NGCP gives P1B assistance to govt anti-virus efforts

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay: The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines ( NGCP) will be giving a P1-billion aid in support of President Rodrigo Duterte and the national government’s efforts to combat the outbreak of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the country.

In a statement, Nilda Somera, NGCP regional corporate communications and public affairs lead specialist, said the grid operator and transmission service provider would be donating the amount to help medical frontliners fighting the deadly disease.

“The NGCP will be supporting

the ongoing battle against the pandemic with a P 500- million donation in the form of goods and medical equipment and another P500 million for the procurement of other Covid19 response measures, as may be determined by the Office of the President,” Somera added.

She said the P1- billion donation is over and above earlier NGCP assistance, including personal protective equipment ( PPE), face masks, meal and other supplies for the frontline workers in the health industry, and the Meals on Wheels program that distributes hot meals to indigent members of the community.

“Through our initial coordination with the Office of the President, we were instructed to donate entirely in the form of medical equipment, with specific items such as video laryngoscopes, ventilators and total face masks,” Somera added.

The NGCP’s technical partner, the State Grid Corp. of China, also donated 500,000 face masks through the Philippine Red Cross.

“Our stakeholders, particularly the public, can be assured that the NGCP will continue to look for opportunities to support the government I in battling this pandemic. We recognize that the only way to defeat this global health threat is through our collective efforts,” the statement said.

The NGCP is a Filipino- led, privately owned company in charge of operating, maintaining and developing the country’s power grid, led by majority shareholders Henry Sy Jr. and Robert Coyiuto.