Bata, through SM Foundation, donates shoes for PGH frontliners

Bata, a world-renowned shoe brand with over 6,000 retail stores across the globe, partnered anew with SM Foundation (SMFI) in donating 1,800 pairs of shoes for the front -liners of the Philippine General Hospital. This is part of Bata's Global 1 Million pairs donation project.

Due to long and often times back-to-back work shifts, a number of our health workers are experiencing foot and back pain, says SM Foundation Executive Director Debbie Sy.  “The need to constantly disinfect their shoes also results in faster wearing out of their footwear. With this, SMFI and Bata wanted to provide our health workers with quality footwear to address this need and provide them with comfortable footwear and protection while at work and doing their rounds.

“Bata Philippines donated these shoes as our way of saying thank you to our front-liners for the help that they have extended to the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, says Bata Philippines General Manager Arlyn Guanlao.

UP PGH Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi expressed his gratitude to SM Foundation and Bata, I'd like to thank SM Foundation for being ever supportive of our COVID-19 fight here in PGH. You have covered the whole spectrum of our needs from ventilators and now sneakers. Thank you to Bata shoes for having shared their different kinds of sneakers which I'm sure would go a long way into making our front- liners feel appreciated and comfortable when they work.

Since the onset of the outbreak, Bata through its Bata Heroes initiative has been working with its long-standing foundations, charitable partners, government agencies, and other organization to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through the years, SMFI and Bata have been collaborating on social good projects. In 2018, they teamed up to construct a new school building for Telabastagan Integrated School in San Fernando, Pampanga. More recently, in March

2020 for the distribution of 400 pairs of shoes for the students of Looc Elementary School in Nasugbu, Batangas.

PLDT partners with PBSP to provide food packs and vitamins to families in Malabon and Cebu

PLDT Inc. recently donated food supplies and vitamins to over 1,000 families in Cebu City and Malabon City adversely affected by the COVID-19 in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).

"Urban poor families are some of the most vulnerable at any given time, more so in this period of uncertainty and hardship. Thank you to PLDT for choosing to allocate its Motolite PBSP Balik-Baterya funds to support our COVID-19 campaign. The provision of food packs is incredibly important in minimizing the adverse impact of job losses and suspended economic activities. Our communities are grateful for PLDT's generosity and solidarity," said PBSP Deputy Executive Director Elvin Ivan Y. Uy.

Families in Brgy. Mambaling, Cebu City received food packs containing vegetables, crops, onion and garlic and canned goods. Condiments, germicidal soap, as well as Cebuano-translated info sheets about COVID-19 are also included in the food pack donations. In addition, 450 boxes of Vitamin C were also distributed.

To support over 40 farmers and fellow farm laborers, all the vegetables were sourced locally from barangays Tabunan, Gaas and Sudlon 2 in Cebu.

In Malabon City, PLDT distributed food packs containing rice, eggs, dried fish, dressed chicken and vegetables to the indigent families surrounding Catmon Integrated School, which is among the beneficiaries of the Company's school-building programs. The families are from PBSP-assisted homeowners associations.

"PLDT recognizes the power of unity in these trying times, and we are truly grateful for our partnership with the PBSP as well as on-ground organizations in Cebu and Malabon, who enabled us to reach out and touch the lives of these families in need,” said PLDT Community Relations Head Katherine P. Diaz De Rivera.  

PLDT’s donations were taken from its Balik-Baterya funds, PBSP’s institutional environmental program which involves the collection, proper recycling and selling of used acid-lead batteries to fund various corporate social responsibility projects. PLDT, as its pioneer supporter, remains to be the Program's top donor.

PLDT and PBSP's efforts to fight COVID-19 goes all the way back at the onset of the Enhanced Community Quarantine, when the Company donated P1M to the Bayanihan Musikahan, which was used to fund food packs for 1,300 families in various underprivileged communities in Metro Manila. 

To know more about the efforts of the PLDT Group in beating the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit https://beta.pldt.com/covid19.

SM Builds Seven Emergency Quarantine Facilities in Metro Manila

SM, through SM Foundation, Inc. (SMFI), recently constructed seven (7) insulated emergency quarantine facilities (EQFs) in Pasay and Quezon City to house and treat patients affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The interior of one of the Camp Crame facilities, which like the rest features beds, airconditioning units, ceiling fans, exhaust fans, restrooms, shower areas, and nurse lounges

Built by the SM Engineering Design and Development (SM EDD) team, and WTA Architecture and Design Studio, these include four facilities in Camp Crame and two facilities at the AFP Health Service Command  V. Luna in Quezon City; as well as one at the Air Force General Hospital  Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.

The EQF at the Air Force General Hospital at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City

Completed within a span of six to ten days, these feature a total of 156 beds, air conditioning units, ceiling fans, exhaust fans, restrooms, shower areas, and nurse lounges. The EQFs are set to accommodate COVID-19 patients who are asymptomatic or with mild symptoms.

In the Camp Crame EQFs, each bed has a built-in call system and patients will have an access to Wi-Fi connectivity. PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa thanked SM Engineering Design and Development President Hans Chico Sy Jr. and WTA Architecture and Designs for their contributions to the facility.

Apart from contributing to the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, this social initiative also served as a platform for volunteeriSM for SM employees, especially those from SM EDD.

Through the EQF project, SM EDD employees were able to volunteer their time and expertise in constructing the insulated EQFs, an initiative that has received encouragement and strong support from the President of SM EDD, Hans Chico Sy Jr.

SM EDD and WTA Architecture and Design Studio built four facilities in Camp Crame in Quezon City

SMFIs Leadership Team expressed gratitude to SM EDD volunteers for carrying out its purpose and commitment to provide EQFs to its partners in the uniformed service.
“We have courageous employee volunteers from SM EDD, sharing their expertise and time amidst COVID-19. Were proud to support their contribution during this time of incredible need, the team added.

SM Foundation also thanked its partners, the Air Force General Hospital, AFP Health Service Command and the WTA Architecture and Design Studio, as saving lives is critical during this pandemic.

The building of insulated EQFs is one of SMs initiatives in line with its commitment to be of service to the Filipino public, its hospitals, and government during the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier, SM, through SM Foundation donated over PHP170 million worth of personal protective equipment, testing kits, and intensive care unit (ICU-grade) ventilators to over 100 hospitals and medical institutions.

SM FOUNDATION, UNIQLO SEND FOOD PACKS TO SM CARES VILLAGES

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.

Like us, many of them are homebound by the enhanced community quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and they were happy to receive kilos of rice, cup noodles, cans of sardines and tuna, and bottles of distilled water.

The SM Foundation and Uniqlo Philippines respond to the needs of almost 900 beneficiaries of the SM Cares Village who are unable to continue their livelihood brought about by the enhanced community quarantine by the local government units due to COVID-19 pandemic.

"Thank you SM Foundation and Uniqlo for bringing these relief packs to our place,” said Neralyn Montejo, one of the beneficiaries of the SM Cares Village in Bogo City, Cebu. “Thank you for not abandoning us during this time of crisis."

It will be recalled that SM Cares Villages were built to help survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 rebuild their lives. It 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 were given to the beneficiaries for free, with SM working with several NGO partners for its community development, including livelihood and values-formation activities.

Each village has utilities, 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.

Aside from the houses, the SM Cares Village also has amenities such as street lamps, sewage treatment plant, materials recovery facility, rain-catchment system and provisions for water and electricity.

URC extends community support to other parts of the Philippines

Universal Robina Corporation (URC) has expanded its efforts to communities in other areas of the country, to help mitigate the spread of the deadly coronavirus in the country.

Universal Robina Corporation (URC) donates products to several hospitals.

URC Sugar and Renewables Division (URC SURE) is donating relief goods as well as sanitation and hygiene products to various checkpoints and Disaster Relief and Rescue Management offices in Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Batangas Province, Panay island and Tuguegarao City.

URC, along with the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF), has donated cases of Great Taste Coffee, Nissin Noodles, Vitasoy Milk, Magic Crackers and other food products to local government units.

These donations have so far reached policemen, soldiers and barangay officials manning checkpoints, in some cities in Metro Manila as well as Tarlac, Laguna, Batangas and Pampanga.

URC and GBF have also been distributing snacks, biscuits, candies, soymilk and instant coffee to several hospitals and checkpoints. These include the Philippine Lung Center, East Avenue Hospital, the Philippine Heart Center, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, and the Department of Health’s Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Units in the National Capital Region and Region 4A.

“Since this problem is not just unique to Metro Manila, we are trying to extend our efforts across the Philippines. We’re all in the same boat, and we all must do whatever we can to help those in the frontline giving their all to keep all of us safe,” said Irwin Lee, URC president & CEO.

The Gokongwei Brothers Foundation earlier created a P100-million fund to support the government’s efforts to contain the virus.

Here's how you can send money to the province from your PayMaya account to Smart Padala during the quarantine

With the enhanced community quarantine currently in effect in the whole of Luzon and in other provinces in Visayas and Mindanao, many Filipinos have been looking for ways to send money to family, friends, or organizations they want to support within and outside Metro Manila.

Fortunately, PayMaya allows its users to send money directly to a Smart Padala center anywhere in the country. And with more than 30,000 Smart Padala touchpoints nationwide, it’s easy to locate one that’s near your street or barangay so you can continue to receive remittances from friends or family--even without having to step out of the house to be able to send money, which can help you and your family practice strict social distancing during the quarantine.

Employers who want to support the families of their kasamabahay in the province or those who want to mobilize resources in their hometown can quickly use the Send Money feature of PayMaya to transfer funds to virtually anyone in the country.

Here’s how:

1. Check if the Smart Padala center near you is open and ask for their 16-digit account number.
2. Log in to your PayMaya account and click Send Money.
3. Enter the account number in the field provided, followed by the amount you wish to send to your recipient, then click “Continue”
4. Review and verify the transaction details, then click “Send”
5. To claim the money transfer, the recipient must proceed to the Smart Padala center you sent the funds to and present (1) valid ID, his/her mobile phone number, as well as the reference number of the transaction as proof.

To be able to send money to another PayMaya user or to a Smart Padala center, you must have an upgraded PayMaya account. This will also raise your monthly transaction limit to P100,000, from just P50,000 for non-upraded accounts.

To upgrade your account, simply click the “Upgrade My Account” button in the menu, fill in the required details, and upload any of the following IDs for fast and seamless review and approval of your application: Driver’s License, Passport, UMID, Postal ID, SSS ID, or PRC license.

Make sure that you have also entered the same full name and birthdate details as reflected in the ID that you uploaded, and that the photo of the ID is clear and unobstructed.

Meanwhile, for those who want to send money to other banks, they can do so by clicking the "Bank Transfer" button in the PayMaya app. The transfer fees for this service have been waived until further notice.

To know more about PayMaya’s products and services, visit www.PayMaya.com. For information about Smart Padala, visit www.smartpadala.ph.

PayMaya is the only financial technology company in the country that offers end-to-end payment solutions, providing a more convenient and rewarding cashless lifestyle for all Filipinos. For those who don’t have the app yet, it’s easy to start—just download PayMaya for Android or iOS and register an account to use the fastest, safest, most rewarding, and hassle-free way to pay for anything both online and in stores.

Caritas Manila call for donations to Protect the Poor from CoVid19

“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” — 1 John 3:17

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the poor and the elderly are the most vulnerable. In difficult times like this, we are called to open our hearts and be moved to do concrete acts of charity by sharing our resources with those who need it the most.

Caritas Manila is calling for cash donations to provide Caritas LIGTAS COVID-19 kits and Caritas Manna bags to 6,000 poor communities and families in Metro Manila.

The Php 2000 Caritas LIGTAS COVID-19 kit for a family of 5 includes:
1 liter of 70% ethyl alcohol
5 handy bottles of 30 ml of alcohol
5 washable face masks
1 liter of antibacterial liquid soap
1 box of 100 tablets of vitamin C with zinc
A pair of reusable gloves
1 liter of liquid bleach
3 pieces of cleaning cloth
Eco bag.

We will also be giving Php 700 worth of Caritas Manna food bag to the family containing:
5 kilos of rice
munggo seeds
9 assorted canned goods
2 packs of Caritas Margins kalabasa/malunggay noodles
1/4 pack of sugar and salt
Eco bag.

HOW TO DONATE ONLINE:
(Online bank transfer)
> Savings Account Name: Caritas Manila, Inc.

> Banco De Oro - Savings Account No.: 000-5600-45905
> Bank of the Philippine Islands - Savings Account No.: 3063-5357-01
>Metrobank - Savings Account No.: 175-3-17506954-3

For dollar accounts:
>Bank of the Philippine Islands - Savings Account No. 3064-0033-55
> Swift Code - BOPIPHMM

(Debit or Credit Cards)
> https://ubpay.com.ph/caritasmanila/
> Choose Caritas Damayan LIGTAS COVID-19

(Lazada)
> www.lazada.com.ph/shop/caritas-manila
> Choose between Caritas LIGTAS COVID-19 kit, Caritas Manna food bag, or the donation vouchers (50, 100, 200, 500, 1000)

(Give2Asia)
> www.bit.ly/Give2CaritasManila
> Choose Caritas Damayan LIGTAS COVID-19

(GCash)
>Scan the QR code below

For proper acknowledgment of your donations, kindly fax a copy of the deposit slip to 8563-9306 or email a scanned copy to donorcare@caritasmanila.org.ph. Don’t forget to indicate your name and address.

For more inquiries, you may dial 8562 0020 to 25 local 118, 139, 135, or 09175955083.

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Caritas Damayan, the disaster risk reduction and management program of Caritas Manila, provides quick response relief operation and effective crisis intervention.