More efforts to help health workers at the frontlines of the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak have been undertaken by Tulong Kapatid, the consortium of the corporate social responsibility consortium of companies, foundations, and affiliates led by businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan.
Roxas Holdings, Inc., recently turned over 4,000 Liters of 70% ethyl alcohol from Roxol Bionergy Corporation to frontline health workers of key government hospitals, including facilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The alcohol shipment was delivered to the Philippine Navy and the Malacañang Palace through the Manuel L. Quezon University in Quiapo, Manila.
An allocation was also deployed at the Asian Hospital under the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation for distribution to other MPIC hospitals which are also handling COVID-19 cases. The ethyl alcohol donation was brought to Metro Manila through the assistance of the Metropac Movers, Inc., PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF) and the Makati Medical Center Foundation.
“This is the initial delivery. More are coming. We are exerting all efforts to get supplies of materials and equipment that are badly needed in protecting our health workers but are very difficult to secure. This is critical in the fight against COVID-19,” said PLDT and MPIC Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan.
Meanwhile, One Meralco Foundation donated 1,000 masks to frontline workers at the Rizal Medical Center in Pasig City. Another 1,000 masks were distributed to the frontline workers at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City.
Alagang Kapatid Foundation, Inc. of TV5 gave away masks and soap to the frontline health workers at the National Children’s Hospital. The mask and soap donations were provided by Philex Mining Corporation and Beiersdorf Philippines, Inc. (NIVEA Philippines), respectively.
The PSF and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation also deployed ten buses to the Philippine Army. These will be used for ten days to help transport frontline health workers.
In support of ongoing efforts of the PSF, members of MVP Rewards may also convert their rewards to donations via the MVP Rewards app or mvprewards.ph. Donations will be used in the purchase of care packs for frontline health workers, checkpoint officers, emergency response teams and communities in need during the quarantine period. The service is currently available to enrolled MVP Rewards accounts of PLDT Home, Smart, Sun, TNT, Cignal and Maynilad, as well as Delos Santos Medical Center, Makati Medical Center and Easy Trip RFID.
The Metro Pacific Tollways Group will also be distributing relief goods to around 220 barangays along NLEX, SCTEX, and Cavitex.
Meantime, PLDT continued to provide connectivity for government agencies at the frontlines of implementing enhanced quarantine measures. PLDT installed free WiFi Internet and free landline calls in some areas nationwide, including the Central Command Center in Batangas City. Strategic offices in Lucena, Zamboanga and Davao were also recipients of the free Internet connectivity and free landline calls.
This includes the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Center located in Lucena City Hall, Lucena Diversion; Municipal Command Center and the Provincial Information Office in Zamboanga; and the Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Malagos, Davao City. PLDT also provided free Internet connectivity in transportation areas and health centers, including the Bulaong Bus Terminal and City Health local government unit health center.
PLDT wireless unit, Smart continues to provide communication as aid in the form of Wi-Fi connectivity, SIMs, wireless devices, electronic load, and its Infocast SMS broadcast solution to various LGUs, government agencies and their response teams.
