MVP Group pours help into Siargao
With or without the pandemic, the spirit of ‘Bayanihan’ has always been alive, with many Filipinos ready to extend assistance to those who need it.
The healthcare industry was among the hardest hit when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country two years ago.
At its peak, we’re all a witness to the challenges that include insufficient hospital beds and medical supplies. Amid the surge in infection rate, our fellow Filipinos endured queuing up at hospitals, and at times, even had to isolate in their own homes due to the limited capacity of facilities. Our healthcare workers are the ones who sacrificed the most — with a lot of them spending more time caring for patients, away from their own families; and when infected, choosing to isolate with not much support for the good of many.
Clearly, the Covid-19 pandemic became an eye-opener to strengthen the healthcare system. Beyond having sufficient medical facilities, healthcare services likewise need to be accessible to everyone.
Fortunately for the Philippines, with or without the pandemic, the spirit of “Bayanihan” has always been alive, with many Filipinos ready to extend assistance to those who need it.
Take, for instance, the MVP Group of Companies led by businessman and philanthropist, Manuel V. Pangilinan, whose group provides immense assistance to fellow Filipinos who need help. And under his leadership, residents in Siargao became the latest beneficiary of much-needed healthcare support.
Metro Pacific Investments Foundation Inc. conducted a two-day medical mission called “Health It Up” for residents on Siargao island who have been instrumental in protecting the ocean.
Siargao, while known for its surfing spots and wonderful beaches, needed support in basic healthcare facilities and services for its constituents.
During the medical mission conducted on 18 and 19 November, MPIF and Makati Medical Center Foundation flew in 40 doctors, nurses, and medical practitioners to provide quality healthcare services such as surgery, optical, dental, pediatrics, general medicine, OB-GYN, E.N.T., and orthopedics to more than 2,000 Siargaonons from the municipalities of General Luna, Del Carmen, Burgos, Dapa, San Benito, Pilar, San Isidro, Socorro and Santa Monica.
To complement the medical mission, MPIF also provided health and wellness kits containing a tablet, a smart pocket WiFi, a power station, and a solar panel charger to aid in augmenting their telehealth connectivity, healthcare accessibility, and disaster preparedness, as well as an “mWellness” kit with an oximeter, blood pressure monitor and digital thermometer.
In addition, it provided portable water filters which will enable the beneficiaries to produce clean, drinking water through filtering water resources.
MPIF’s sister companies Tulong Kapatid, PLDT-Smart Foundation and Maynilad, also supplemented efforts by donating Hospital-in-a-Bike units which contain a basic Trauma Kit attached to a mountain bicycle. The trauma kits contain equipment such as a nasal tracheostomy tube, surgical tools, portable oxygen, and specialized communications equipment.
Apart from the medical program, PSF also joined forces with One Meralco Foundation to provide 12 boats and 300 solar lamps to fishermen in Sta. Monica and General Luna, under a separate program called Fleet of Hope to help their livelihood through sustainable fishing.
MPIF also aided Siargao’s reforestation of its mangrove forest in the municipality of Del Carmen, which was able to protect the residents hit by a storm surge during the onslaught of typhoon “Odette” in December last year.
Siargao is one of the largest protected areas under the National Integrated Protected Area System Act due to its mangrove forests which cover an expansive area of 8,620 hectares. Its largest mangrove forest in the Philippines — spanning 4,871 hectares of land as of 2018 — is found in the municipality of Del Carmen.
Said to be the habitat of rare and endangered species, the mangrove also helps maintain the island’s ecological balance through rich breeding grounds for aquatic life.
Apart from MPIF, other companies under the MVP Group that provided support to Odette victims were Manila Electric Company, PLDT-Smart, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway Corp., Light Rail Manila Corp., Maynilad, PayMaya, PLDT, Philex Mining and Alagang Kapatid Foundation.