded SWITCH-Asia SCP Facility.
Ms. Cecile Malota, head of NHMFC’s BERDE Unit, led the presentation for the BALAI BERDE Program together with Ms. Princess Riza Ong, OIC-corporate executive officer of NHMFC’s Fund and Asset Management Group.
In her message during the awarding ceremony, Ms. Malota urged the support of the primary market — the developers, originators, borrowers and stakeholders to solve the housing backlog while preserving the environment.
“We need to immediately and drastically change how we design, build, use and deconstruct buildings to make it sustainable, environment-friendly and disaster-resilient homes,” she stressed.
Under the Public Policies Category, the BALAI BERDE Program was shortlisted with (1) the development of affordable low-income mortgage market of Pakistan Mortgage Refinance Company, (2) Chief Ministers’ Slum Development Program “Basera” of the Government of Punjab, India, and (3) the JAGA Mission of the Housing and Urban Development Department of the Government of Odisha, India.
AC Health boosts ‘Resbakuna sa Botika’
Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc. (AC Health) has opened its doors to priority groups during the week-long pilot of the “Resbakuna sa Botika” program of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 beginning Thursday, January 20.
Generika Drugstore’s branch in Signal Village, Taguig City was opened as a pilot site for “Resbakuna sa Botika.” QualiMed Clinic – Makati and Healthway Multi-Specialty Center – Manila will also open their doors on January 21, as pilot clinic sites to priority groups who want to avail of COVID-19 vaccine shots.
During this week-long program, each of the branches will be allocated 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccines by their partner LGUs. Individuals 18 years old and above – except for senior citizens and people with comorbidities – can pre-register, in coordination with their LGU, and avail of their shots.
Coca-Cola mobilizes resources for typhoon-hit communities
Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. (CCBPI) continues to extend aid by providing safe drinking water to communities affected by Typhoon Odette.
CCBPI has mobilized its resources in delivering a running total of 60,000 liters of Wilkins drinking water.
The company is also working with the local government of Mandaue City in Cebu for the deployment of a SETA machine, a mobile water treatment equipment that processes water to make it potable. The SETA machine had previously been installed in evacuation sites and communities in Marawi, Davao del Sur, and Bicol following calamities.
CCBPI’s outreach was launched even as the Company itself was recovering from the onslaught of typhoon Odette, which disrupted operations of 15 of its sites–from major plants and distribution centers to sales offices. Though its sites experienced massive power outages and had to run on limited generator capacities, CCBPI associates carried out the company’s priority initiative of providing relief and potable water to affected families in the communities it serves.
Cebuanos show ‘bayanihan’ spirit
Private homeowners in the northern Cebu municipality of Consolacion have stepped in to help AboitizPower subsidiary Visayan Electric Co. in restoring power at Royale Cebu Estates Subdivision, one of the areas in the north badly hit by Typhoon Odette.
Although they are not contractors of Visayan Electric, private engineering companies BNR Construction and Ebatech Corp. have offered their manpower and equipment to assist Visayan Electric in the restoration works in the subdivision, which is home to over a hundred households.
In Royale Cebu Estates alone, a total of 56 electrical posts or 80 percent of the poles in the area were downed and damaged, adding to the extent of network damage that linemen have been working to address in various areas across Metro Cebu.
Assistance to Odette-affected communities
Insular Life (InLife) and its corporate social arm Insular Foundation raised P2 million to help families in communities affected by Typhoon Odette in Palawan, Visayas and Mindanao.
Insular Foundation provided P1.02 million worth of food packages and sleeping mats. The Foundation partnered with NORFIL Foundation and the Philippine Association of Social Workers Cebu Chapter to reach out to 380 families in Mandaue City, Cebu; and with the League of Corporate Foundations to help 200 families in South Cebu. The Foundation also worked with the Philippine Relief and Development Services, Inc. to provide two-week food supplies for 150 families in Dinagat and Siargao islands, and Surigao.
InLife also extended assistance to its policyholders in typhoon-affected areas, as well as its building tenants in its Cebu office.
Additionally, InLife extended the grace period from 31 days to 61 days for premium payments due from November 15 to Dec. 31, 2021 in some areas and provinces.
Advanced eKYC Solution
CIMB Bank Philippines has collaborated with Zoloz, an eKYC (electronic know your customer) technology provider to further strengthen its fast-growing digital banking services and to improve financial inclusion in the country with digital technologies.
Under the terms of the agreement, CIMB Bank Philippines will leverage Zoloz’s eKYC solution for frictionless user onboarding and enhanced payment experience.
Zoloz’s RealID eKYC solution streamlines the whole customer identity verification process for financial institutions, eliminates paper-based procedures, and reduces the cost and time spent on manual verification. This results in a faster onboarding and an enhanced customer experience.
The solution also helps financial institutions adhere to regulatory compliance more easily, thanks to its rich AI model and comprehensive risk management engine that can guarantee high accuracy and reduce identity fraud.
Vijay Manoharan, chief executive officer of CIMB Bank Philippines, said: “We have onboarded more than five million depositors and one million lending customers since 2018. The next phase of our growth strategy is to strengthen our platform-banking model, embed our solutions to more services and platforms, and make our services an integral part of more Filipinos’ lives – whether that’s to save for their future, get easy access to loans or credit, or meet their insurance needs for protection.”
Enabling smiles
Smile Train was able to provide 2,500 cleft surgeries in 2021 — 750 more than in the previous year despite the pandemic.
By leveraging technology to ensure access to much-needed services, Smile Train also enabled more medical professionals to offer telehealth consultations and speech therapy sessions.
As the pandemic caused a temporary disruption due to mobility restrictions, the first Filipino Speech Therapy App by developed by Smile Train and its Speech Telehealth Program enabled patients to continue to receive their treatment and guidance from healthcare professionals in the comfort and safety of their homes.
The Speech Therapy App is a free mobile application, designed to help patients who have received surgery for their cleft palate. Since its launch in 2021, the application has reached an audience of 50,053 Filipinos for continued treatment and services. The app also features a wide array of educational videos and speech therapy sessions in Filipino, with features and content for young patients.
