URC, GBF design face shields to help augment requirements of essential workers

Universal Robina Corporation (URC) and the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF) are currently producing much-needed face shields using URC’s available resources.

URC and GBF are providing face shields to several hospitals

The Gokongwei-owned food firm has temporarily repurposed some parts of its production line to manufacture 100,000 reusable face shields vital to frontline health workers battling the coronavirus pandemic. According to GBF Director Grace Colet, these will go to some of the hospitals that have been at the forefront of the country’s efforts to slow the spread of the virus.

GBF is targeting over 25 beneficiaries including: Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Philippine General Hospital, Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine Heart Center, San Lazaro Hospital, Rizal Medical Center, East Avenue Medical Center, The Medical City and Chinese General Hospital.

“We (GBF) were experiencing problems securing our personal protective equipment (PPE) orders from suppliers,” related Colet “Sometimes they’ll back out a day or two even after placing the order. And prices were increasing. It was a struggle to secure the very valuable PPE that we needed for donation to our health workers.”

Health workers using the face shields provided by URC and GBF.

Colet related, “Being an engineer, David Lim of URC got inspired to study the design and make it more efficient in terms of using available resources. We consulted doctors and specialists from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) to ensure we are providing appropriate PPEs.”

URC senior vice-president for quality engineering, sustainability and technical services David Lim created the face shields, taking into consideration the urgency for these protective gears. “Some face shields are generally disposable. That’s why they had to make a lot. Our team decided to come up with a face shield design that can both be easily manufactured and is reusable,” he said.

For Dr. Maria Julieta Germar from PGH’s obstetrics and gynecology department, disinfecting URC’s face shield is easy because it doesn’t have foams.  “The distance from the mask makes it easy for us to use goggles, loop and N95 masks underneath it. It is also not prone to fogging which is important when we do our surgeries,” she added.

According to Dr. Germar, the face shields are used by their medical personnel but later on, they intend to provide to patients who may need additional protection. URC’s face shields are made from just three basic materials, making mass production easier: a polypropylene (PP) strip that is 14mm thick and about a meter long; an 8-by-13-inch PET sheet; and some staples.

The company buys the PET sheets and staples, but it produces the PP strips in its facility in Calamba, Laguna. With minimal materials needed, URC is able to produce 3,500 face shields a day at two of its production facilities in Laguna. To date, it has delivered 40,000 to various hospitals and will complete deliveries by May.

According to Lim, the demand for the face shields is continuously growing. “This COVID fight is a battle for everyone.  It is an honor for URC to be able to contribute and collaborate with GBF and hospitals, with safety, quality and sustainability in mind. That is the URC way.”

The Gokongwei Group’s URC is one of the largest food and beverage manufacturing companies in the country, producing Filipino favorites like C2, Great Taste and Jack ‘n Jill snacks. Also from the same parent company is GBF, a foundation dedicated to contributing to the country’s progress by helping educate its workforce in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

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.

Get your all-week baon with Jack ‘n Jill My BFF (Baon Favorites Forever)

It’s that time of the year again when kids look forward to new school supplies, seeing their school friends, and fun new activities in class. While it means that their happy days of summer vacation are over, nothing beats reuniting with their old playmates and making new friends during back-to-school season.

For the parents, it’s time to get busy again getting your children new school supplies, ironing their uniforms, and going grocery shopping each weekend for their baon. Although that might seem like a lot of work, there’s no need to fret as you may just find your kids’ newest BFF during recess. With Jack ‘n Jill’s assortment of cakes and biscuits, there’s never a dull moment for your little ones on any day of the school week.

Magical Mondays with Magic Chips

Get rid of the summer blues and have your kids welcome the school year with excitement through a pack of Magic Chips. This savory and crunchy baked treat has the power to transform any ordinary Monday morning into something magical and is the perfect baon to jumpstart the school year.

Celebrate every day with Quake Overload

Back-to-back classes can get really tiring for the kids. However, you can instantly lift up their spirits by turning every day into a celebration of achievements - both big and small. With Quake Overload Mocha Butter’s layers of delicious butter cake, delectable mocha filling, and yummy chocolate drizzle, your kids will have the energy to go forth and conquer any challenge.

Midweek sweet treats with Dewberry

Hard work must always be paid off with a delicious treat. Reward your kids with this extra indulgent cream-filled cookie sandwich whenever they finish their homework early or make their own beds. Remember, it’s the little things that count. You can switch things up and surprise them by packing different flavors of Dewberry in their lunch box. They deserve it!

Create special bonds with Presto Creams

School isn’t just about learning new things. It’s also about starting new friendships and creating memorable experiences. Teach your children the value of sharing by putting an extra pack of Presto in their bags.  Since these well-loved yummy, peanut butter cream-filled cookies are best enjoyed with a buddy, your kids will easily be making new friends in no time!

Fuel creativity and imagination with Jack ‘n Jill Knots

Arts and crafts is one of the best ways to bring out your child’s creative skills and resourcefulness. Inspire them to explore beyond their imagination and create their own adventures with Jack ‘n Jill Knots. These crunchy sweet-coated pretzels come in cute shapes and assorted flavors, making them the perfect snack partner to get those creative juices flowing.

Fun Fridays with the chocolatey Cream-O

End the school week on a high note by treating your kids (and yourself!) to the luscious chocolate cookie sandwiches of Cream-O! A week’s worth of work and activities is enough excuse to indulge all your sweet tooth cravings. Just a bite into this biscuit will fill your Fridays with good vibes and make you and your children’s choco-loving hearts skip a beat!

Weekend playtime with Wafrets

Weekends are made for spending time and hanging out with family and friends. Whether it’s in your plans to binge-watch favorite family flicks or play board games with your kids, it’s always a good idea to pair these family activities with Wafrets snacks. This winning combination of crunchy wafers and delicious cream filling will definitely make family time incredibly more enjoyable.

Make every day of the week extra fun for your kids with Jack ‘n Jill’s biscuits and cakes. With its new My BFF (Baon Favorites Forever) Bundle, you can take your pick from the variety of baon combinations available. Get them at your nearest Puregold, Robinsons, Shopwise, Waltermart, Gaisano Grand, and NCCC branches nationwide starting this June.