Showing posts with label #corona. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #corona. Show all posts

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Project Ugnayan Beneficiaries Reach Over 7.6 Million People in Greater Metro Manila Poor Communities


Project Ugnayan, the fund-raising initiative led by top business groups in cooperation with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), reached over 7.6 million people in the vulnerable communities of Greater Metro Manila.

“As we close, we wish to reiterate our wholehearted thanks to all our generous Donors for making this project possible. By coming together in a Bayanihan spirit so quickly, we were able to create a program of this scale and importance. This unprecedented assembly of so many of the country’s corporations and business families coming to the assistance of the most vulnerable in our society illustrates and speaks of the heart and generosity of the business community.

Our special thanks go to the 10 Bishops of the Dioceses in Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna, as well as to Caritas Manila under the leadership of Father Anton Pascual, and the network of Parish Priests, Volunteers, and Barangay Captains who distributed the gift certificates door-todoor in the lowest-income communities of Greater Metro Manila. We appreciate the swiftness and efficiency of their work under very difficult conditions and over very long hours each day,” said Project Ugnayan Lead, Fernando Zobel de Ayala.




"We are grateful for this opportunity to be part of this business community effort to help people in a time of crisis. This is a movement we should nurture as we prepare to let people return to work and to re-start our economy in the post-quarantine period.” said PDRF Co-Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.

“The unity in diversity demonstrated by Project Ugnayan reveals the private sector’s serious commitment to help our country recover from the lost economic momentum because of the pandemic. We are proud to be part of this extraordinary collaboration of industries which will prove most valuable in getting the economy back on track,” PDRF Co-Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said.

According to Father Anton CT Pascual, Executive Director of Caritas Manila, the initiative earned praises from Archdiocese of Manila Apostolic Administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo, San Pablo Bishop Buenaventura Famadico and other Prelates of the Suffragan Dioceses of Manila. The Prelates thanked the businessmen and private organization who collectively help to make Project Ugnayan possible.

“The true spirit of Easter is about hope and has special significance in these difficult times. We thank all the generous benefactors of Project Ugnayan for this opportunity to fulfill a great mission of compassion for our vulnerable brothers and sisters. Your gifts have warmed their hearts and uplifted their spirits,” Father Pascual said.

Caritas Manila’s Project Damayan, the project’s main distributor of emergency cash through P1,000
supermarket gift certificates has so far reached 1,070,854 families or 5,354,270 people. It is on
target to deliver gift certificates to 1,366,495 families or 6,832,475 people by Wednesday, April 15
(the original end-date of the Enhanced Community Quarantine).



ABS-CBN’s Pantawid ng Pagibig has reached 238,854 families or 1,194,270 people through food
packs delivered through Local Government Units. They will reach a total of 631,921 families or
3,151,605 people by the end of their program.

ADB and the Government’s Bayan, Bayanihan has delivered food packages to 13,370 families or 66,850 people through the Philippine Army and DSWD. ADB has provided funding to reach 80,000 families or a total of 400,000 people.

Jollibee’s FoodAID program delivers ready-to-cook chicken to low-income families from its commissary through a network composed of Don Bosco, Caritas Manila, and the Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilya ng Pantawid (SNPP). So far, they have delivered to 199,491 families or 977,455 people. They are targeting to reach 500,000 families or 2,500,000 people by end-April.

“In sum, Project Ugnayan and its Partners have reached 1,522,569 families or 7,612,845 people in just over three weeks. This number will rise as all deliveries have already been programmed by the partners,” said Fernando Zobel de Ayala.

The donors of Project Ugnayan are (in alphabetical order): Aboitiz Group, ABSCBN/First Gen, Alaska Milk Corporation, Alliance Global Group & Megaworld, AY Foundation & RCBC, Ayala Corporation. Bench/Suyen Corp, Bonifacio West Devt Corp. Carmelray Group, Cathay Land, Inc, Cebuana Lhullier, Century Pacific, Coca Cola Philippines, Concepcion Industrial, Consuelo "Chito" Madrigal Foundation, Inc., Daiichi Properties, DMCI Group of Companies, Dowell Container and Packaging Corporation, Far Eastern University, First Life Financial Company, Focus Global, Inc., Global Food Group, Glorious Commercial Exports, Inc., Gokongwei Group of Companies/Robinsons Retail Holdings, ICTSI, JAKA Group 1, Jollibee, J.P. Morgan, Kawit Prime Holdings, Inc., Leonio Group, Mercury Drug Corporation, Metrobank, Mumuso Group, National Grid Corp of the Philippines, New World Hotel, Nutri-Asia, Oishi/Liwayway Marketing Group, One Meralco Foundation, Penshoppe, People R People, PepsiCo/PepsiCo Foundation, Philippine Racing Club, Inc, PLDT/Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, Puregold, Ramon S. Ang & Family, RRK/Lee Jeans, Shang Properties Inc, SM/BDO, Sta. Elena Construction, Sugar Junction Inc.. Sunlife of Canada, Super Prime Holdings, Inc, Supreme Steel Pipe Corp, The Alpha Suites Inc., Unilab, and Wilcon Depot.

Friday, April 3, 2020

Akbayan Calls for Vigilance Against Corruption and Abuse amid Humanitarian Crisis


Just over a week, since President Duterte signed the Bayanihan to Heal as One (BAHO) Act, the emergency powers vested on him bared its fangs on the Filipino people.

Alongside the increase of cases of COVID-19, there seems to be an outbreak of violence and rights violations too. Last March 27, a teacher and her son were arrested in General Santos City for criticizing the mayor's inaction on food distribution. On April 1, the NBI filed a case against Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto for insisting on ferrying health workers with tricycles in the city. Later that evening, in reaction to public protest by residents of Sitio San Roque to clamor for food, Duterte ordered the military to "shoot them [any protesters] dead" in a nationwide address. In the morning of April 2, Atty. Chel Diokno released to the public that the NBI has filed subpoenas to individuals for critical opinions on social media.

It is clear in these cases how the BAHO Act has been weaponized to punish and silence critics of the government's insufficient response to the pandemic. The Filipino people need food, cash aid, and solidarity but are instead met with fear and threats of violence. This litany of abuses against civil liberties will continue to grow if we are to turn a blind eye to their actions - precisely what they want by keeping the people silent.

Our vigilance is part of our social solidarity. Government has launched today the social packages for the 18 million families. While we welcome this to aid struggling Filipino families, we demand the transparent and detailed breakdown of the P275 billion. We warn against red tape, unauthorized fees and other impediments in accessing the assistance. We continue our vigilance against corruption and abuse amidst this humanitarian crisis.

The solidarity of the people keep us strong. The health workers who take long shifts, the farmers and fisherfolk who put food on our table, and the ordinary volunteers and donors have kept us safe and strong in the middle of this crisis. While the government continues to threaten us while failing to keep us safe, we must continue to stand for each other against the sickness and the excessive violence they throw at us.