SMC no let up on COVID response
With the end of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) still not in sight in the near future, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) continues its commitment to help the government in fighting the pandemic in its own efficient way.
Just recently, the SMC turned over 45 Adult Nasal High Flow (HFNC) machines to the government’s National Task Force (NTF) for COVID 19 to boost the country’s weapons in combatting the deadly respiratory disease.
The machines were given by SMC vice president for Corporate Affairs Kin Lichauco and SMC vice president for Procurement Rose Liaoanag to NTF chairman and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.
The turnover was also witnessed by Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad, NTF Chief Implementer and Peace Process Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Bases Conversion and Development Authority President and NTF Deputy Chief Implementer Vince Dizon, Department of Health Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo and Office of Civil Defense Director Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV.
“San Miguel hopes that the public hospital health system will benefit from these donations,” Lichauco said.
Lorenzana, meanwhile, expressed his gratitude to
SMC President Ramon Ang for the continuous support of the corporation to country’s response to COVID-19.
“Many say the recovery rate of the PGH and other hospitals is rising because of the introduction of the High-flow nasal cannula. This is non-invasive and does not require intubation,” Lorenzana said.
We are committed to protecting motorists and our tollway operators and ensuring that everyone’s health is safeguarded by limiting personal contact and going 100 percent RFID on tollroads that we operate.
Dizon, on the other hand, has also commended the SMC for quickly stepping in to help during the crisis.
“I think, among the private sector groups I think San Miguel stands out as one of those who have responded fastest and responded in a dramatic way to this call by the President for everybody to pitch in and help,” Dizon said. “The contributions that they have given to this effort have been way, way more than what was expected and especially for Mr. Ang with the difficulties he and his family have gone through for the past of couple of months. You know, it’s just really something amazing, that they’ve manage to rise above those personal and family difficulties and really come to help the country in such a huge way.”
As part of its COVID-19 response, the SMC previously donated numerous personal protective equipment (PPE), food items, provided fuel for government’s shuttle services for frontliners and extended other assistance.
The multinational company also delivered high flow nasal cannula to Philippine General Hospital on 3 June, while the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Visayas is set to receive HFNC machines.
SMC allocated five HFNC machines each for both hospitals.
The Office of Civil Defense, meantime, said that it will coordinate with the Department of Health (DoH) for the dispatch of nasal high flow machines to various hospitals.
The high flow nasal cannula is used for supplemental oxygen therapy to people having respiratory distress.
The conglomerate also announced that SMC Tollways will soon go cashless on all toll roads it operates as it continues to find ways to help curb the spread of COVID-19 and save more lives in the absence of a cure to the disease that has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide.
SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang said that its SMC Tollways will offer free installation of RFID stickers not only to public utility vehicles, but to all types of vehicles that use the following — Skyway, NAIA Expressway, South Luzon Expressway, Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR Tollways), and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway.
The move to go 100 percent RFID was recommended by the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) through the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
The first phase of SMC Tollways plan covers the elevated section of the Skyway, NAIAX and SLEX and will take effect
The LTFRB directive covers public utility vehicles such as buses, jeepneys and utility vans, but SMC said that it is taking it one step further by including all vehicles in all categories.
“We are committed to protecting motorists and our tollway operators and ensuring that everyone’s health is safeguarded by limiting personal contact and going 100 percent RFID on tollroads that we operate,” Ang said.
Getting RFID will be convenient and accessible with a scheme called “RFID To Go” where the sticker can be installed at the lanes with a minimum P200 load for Class 1 vehicles and an amount equivalent to farthest toll for Class 2 and 3.