SPECIAL FEATURES
Vicki Belo, Ben Chan, Kevin Tan, Aivee Teo, Dennis Uy, and Camille Villar’s philanthropic efforts support employee welfare and aid frontliners while keeping their businesses afloat
protection of those afflicted by COVID-19. Hospitals and other leading medical institutions nationwide also get free internet access care of GoWifi. Other locations that benefit from this effort include supermarkets nationwide and at Terminals 1-3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Employing its extensive reach of 20 million users, GCash— Globe’s mobile wallet, spearheaded a #FightCOVID19 fund-raising drive for prominent charitable institutions such as Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), Philippine Red Cross (PRC), World Vision, UP Medical Foundation, PGH Foundation, Inc., ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, and Ayala Foundation. “The circumstances that we face today require the solidarity and cooperation of everyone more than ever,” said Ernest Cu in a statement. “By giving our customers the opportunity to donate their Rewards points to a greater cause, we wish to reiterate the importance of standing and working together, despite the challenges of social distancing and limitation of resources.”
As part of their philanthropic efforts, employees also helped raise P10 million through their #OneGlobeVsCOVID drive for medicine, protection gears, food, salaries of those unable to travel to their respective offices, and other daily needs of the people who are spending hours outside to protect and serve their fellowmen.
With regards to their workforce, employees are provided with their regular salary, an early release of bonuses and incentives, an additional 5 GB broadband data allowance for telecommuting, access to an Online COVID-19 Information Center and Helpdesk, and an Internal Employee Health Check Monitoring Process. Employees who continue to work as part of the skeletal workforce receive food allowance, transportation, accommodation, insurance, and medical expense assistance.
Manny Pangilinan who in a series of tweets has expressed his companies’ commitment to abetting the workforce at the advent of Luzon’s lockdown. Aside from the work-from-home arrangements, the entire organization will continue to receive bonuses and salaries, reserving the use of vacation and sick leaves, as well as granting employees’ 13th-month pay in advance. An estimated P600 million will be spent by the company to implement these. “We will be raising more funds to help in the coming days,” the business magnate said.
The Aboitiz Group sustained its more than 11,000 employees with a P900 million fund by releasing their 13th- and 14th-month salaries. All COVID-19-related medical expenses will be shouldered by the group. And while work-from-home arrangements are implemented, the skeletal taskforce in charge of the unavoidable perpetuation of business operations are properly compensated with food, transport, and accommodation provisions.
By mid-March, San Miguel Corporation President Ramon Ang assured all members of the organization that regardless of the temporary slowdown of operations, SMC employees will receive their complete salaries. The corporation’s efforts have reached P878 million by April, one of the largest so far. This comprises a personal donation from Ramon himself worth P100 million, P500 million worth of PPEs for distribution to frontliners, P100 million worth of food supplies, Ginebra San Miguel Inc.’s commitment to supply ethyl alcohol, and free use of SMC tollways valued at P1.1 million. “We are in a race against time to try and stop the spread of Covid-19 virus. Our government and healthcare front liners need all the support and help they can get,” Ang said. “It is our sense of duty and obligation, pagkakaisa and malasakit that will see us through these difficult times.”
A CALL FOR SOLIDARITY
As businesses brace itself on the economic implications presented by the novel coronavirus, companies are starting to revisit and reevaluate contracts to prevent impending closures. Most events have been on ice since the onslaught of the epidemic— putting hiring on hold, with media buys canceled and postponed, and freezing production operations, brands are now scrambling to figure out which contractual obligations to accomplish and which ones to evade for the time being.
An article from the Center of American Progress supposes that by abetting these vulnerable individuals, companies ensure three crucial components of surviving the crisis: the workforce’s capability to afford and access basic necessities, a certain amount of control over their own lives in this time of hardship, and the possible avoidance of the grim consequences of financial disaster. By empowering consumption, businesses, in turn, can invest more, directly affecting economic activity and igniting the preferred economic growth. “Consumption and investments are the cornerstones of a full economic recovery.” The coronavirus has already impeded the revival of global economic growth experienced in the latter part of 2019. And as uncertainty ebbs, the severity and extent of the immediate impacts of demand and supply rest on the hands of the government’s measures to contain the spread of the virus.
In the aftermath of signing the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act last March 24, the President announced the employment of a P200 billion fund to assist indigent communities throughout the crisis. Having been granted special powers after declaring the country under a state of emergency, the President has aligned with local governments in the implementation of the act amidst nationwide fear of possible derailment. But many other factors come into play: the chronic shortage of test kits, personal protective equipment, and highly specialized medical workers pose a bigger problem and circle back to the foundations of the dilemma. And in this vicious cycle, one can only hope for the best— that those who are able can succeed. Hence, the call to action.
From munificent individuals to small-scale businesses, local corporations to global conglomerates, the crisis has proven that everyone is capable of charity. And whether help comes financially or in kind, the authenticity of intent makes all the difference. Humanity’s enduring spirit is fueled by social conscience, inspires more through kindness and selflessness, and ultimately, persists with our hope for survival. Charles Darwin's view, as reflected on his On the Origin of Species, offers a simple scientific conclusion on the subsistence of life—evolution is crucial. As humans evolve, so do their actions. And in business where profit is king, the crisis has altered the definition to an often neglected but more valuable currency—life. And so, we do more, to be more.