SAN MIGUEL Corp. (SMC) is mounting another food donation drive to assist poor communities in Metro Manila, which the government placed again under the strictest quarantine measures due to rising coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.
Ramon S. Ang, SMC president and chief operating officer, said a statement on Sunday that the company sent out boxes of canned goods to assist local government units (LGUs) in providing food for their constituents.
Mr. Ang said the company is initially donating 86,400 pieces of canned goods that are set to benefit 17,280 families across Metro Manila LGUs.
He added that SMC committed to deliver 148,200 packs of NutriBun bread to benefit soup kitchens, medical frontliners, and villages in Pasig City.
“From our experience last year, we know that providing food is a big help to many Filipinos, especially those who live on daily paid work. If they’re unable to work, they won’t be able to put food on their tables. This is our way of helping at least narrow that gap and help keep people from hunger,” Mr. Ang said in the statement.
He added that the company will continue to keep in touch with LGUs and pledged to give more if there is a bigger demand from communities.
“We all have to do our part to ease the strain on our hospitals and medical frontliners at this time. We have to help stop the spread and stay at home. To do this, we also have to ensure our least fortunate countrymen will not go hungry,” Mr. Ang said.
SMC said it donated more than P516 million worth of food as part of its food donation drive last year.
Its weekly NutriBun donation drive also continued, with more than 100,000 buns donated to communities in Malolos, Bulacan; Tondo, Manila; Payatas, Quezon City; and Caloocan.
Meanwhile, SMC said it has other initiatives such as its own feeding center and food bank in Tondo, its own COVID-19 testing facility, a ready market for farmers produce across its Petron gas stations, and free COVID-19 vaccine for employees, among others.
“All aspects of our lives have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Just as we have at the beginning, we remain committed to helping out in any way we can, be it through immediate assistance and relief, to helping our country with long-term recovery efforts,” Mr. Ang said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave