Aboitiz Group extends COVID-19 recovery efforts in Visayas and Mindanao
With more areas in the country now placed under enhanced community quarantine due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) , the Aboitiz Group has ramped up its efforts in helping frontliners and affected localities amid the ongoing health crisis, extending aid to Visayas and Mindanao in addition to simultaneous efforts in Luzon.
While the Aboitiz Group’s headquarters is in Manila, Cebu is home to some of its businesses including several AboitizPower subsidiaries, AboitizLand, Pilmico, CitySavings, and Aboitiz Construction, among others.
Aid to Visayas
On April 3, AboitizPower unit Visayan Electric Company (the country’s second-largest privately-owned distribution utility) dropped off 1,500 N95 masks, 10,000 pairs of nitrile gloves, and 1,300 safety goggles at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, the designated testing facility for COVID-19 in the Visayas.
AboitizLand also turned over 2,000 surgical masks to the local government of Liloan in northern Cebu while Aboitiz food business unit Pilmico is also distributing 1,200 pieces of bread to frontline workers around Cebu for one month starting March 26 and also gave N95 masks and goggles to the provincial government of Leyte.
The Aboitiz Group likewise donated nitrile gloves to the Bureau of Immigration in Cebu.
“The Aboitiz Group continues to put people first during this difficult time through our support for the government and our brave medical and security frontliners. We remain committed to supporting our COVID-19 frontliners for the long term, and we hope our assistance makes a difference in this ongoing battle,” said Sabin M. Aboitiz, Aboitiz Group President and Chief Executive Officer.
Earlier in March, AboitizPower-led Therma Visayas, Inc. (TVI) turned over close to P500,000 worth of medical supplies, personal protective equipment, and food to the Toledo City government. The donation included 200 bottles of ethanol alcohol, 100 boxes of surgical face masks, 100 boxes of sterile gloves, 2,500 food packs, 2,000 canned goods, 20 sacks of rice, and liquid hand soap and bleach.
TVI also extended support to the rest of Cebu’s third district through its donation to the office of Deputy House Speaker Pablo John “PJ” Garcia. Among the items that were turned over last April 2 were 175 HazMat suits, 100 N95 masks, and 20 boxes of nitrile gloves.
Furthermore, AboitizPower unit Therma Power Visayas, Inc. donated P500,000 worth of rice to the City of Naga through its General Services Office on March 26 and March 31, which the local government is eyeing to complement the food packs due for distribution to constituents within the month of April.
Meanwhile, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), the Aboitiz’s family foundation, has partnered with the Cebu City government and Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) for the launching of a handwashing campaign called #HUNAWunaw to combat the spread of COVID-19.
Through #Hunaw, the Cebuano word for wash, RAFI aims to raise awareness on the importance of proper handwashing through the deployment of portable sinks at bus terminals, parking lots, jeepney stops, and other places where people frequent around the city.
Aid to Mindanao
In Mindanao, the Aboitiz Group, through the Aboitiz Foundation and AboitizPower subsidiaries Davao Light and Power Co., Inc., Hedcor Group, and Therma South, Inc., donated over P785,000 worth of items (162 rice sacks and 17,665 assorted canned goods) to Davao City local government unit. The donations were turned over to Task Force Davao.
AboitizPower unit Cotabato Light & Power Co. also pitched in, donating 125 rice sacks and 3,648 canned goods to Cotabato City and the municipalities of Sultan Kudarat and Datu Odin Sinulat.
The Aboitiz Group has so far contributed around P130 million to public and private campaigns nationwide, all of which are aimed at assisting communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The amount includes P100 million recently donated to Project Ugnayan, a collaboration among local companies in partnership with the Philippine Disaster Relief Foundation.
These recent turnovers are part of the Aboitiz Group’s long-term efforts to help the government address the concerns of frontliners as well as the communities it serves amid the pandemic.
