MVP Group provides assistance to health workers, communities

The Tulong Kapatid, the corporate social responsibility consortium of companies, foundations and affiliates under the leadership of Manuel V. Pangilinan, conducted a series of relief efforts and activities to help frontline health workers, government response teams as well as some underprivileged and homeless families in Metro Manila.

“We are fully committed to supporting our frontline health workers who are working tirelessly to save lives and to combat this pandemic. We will continue to pour in resources to address the needs and demands of our frontline workers, including PPEs and relief packages,” said PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan.

To date, here are some of the efforts of the Tulong Kapatid:

• Frontline health workers and government hospitals also recently received 14,000 Liters of 70% Ethyl alcohol donation from the Tulong Kapatid. The ethyl alcohol donation was from the Roxol Bioenergy Corporation, a company under the Roxas Holdings, Inc. These were transported and distributed to Metro Manila through the assistance of the Metropac Movers, Inc., PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF) and the Makati Medical Center Foundation. 
• Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), along with Metro Pacific Investments Foundation (MPIF), provided personal protective equipment (PPEs) such as nitrile gloves, goggles, and coveralls, as well as boxes of vitamins to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and the Philippine Genome Center. Initial donation of 500 units of 1,000 virus specimen collection tubes were also turned over to RITM.
• 200 PPEs, 100 boxes of Clusivol, and 10 Tulip Tabletop Water Filters were also donated to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.
• MPIC and MPIF will also provide 1,000 full PPE kits containing surgical face masks, N95 face masks, disposable head caps, disposable shoe covers, disposable coveralls, disposable surgical gowns, and anti-fog goggles to frontliners in s
• everal hospitals and healthcare centers within the region.
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• One Meralco Foundation (OMF) turned over their PPE donation which consisted of goggles, surgical gloves, face shields and face masks to the Rizal Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center, Philippine General Hospital, Lung Center of the Philippines, Lourdes Hospital and Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital.
• PSF and Alagang Kapatid Foundation Inc. (AKFI) turned over hygiene kits and care packages which included N95 and surgical masks to frontline health workers at the Philippine General Hospital and East Avenue Medical Center, National Center for Mental Health, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP), Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital and Veterans Memorial Medical Center.
• PSF in partnership with Makati Medical Center Foundation (MMCF) also turned over 12,500 reusable facemasks to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and hospital health workers and 14,400 pcs of Ascorbic Acid to the Lung Center of the Philippines. Along with that, PSF and MMCF decontaminated facilities of AFP General Headquarters and LCP.
• PSF is continuously preparing to distribute grocery packs, hazmat suits, ascorbic acids and reusable face masks to several hospitals and communities in Metro Manila and other regions.
• Subscribers of PLDT, Smart, Sun and TNT also continue to convert their MVP Rewards to donations to the PSF.
• AKFI distributed relief packs, hygiene kits and bottled water to street dwellers and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
• In coordination with the Philippine Marine Corps, AKFI distributed almost 3,800 servings of cooked food and water bottles from Maynilad to various hospitals and troops.
• AKFI also provided over 4,000 eggs to various communities and hospitals through the Ronald Mcdonald House of Charities. Through various donors, AKFI also turned over several relief packs, masks and plastic rolls to several hospitals in Metro Manila.
• OMF also partnered with AKFI to provide relief packs to homeless families in Quezon City and in Baseco Compound, Manila. Food packages were also provided to marginalized families in Brgy. Buting, Pasig City, in partnership with the Philippine National Police, and in Bacoor and Ternate, Cavite; Las Piñas City, Malabon and Pateros. 
• Meralco provided flood lights to illuminate the parking area of the Lung Center of the Philippines that has been converted into patients’ triage and queueing area.
• Meralco’s electric vehicle subsidiary eSakay also supported Pasig City by providing and operating six electric jeeps to help transport healthcare frontliners to and from Pasig City General Hospital. The initiative began last March 19, 2020.
• Meralco employees raised P1M and has turned over the funds to PDRF’s Project Ugnayan to help feed homeless families in Manila through Caritas Manila’s Project Damayan.
• To help in the mission of the Philippine Genome Center (PGC), Meralco through OMF donated 20 desktop computers to the organization. In order to provide scientists with crucial information to mitigate the spread of the disease, the PGC is sequencing samples from COVID-19 patients admitted at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), The Medical City, and PGH. PGC will also serve as the operations center of a bayanihan effort of various groups within the University of the Philippines system to help respond to the COVID crisis. Around 200 volunteers are expected to participate in this effort.
• Maynilad also provided around 27,000 bottled water to frontline workers from the Philippine Navy, Philippine National Police, Metro Manila Development Authority, National Capital Region Police Office, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Philippine General Hospital, Lourdes Hospital, several local government units, and to various checkpoints in the metropolis. Maynilad also partnered with DPWH in the disinfection of national highways by providing watering points for its disinfection tankers.
• Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, through NLEX, SCTEX, CAVITEX and CALAX, continues to do its work to ensure unhampered movement of goods and transit of personnel of industries allowed to operate amid the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.  It has also supported and cooperated with the Joint Inter-Agency Task Force Covid-19 SHIELD in the set ups and smooth operations of its checkpoints. MPTC also continuously provides shuttling services to health workers of various hospitals. 
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The Tulong Kapatid continues to do its part in empowering Filipinos in the time of the COVID-19 crisis. Its commitment to provide a nationwide service is anchored on its core value of malasakit. The Tulong Kapatid fuels sparks of hope as it reaches out to various sectors and communities, including frontline health workers, government response teams and the underprivileged.

Above all, these efforts are ultimately inspired by the frontline workers who are working tirelessly to combat this pandemic. The commitment to serve is now seen through the lens of every frontline worker – a doctor, a nurse, a checkpoint officer, a janitor, a food delivery personnel. Each one of them changing the narrative of what resiliency means into something deeper – one that encompasses bravery and strength. One that can only be aptly described as being a hero.

Here’s to our frontline heroes.  

Parokya Ni Edgar, Gloc-9 and Shanti Dope Drop Rocking New "Pati Pato" Remix

After releasing the highly-anticipated hip-hop collab  "Pati Pato" in October 2019, Chito Miranda, Gloc-9, Shanti Dope, and DJ Klumcee are teaming up once again for a rockin' new remix. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6Go-8ordLE

The "Pati Pato (Parokya Mix)" not only includes the four artists, but also brings the rest of Parokya Ni Edgar to join the rock reimagining. Now enhanced with with blasting and bold guitar and percussion backings, fans of the Parokya rock vibe and the fiery hot OPM collab will be on their toes with this new mix.

Pati Pato (Parokya Remix) is now available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, and all digital stores under Universal Records.

Sarah Geronimo is now a TNT Ka-Tropa

TNT, the Filipino people’s brand, is welcoming the country’s Popstar Royalty into its family. Sarah has also joined TNT to help in its goal to provide relief and optimism in these particularly trying times — not only to her millions of Popsters, but also to every Filipino doing his or her best to make it through these challenges.

“Ako po ay masaya at bahagi na ako ng TNT Family. Maraming salamat po sa pagkakataon na maging bahagi ng isang misyon to keep Filipinos connected and entertained all the time,” said Sarah. 

 “We welcome Sarah Geronimo to the TNT family, and with her, we hope to continue uplifting Filipinos through our services. Sarah is also the personification of TNT in the sense that she grew up entertaining the public and kept her fans connected because of her songs and movies," said Jane J. Basas, SVP and Head for Consumer Individual Wireless Business of Smart.

Geronimo also understands that Filipinos need more encouragement at this time, which is why she plans to use her new status as a TNT endorser to be an inspiring figure, doing what she can to help Filipinos cope with the current situation.

“Sa panahon ngayon, importante po na meron pa rin tayong kaunting tawanan, kantahan, sayawan para po mas mapagaan ang pagdala ng ating buhay sa araw-araw,” she says in a teaser video addressed to TNT subscribers. “Ako po at ang TNT ay may solusyon para diyan para bigyan po kayo ng saya kahit kailan kahit saan abangan po ninyo.”

Enjoy TikTok with TNT Giga Stories 50

Amid these uncertain times, TNT subscribers can get a dose of happiness and entertainment every day through TikTok, the latest social media app that’s got everybody — from your friends and family to all your favorite celebrities, influencers, and online personalities — sharing their dance covers, dubs, and more, just being fun online.

Watch everyone’s TikTok videos and upload your own as much as you want when you subscribe to TNT’s GIGA Stories promo for as low as P50 for 1 GB per day of TikTok, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram, valid for three days. To register, simply dial *123#.

You can experience great entertainment anytime, anywhere on your phone with TNT’s mobile internet, which is powered by Smart LTE, the country's fastest mobile network, as certified by global internet testing firms Ookla and Opensignal.

For more info and updates on TNT and its promos, follow TNT on Facebook at fb.com/TNTph, at @tntph on Twitter and Instagram, or visit tntph.com. 

Hygienix helps stop the spread of COVID-19

There now exists a definite duty for every Filipino to help stop the spread of COVID-19. And one of the simplest things we can do as individuals is to sanitize- either by washing our hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis or by using alcohol if handwashing is unfeasible. 

Even before, and more so at this time of COVID-19, Hygienix has been making products that aim to protect people from disease-causing bacteria. Hygienix products effectively eliminate viruses, kill germs, and destroy harmful bacteria, while keeping the skin energized and moisturized at the same time!

In the frontline for Hygienix in the battle against COVID-19 is the Hygienix Germicidal Soap. Hygienix Germicidal Soap kills 99.99% of germs and common disease-causing bacteria with every use! And because it has a non-drying formula and refreshing scent, frequent handwashing with Hygienix Germicidal Soap turns out to be a pleasure, not just a necessity.

Apart from soap, Hygienix also has two alcohol products that’s proven to fight off COVID-19. 

Its two alcohol variants: the Hygienix Germ Kill Alcohol and Hygienix Germ Kill Alcohol with Moisturizer both effectively kill 99.9% of germs. That’s because both variants also boast of disinfectant and antiseptic properties! What’s more, it’s safe for frequent use because it does not dry the skin. Hygienix Germ Kill Alcohol is available in 60ml, 150ml, 250ml, and 500ml sizes, while Germ Kill Alcohol with Moisturizer is available in 250ml and 500ml–– perfect to keep handy around the house or bring with you wherever you go. 

Hygienix assures that it is working double time to keep pace with the stronger demand for soap and alcohol. More than ever, Hygienix fully knows how crucial its role is in helping arm people with the best defenses possible to help stop the spread of COVID-19. 

Smile Train Philippines Announces Virtual Speech Camp 2020

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Smile Train Philippines will be holding their Speech Camp 2020, a series of virtual speech therapy classes for cleft patients during this enhanced community quarantine period (ECQ).

The world’s leading cleft organization will hold live sessions with its local experts through Facebook, which will run from April 1 to April 8, 2020.

Interested individuals may refer to the schedule below and follow the Smile Train Speech Camp page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechBySmileTrain/

Virtual Speech Therapy: April 1, 2:00-3:00PM

●      By Speech Language Pathologist Veronica Yu from the University of Sto. Tomas

DLSU Telecamp: April 4, 9:00-10:00 AM and 1:30-2:30PM

 April 8, 9:00-10:00AM

●      By the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, De La Salle University Health Sciences Institute

“Speech Camp 2020 is an initiative to enable our patients to continue their learning and speech sessions throughout the ECQ. We hope that this will also serve as an opportunity for other patients who are unable to physically attend sessions during the year,” said Smile Train South East Asia Area Director Kimmy Flaviano.

Smile Train hopes to hold more classes in the coming weeks. For more information about Smile Train’s global efforts and to donate, please visit smiletrain.org. To learn more about Smile Train’s local programs in the Philippines, please visit smiletrain.ph, follow Smile Train Philippines on Twitter and Instagram @SmileTrainPh, and like us on Facebook at @SmileTrainPhilippines.

SM distributes PPEs and medical supplies to over 50 hospitals nationwide

 Through SM Foundation, SM is donating over PhP 170 million towards the fight against COVID-19, surpassing its initial allocation of PhP 100 million, to help ensure: 

-       Healthcare workers in hospitals nationwide are armored with personal protective equipment (PPEs) – full protective suits (including for ICU use), face shields, gloves, N95 masks, surgical masks, goggles, and including raincoats as requested by some hospitals as back-up alternatives

-       Testing is made more widely available, by supporting and donating the local Manila Healthtek test kits developed by the UP-NIH team (upon DOH approval), providing the testing needs of RITM, and donating FDA-approved PCR kits sourced from Korea.

-       Providing ICU-grade ventilators to help hospitals manage patients with severe cases. 

Among the hospitals that received PPE donations as of March 27, 2020 are the following designated COVID hospitals: 

o University of the Philippines PGH

o Lung Center of the Philippines

o Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital

Major Government Hospitals:

o Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM)

o National Kidney and Transplant Institute

o San Lazaro Hospital

o East Avenue Medical Center

o Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center

o Philippine Heart Center

o National Children’s Hospital

o Rizal Medical Center

Other hospitals include, Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, Chinese General Hospital, University of the East Ramon Magsaysay (UERM) Memorial Medical Center, Manila Doctors Hospital, University of Sto. Tomas Hospital, Makati Medical Center, The Medical City, Ospital mg Muntinlupa, and more. 

Several shipments of PPEs are also on their way to provincial hospitals nationwide, including Rizal, Pampanga, Bataan, Quezon, Pangasinan, Catanduanes,  Cebu, Iloilo, Samar, Tacloban, Surigao del Sur, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Marawi, Zamboanga, and more.

SM has committed to be of service to the Filipino public, its hospitals, and its government, in ensuring that we all contain and overcome the COVID-19 crisis together.

URC extends community support to other parts of the Philippines

Universal Robina Corporation (URC) has expanded its efforts to communities in other areas of the country, to help mitigate the spread of the deadly coronavirus in the country.

URC Sugar and Renewables Division (URC SURE) is donating relief goods as well as sanitation and hygiene products to various checkpoints and Disaster Relief and Rescue Management offices in Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Batangas Province, Panay island and Tuguegarao City.

URC, along with the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF), has donated cases of Great Taste Coffee, Nissin Noodles, Vitasoy Milk, Magic Crackers and other food products to local government units.

These donations have so far reached policemen, soldiers and barangay officials manning checkpoints, in some cities in Metro Manila as well as Tarlac, Laguna, Batangas and Pampanga.

URC and GBF have also been distributing snacks, biscuits, candies, soymilk and instant coffee to several hospitals and checkpoints. These include the Philippine Lung Center, East Avenue Hospital, the Philippine Heart Center, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, and the Department of Health’s Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Units in the National Capital Region and Region 4A.

“Since this problem is not just unique to Metro Manila, we are trying to extend our efforts across the Philippines. We’re all in the same boat, and we all must do whatever we can to help those in the frontline giving their all to keep all of us safe,” said Irwin Lee, URC president & CEO.

The Gokongwei Brothers Foundation earlier created a P100-million fund to support the government’s efforts to contain the virus.