Compassion is also Contagious
Compassion is also contagious
by Esmi Barrera
All photos courtesy of OMF
Using SteraMist technology, OMF sponsored the disinfection and decontamination of ambulances at the Rizal Medical Center.
The Corona Virus Disease (Covid-19) teaches us how to get through the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), and the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) responds to this crisis with help from donors, its partners, and volunteer employees.
The company, through its social development arm, One Meralco Foundation (OMF), immediately identified the homeless, health-care frontliners, and research and medical facilities to receive assistance.
Just days after the ECQ was enforced on March 17, OMF began distributing food packs to the homeless, working together with the Alagang Kapatid Foundation of broadcasting network TV5 and other partners.
This benefited more than 5,000 homeless and poor families in Metro Manila, Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Quezon, and Rizal.
It also raised more than P1.8 million from Meralco employees in a campaign to donate grocery gift certificates, which has already benefited at least 1,500 marginalized families — an activity in partnership
with the Catholic charity Caritas Manila. The campaign will also fund OMF’s own relief operations and donation of PPEs to medical frontliners.
As the scope of the health crisis grew, so did the need to supplement the PPE supply among medical frontliners.
20 desktop computers were turned over to the Philippine Genome Center, which is helping to develop a vaccine against COVID-19.
With the help of PNP, the foundation distributed care packages to impoverished communities in Brgy. Buting, Pasig.
To date, OMF has provided over 15,400 pairs of surgical gloves; 6,100 face masks; 2,600 goggles; 2,500 KN95 masks; 1,800 face shields; and 1,100 disposable gowns to various COVID-19 referral hospitals such as the Rizal Medical Center (RMC), Philippine Heart Center, Philippine General Hospital, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, and Sanitarium, Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP), Baguio General Hospital, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Emilio Aguinaldo College – Medical Center, Cainta Municipal Hospital, National Center for Mental Health, United Candelaria Doctors’ Hospital, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Molino Doctors’ Hospital, Novaliches District Hospital, Pasig City General Hospital, Sta. Teresita General Hospital, and Ospital ng Paranaque. The foundation also donated PPEs to various local government units within the Meralco franchise area.
Some difficulties emerged only as the crisis progressed. With volunteers from Meralco’s networks group, OMF installed floodlights at the LCP parking lot, an extended triage section for Covid-19 patients.
Read related article: Meralco Supports the Fight Against Covid-19
Using SteraMist technology, OMF sponsored disinfection and decontamination procedures at Philippine National Police offices and at the RMC.
OMF, through Meralco’s eSakay, also teamed up with the Pasig City government to shuttle healthcare personnel and essential-business employees, to work. The foundation recently donated 20 desktop computers to the Philippine Genome Center, which also serves as the COVID-19 command center of different volunteer groups within the University of the Philippines system.
OMF supported e-wallet service PayMaya in its “One Against Covid-19” project. By visiting this site, anyone can contribute to OMF's Help From Home Campaign.
OMF continues to spread the light of hope among our countrymen because it’s not the load that breaks us down, but the way we carry it.
To learn more, www.onemeralcofoundation.org
Story originally posted on Power Club.