One Meralco Foundation brings lasting impact to Filipino communities through grassroots partnerships
Strong collaboration and the collective desire to create a lasting and meaningful impact play a valuable role in developing sustainable and socially inclusive communities. For One Meralco Foundation (OMF), this meant forging strategic partnerships with various people’s organizations in local communities that promote responsible stewardship among residents.
Through its grassroots partnership advocacies, OMF spreads light and hope to Filipinos in need, including those who have been affected by natural disasters such as typhoons, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruption.
MALASAKIT AS THE DRIVING FORCE
Armed with malasakit as a core value, OMF joins forces with various organizations and government agencies to immediately extend assistance to residents within and beyond the Manila Electric Company’s (Meralco) franchise area.
Just recently, OMF responded to Filipino communities across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, that were affected by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng by providing relief packages and other necessities.
Within and beyond its franchise area, OMF provided 11,050 relief packs to the provinces of San Pedro Laguna, Buenavista Quezon, Marinduque in Luzon, Aklan, Antique and Capiz in Visayas and Maguindanao and Zamboanga City in Mindanao and supported the call for donations of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) Officers’ Ladies Club for the affected families of the comrades in Lipa City in Batangas and in Sangley Point in Cavite. OMF reached out to communities that did not immediately receive relief from other governments and non-government
organizations with the help of its partners in the Visayas, particularly Kalibo Save the Mangroves, the Rotary Club of Kalibo and The Tree Hugger Movement, the University of Antique.
In Mindanao, OMF teamed up with Alagang Kapatid Foundation to distribute relief goods in the province of Maguindanao. It also supported the Ateneo Lady Aguilas Basketball (ALAB) Team of Ateneo de Zamboanga University to help families affected by flooding in the province.
Prior to Typhoon Paeng, OMF responded to various disasters within and outside the Meralco franchise area. More than 17,000 families affected by typhoons, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruption — benefitted from OMF’s donation of food bags, sleeping mats, and cavans of rice. It also partnered with Alagang Kapatid to distribute hot meals to the affected families.
When Typhoon Agaton lashed Eastern Visayas last April, OMF flew to Baybay, Leyte to donate food bags to 200 families, as well as to the municipalities of Sigma and Pontevedra in Capiz where 631 more families have been affected.
In Sorsogon, 628 families were provided relief assistance following the eruption of Mt. Bulusan. OMF also immediately provided food packages to 600 families, including the families of the local government employees of the municipality of Juban.
OMF was also one of the first non-profits to assist families in Abra affected by the country’s strongest earthquake. Following the disaster, OMF provided 200 solar lamps in two of the heavily affected barangays — Sallapadan Bario and Lingay, and distributed goods to families in Barangays Ud-udiao and Lamao in the municipality of Bucloc.
Beyond relief donations, Meralco also extended help to its fellow electricity distributors outside the National Capital Region. Last year, Meralco formed a contingent of more than 140 linemen and engineers to help electricity distributors in Cebu and Bohol following the devastation of Super Typhoon Odette.
In Cebu, over 80 engineers and linemen, and 21 vehicles have been deployed to help Visayan Electric Co. (VECO) and Mactan Electric Co. (MECO) restored electricity service in several parts of the province.
In Bohol, during the emergency response phase, OMF provided 30 generator sets for the province. For the power restoration, close to 60 personnel, along with 13 vehicles, have supported Bohol Light Company Inc. and Bohol Electric Cooperative II with the help of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Thanks to the help of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Navy and 2Go Travel, among others, Meralco was also able to transport its personnel, vehicles, and heavy equipment in the affected areas.
OMF, meanwhile, coordinated with other non-profit organizations and local government units for the distribution of close to 5,000 relief packages to affected families in Siargao Island, Surigao, Leyte, Palawan, Cebu, Bohol, Dinagat Islands and Guihulngan in Negros Oriental.
In Dinagat Islands, Siargao and Surigao City, OMF provided three (3) generator sets to help the affected residents and distributed 140 solar torches which were donated by Power 4 All.
Malasakit, along with the values of kalinga and bayanihan, has been ingrained in the Meralco culture, and OMF is a testament that no natural disaster or global pandemic can hinder the company from answering the call for help.
A GOVERNMENT PARTNER IN NATION-BUILDING
OMF is also a proven active partner of the government in nation-building, with its various initiatives and programs supporting government agencies, LGUs, and other organizations.
In celebration of Earth Day 2022 held in April, OMF formally turned over the vertical garden to the City of Manila and the Philippine Normal University for the green initiatives of the Manila local government. The vertical garden spans 152 meters and consists of 33 panels with more than 5,000 plants and a drip irrigation system powered by a booster pump to ensure that the plants will survive even amid the dry season.
To support the improvement of the Manila Zoo and Botanical Garden, OMF likewise donated wooden poles to the LGU’s Public Recreations Bureau.
OMF also extended assistance to the Pasig LGU’s participation in the Pasig River Rehabilitation Program through the donation of cleaning materials such as rakes, rain boots and raincoats that were used by the Pasig River Coordinating and Management Office (PRCMO) during their clean-up operations.
To help improve the day-to-day report preparations of the Philippine National Police (PNP), OMF donated refurbished computers to the Eastern Police District and Southern Police District and partnered with Meralco Power Academy which conducted an online seminar on Industrial Electrical Safety for PNP personnel.
To support the implementation of PNP’s Intensified Cleanliness Policy (ICP), OMF donated wooden poles to the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 4-A — 401st Maneuver Company, for the renovation of camp facilities.
In support fire safety, Meralco donated two vehicles to the BFP to be used for the extrication and rescue exercise of their personnel, as well as retired steel cross arms to be used for the construction of training obstacles and other related skills trainings to BFP-Calamba City Fire Station, Calamba, Laguna.
EDUCATION SUPPORT ‘CRUCIAL’
Cognizant of the huge value of education, OMF actively supported educational programs through various initiatives such as scholarships and school supplies donation for the growth and development of Filipino students.
When the COVID-19 pandemic severely dented global economies and health, the need to strengthen the country’s healthcare system became more crucial. As part of its support, OMF partnered with the Pasig LGU and the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health last March to provide medical scholarships to Pasiguenos who aspire to become doctors.
Under the program, OMF shouldered the scholars’ major expenses such as tuition fees and miscellaneous fees, while the Pasig LGU was responsible for their recurring expenses such as uniform allowance, food, and transportation subsidies. After successfully completing the course, they will return to Pasig City to serve in public hospitals including the Pasig City General Hospital and the Pasig City Children’s Hospital or even in the Pasig City Health Department.
To support the maintenance needs and of the Philippine National School for the Blind, OMF donated an extension ladder to their management to ensure that the workers and personnel will effectively execute tasks without compromising safety at the workplace.
To support the program of the Ateneo Center for Educational Development (ACED), OMF provided 1,700 vegetable packs last March 2 and 9, 2022 to students from 10 public schools and various communities with young mothers in Quezon City. OMF also sourced vegetables from its One for Trees partner, Green Earth and from local farmers in Batangas.
This Christmas, OMF in partnership with ACED and MVP Tulong Kapatid Foundation, donated 1,000 packs of Noche Buena packs to marginalized families in Quezon City from the prize won by Meralco in the X-trash challenge Year 2.
In August 2022, OMF also took part in the government’s National Brigada Eskwela held at the Imus Pilot Elementary School in Cavite.
On top of Meralco’s usual tree pruning operations, OMF supported other initiatives for teachers and students through its annual Back-to-School program. This 2022, OMF donated thermometers with automatic alcohol dispensers to ensure sanitation and safety of the pupils and teachers during learning. OMF also distributed Balik Eskwela kits to 3,252 students from 57 schools in Meralco’s North, South and Central Business Areas and four (4) schools in the Visayas. This program is in partnership with Meralco Employees Fund Charity Inc. (MEFCI) and donors such as Lenovo Foundation,
All these programs and initiatives will never be successful if not for the help of the Meralco employees through their donations and volunteerism during crisis situations.
This was even more pronounced when Meralco employees raised as much as P2.34 million from three fund-raising activities alone to be used for the “Balik Eskwela,” “Earth Day, Everyday” and Typhoon Paeng initiatives.
One Meralco Foundation stayed committed to its advocacies, and through partnerships and volunteerism within Meralco’s employees, OMF was able to provide sustainable solutions from disaster response to education. OMF shall continue to encourage the One Meralco community to contribute by taking responsibility and action for their community and country.
Malasakit, along with the values of kalinga and bayanihan, has been ingrained in the Meralco culture, and OMF is a testament that no natural disaster or global pandemic can hinder the company from answering the call for help.