Coca-Cola earmarks P150M for COVID-19 relief efforts

Coca-Cola Philippines will spend P150 million to help front-liners and vulnerable communities during this health crisis, as the popular beverage company decides to stop advertising and spend its budget for such on urgent humanitarian needs.

The money will be spent to deliver Coca-Cola products, including soft drinks and Wilkins water, to health workers and front-liners in public and private hospitals.

The fund will also be spent on providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to health workers in partnership with TOWNS Foundation and UP Medical Foundation.

The company will also deliver food packs to the most vulnerable families and communities. It is working with nongovernmental organizations Caritas Manila and Rise Against Hunger for this effort.

Coca-Cola will likewise provide support to its distributors who serve small sari-sari stores and carinderias.

Coca-Cola’s move marks another effort of the private sector to step up in a time when many see the government falling short of expectations given the problematic implementation of the Luzon-wide quarantine.

“We are deeply concerned about the growing impact of COVID-19 in the Philippines, especially in the most vulnerable parts of our communities,” said company president and general manager Winn Everhart in a statement.