Private sector ups ante in aid for Odette survivors but more help needed

MANILA, Philippines—The country’s largest companies joined forces to donate and funnel aid toward survivors of Super Typhoon Odette, according to the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), the primary vehicle for private sector support during emergencies.

The powerful storm made nine landfalls in Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Negro Oriental, and Palawan, causing significant damage to food and water supplies, infrastructure, electricity, communication, and transportation.

Appealing for further aid, PDFR said cash donations were preferred to allow them to procure ready-to-eat food, water, temporary shelter, shelter repair toolkits, hygiene kits, jerry cans, generators, solar-powered lamps, flashlights, fuel, and debris clearing.

Donations can be sent via https://www.pdrf.org/how-you-can-help/.

PDRF also opened international platforms through Go Fund Me and GavaGives where people worldwide can donate. In addition, Fintech Alliance PH, PayMaya, and Give2Asia have launched their own donation campaigns to help PDRF collect funds to procure and distribute relief aid.

“According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, more than 1.3 million individuals have been affected by the typhoon and more than half a million people have been displaced, with many seeking shelter in more than 2,500 evacuation centers around the country,” PDRF said.

PDRF said private sector partners had been actively supporting typhoon victims over the past week.

It said in the statement Jollibee Foods and McDonald’s Kindness Kitchen provided food to over 33,000 individuals while conglomerate San Miguel Corp. turned over 10 trucks full of canned goods to the Armed Forces of the Philippines for distribution.

Pilipinas Shell distributed P2.5M worth of food packs, water, and hygiene kits and provided fuel supply support while Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines and Manila Water donated thousands of gallons of drinking water to be distributed to affected areas.

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. donated relief goods to Cebu and Southern Leyte. Another P2.4 million in commitments came from Maynilad Water Services, Metro Pacific Investment Corp., and Peace and Equity Foundation.

Smart Communications and Globe Telecom distributed aid and established free calling and charging stations to areas badly-hit by the storm.

Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Asia Philippines also airlifted essential goods and personnel to affected areas. Moreover, AirAsia said it will offer seats to humanitarian workers and free cargo space to transport relief goods.

Lorenzo Shipping and the Philippine Liner Shipping Association have also committed free pier-to-pier transportation of goods to the affected islands while Consunji Construction sent teams to repair evacuation shelters in Siargao and Cebu.

Ayala Corp. and Ayala Malls provided temporary shelter to customers while BPI designated evacuation centers for their employees in Cagayan de Oro, Tacloban, Bacolod, and Iloilo.

PDRF is headed by co-chairs Manuel V. Pangilinan, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.

“As an alliance of businesses dedicated to building the disaster management capabilities of the private sector in the country, it works on all areas: prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation and recovery,” PDRF said.

TSB