Within and beyond communities
SMDC has been one with us in our efforts to ensure the security and safety of our communities through crime awareness and prevention seminars and workshops
The kindness and support for entrepreneurs never stop at SM Development Corporation (SMDC) as it continues its The Good Guys program. In 2019, the initiative aimed to foster community spirit, promote healthy lifestyles and develop secure and safe neighborhoods across SMDC developments. It has even expanded its services outside its own properties.
On 30 September, the real estate developer donated face shields to the Philippine National Police (PNP) frontliners as part of the Protect Our Community initiative of The Good Guys program. The shields were received by Lieutenant General Guillermo L. Eleazar, Deputy Chief for Administration and JTF COVID Shield Commander.
“SMDC has been one with us in our efforts to ensure the security and safety of our communities through crime awareness and prevention seminars and workshops,” Gen. Eleazar said. “Today, SMDC has gone beyond its own communities through this donation to our police frontliners.”
Protect Our Community is a series of workshops on crime awareness and prevention, emergency preparedness and fire safety. The workshops have been done in partnership with the PNP, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine National Red Cross.
At the onset of the pandemic and the subsequent quarantine, SMDC beefed up its The Good Guys program to mitigate the health risks posed by the pandemic and to address the needs of its communities.
Sanitation and social distancing protocols were set up in all of SMDC developments. Regular disinfection has been diligently conducted during the last seven months. “Knowing that SMDC has been taking extra measures to keep our homes safe makes me feel secure and less anxious in these difficult times. I am glad I chose to stay here,” says Denise Ayzon of Jazz Residences in Makati.
SMDC residents themselves have shown altruism in these trying times.
In keeping with the health advocacy of The Good Guys, SMDC partnered with the Red Cross and SM Foundation to conduct a Health and Wellness Caravan at SMDC properties. The Caravan was intended to provide non-COVID-19 health services to elderly and PWD residents and staff. To date, the caravan has been in 12 properties. Living-alone elderlies and PWD residents have been provided with personal shopping services for their food and medicine needs. This initiative not only has helped the residents; motorcycle riders have also had an extra source of income doing essentials deliveries for the PWD and elderly residents.
Around 26,000 local farmers benefited from the Good Guys Weekend Market. The market has provided a safe avenue for residents to purchase fresh produce. It has become a regular fixture at SMDC developments, servicing 15 properties around the Metro.
Weekend Market was expanded into a Mercato, a business platform for 130 resident-entrepreneurs affected by the lockdown. These are overseas Filipino workers forced to come home, business owners who had to close shop and laid off employees who needed a new source of income. SMDC allowed them to set up shop at the Weekend Market to be able to augment their family income.
SMDC residents themselves have shown altruism in these trying times. Early in the lockdown, they donated groceries, PPE, masks and shields, blankets and clothes to service staff who were forced to stay in the properties because of transportation limitations. With the easing up of the quarantine, they have helped out in The Good Guys activities, whether as nurse volunteers or receptionists or overseer of Weekend Market set-ups.