Aboitiz Group grants financial aid to over 2,400 workers of third-party subcontractors
A total of 2,483 workers of third-party subcontractors of the Aboitiz Group nationwide who currently have no work due to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) measures will receive a total of P12.5 million in financial assistance from the Aboitiz Foundation, the social development arm of the Group. The funds will be distributed through the Aboitiz business units who will coordinate directly with the workers’ respective employers.
These workers of third-party subcontractors, rendering services to the Group’s power, food, infrastructure, land, and construction business units (BUs), are on a “no work, no pay” setup and have been financially-challenged since the imposition of ECQ due to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) containment measures.
“We are extending financial assistance to disadvantaged workers to complement government efforts. The Aboitiz Group believes especially during this difficult time, we should consider it a priority to uplift the workers who support our day-to-day functions at the office,” said Sabin M. Aboitiz, Aboitiz Group President and Chief Executive Officer.
An amount of P5,000, which is not a substitute to the workers’ lost income, will be given to each worker.
This will be disbursed through the workers’ respective employers (third-party subcontractors). The business units will also monitor the distribution to ensure that workers receive the financial assistance. AboitizPower contributed the bulk of the financial assistance.
Pilmico Foods Corporation, the food subsidiary of the Aboitiz Group, has workers from third-party subcontractors to handle various production services of its feeds, flour and farm division.
Equally important are AboitizLand, Inc.’s third-party subcontractors that have designated workers, who are tasked with the upkeep of AboitizLand’s residential, commercial, and industrial developments in Luzon and Visayas. These workers include security guards, grass cutters, pool attendants, handymen, and electricians, welders.
The Aboitiz Group also took care of its own. Aboitiz Construction, Inc., in particular, has ensured that its project team members who have no work and are stranded at project sites due to ECQ are provided accommodation, the strictest safety/health monitoring, and daily meals free for a month.
In a separate donation drive, team members of the Aboitiz Group also extended financial assistance to workers of third-party subcontractors at its Manila and Cebu corporate centers.
“Nais ko pong magpasalamat sa malaking tulong na ibinigay ng Aboitiz, hindi lang po sa akin at sa iba ko pang mga katrabaho. Kung hindi po dahil sa kanila, ay mahihirapan po kaming iraos ang mga araw, lalo na sa panahong ngayon. Salamat po sa cash assistance na ipinagkaloob ninyo. Umasa po kayong lalo pa namin gagalingan ang aming trabaho, (I would like to thank Aboitiz for its assistance to me and my co-workers. If not for Aboitiz, we will be struggling with our everyday needs during this crisis. Thank you for the cash assistance – rest assured we will continue doing our best at our jobs)” said Donecio Prodenciado, a housekeeping staff assigned at NAC Tower.
