Coca-Cola provides P1 million worth of Wilkins water for disaster relief

COCA- COLA Phils. recently signed an agreement with the Philippine Red Cross to provide P1 million worth of Wilkins Distilled Drinking Water for typhoon and disaster victims.

A total of 5,022 cases of Wilkins Distilled Drinking Water 6- liter bottles were turned over. While part of the donation has been utilized for residents in currently affected areas such as Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, Pampanga, Pangasinan and Cavite, the donation is primarily for future disaster relief efforts of the Philippine Red Cross.

“This is part of Coca- Cola Philippines’ efforts to provide support to affected communities and particularly to empower the Philippine Red Cross to have a ready supply of water for future disaster relief operations,” said lawyer Adel Tamano, vice president for Public Affairs and Communication, Coca- Cola, Phils. “We salute organizations such as the Philippine Red Cross, whose members are committed to saving lives, especially during the typhoon season.”

Coca- Cola Phils. has been a longstanding partner of the Red Cross in its various programs for disaster relief, blood donation, and basic life support training. Earlier this year, the beverage company supported the Red Cross Million Volunteer Run in a bid to raise funds for new life- saving equipment, encourage community service, and promote active and healthy living. Globally, The Coca- Cola Company and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies ( IFRC) also have a partnership to enhance their collaboration on disaster preparedness and response in 50 countries around the world.

For information on how to assist in relief efforts, interested volunteers may contact the Philippine Red Cross through their hotline: 143 or trunkline 527- 0000 or e- mail volunteer@ redcross. org. ph. GUILLERMO Aponte, president and general manager of Coca-Cola Phils. (left), turns over a bottle of Wilkins water to Gwendolyn Pang (right), Red Cross secretary general, to symbolize a recently concluded agreement for Coca-Cola to provide P1 million worth of Wilkins water to Red Cross for disaster relief.