Filipino boys play as big waves hit a park in Navotas, north of Manila, Philippines on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2013. Tropical Depression Maring continued to move east away from Batanes, northern Philippines early Sunday, but rain continue over parts of the country due to the southwest monsoon, weather forecasters said. AP/Aaron Favila
MANILA, Philippines–Corporate Philippines has mobilized efforts to help communities ravaged by the incessant rains and floods that swept across Metro Manila and some parts of Luzon in the last two days.
The San Miguel, First Pacific, Ayala and SM groups were among those that have launched disaster response initiatives to communities affected by Tropical Storm “Maring” and southwest monsoon rains.
As of Tuesday morning, conglomerate San Miguel Corp. through San Miguel Foundation, has donated 3,000 cases of bottled water, over 1,500 boxes of canned goods and boxes of coffee in Parañaque, Laguna and Cavite provinces. The donation benefitted close to 30,000 families. In Rosario, Cavite, meanwhile, Petron Foundation donated goods to around 2,000 beneficiaries.
In addition, SMC turned over P3 million worth of relief goods to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for distribution to critical areas.
The First Pacific group led by Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP) likewise mobilized resources, such as relief goods, financial donation, and rescue team to help flood victims since Monday.
On Tuesday, Pangilinan himself led employees of the MVP group in distributing relief goods to flood victims in Metro Manila and Cavite while calling for more volunteers to join “Tulong Kapatid,” the group’s drive to help people in evacuation centers.
“We have taken it upon ourselves to help the needy in times of disaster, a practice embedded in our culture of responsibility among the group,” Pangilinan said in a press statement, adding that the group would continue with the distribution of relief goods as well as other donations “for as long as our means allow us.”
One Meralco Foundation, Inc., the development arm of Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Co., prepared at least 3,000 bags of relief goods—basic food, water, hygiene kit—for deployment while the TV5 Alagang Kapatid Foundation sent two truckloads of goods to Cavite and Laguna, respectively.
The Ayala group activated a disaster response strategy through various operating units as follows:
– Ayala Land activated concierge booths at Ayala Malls accepting donations in cash and in kind;
– Bank of the Philippine Islands is likewise accepting donations over the counter, via ATM, mobile and online banking facilities;
– Manila Water deployed water tankers to four evacuation centers in affected areas while desludging trucks were sent out to augment MMDA activity;
– Globe Telecom maintains free phone calls, charging and Internet services in affected areas and is also accepting donations through its G-cash facility.
In addition, Ayala Foundation has opened its donation channel Laging Handa (Disaster Relief). For more info, you may refer to https://www.ayalafoundation.org/?ourprograms=laging-handa.
The SM group, though on skeletal force, kept its shopping malls open, except those in Bacoor (Cavite), SM City Manila and SM San Fernando which shut down operations Tuesday afternoon due to breached dike. The operating malls offered temporary refuge to affected communities.
SM Supermalls, together with SM Foundation, started mobilizing donations for storm victims in all its 47 malls nationwide. Donation bins will be made available in the malls. All donations will be coursed through Caritas Manila.
Meanwhile, Pangilinan – who also chairs the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF) – visited victims in the Metro Manila cities of Mandaluyong, Taguig, and Parañaque, and the nearby province of Cavite, along with Michael Toledo, senior vice president for corporate affairs at Philex Mining Corp. and other officials of the MVP group.
Since Monday, Pangilinan’s group prepared one- and five-gallon water jugs and relief goods packages for distribution to various relief centers in the affected areas. It also put in standby rescue and medical teams. The group is also coordinating with the Philippine Business for Social Progress, a non-profit social development entity, for the distribution of more relief goods.
For its part, wireless unit Smart Communications has set up free call stations alongside its participation in group-wide relief efforts.
The executive director of Alagang Kapatid, Menchie Silvestre, said another truck of relief goods was scheduled for dispatched to the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga, depending on the availability of packed relief goods. She also said the truck that went to Cavite distributed goods mainly in the towns of Kawit and Rosario, while the one that was deployed to Laguna served Biñan and Santa Rosa. Alagang Kapatid had likewise served Lower Bicutan, in Taguig; Malanday, Marikina; and San Mateo, Rizal.