These uncertain times have certainly been trying for the entire nation, but the Filipino spirit of bayanihan has flourished amid this health crisis.
Shell companies in the Philippines embodied the same as they rolled out efforts to address the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To date, roughly 693,000 beneficiaries received aid from various Shell programs in partnership with community-beneficiaries.
Jumpstarting livelihoods
Shell’s social arm, Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc., has launched its Para sa Bayani campaign focusing on three programs – Ani para sa Bayani, Proteksyon para sa Bayani, and Tulong para sa Bayani – reaching out to 77 municipalities and 26 provinces outside Metro Manila.
Ani Para sa Bayani bridged producers to kitchen partners, who in turn delivered healthy meals for frontliners and other vulnerable members of the communities. This effort procured 168.1 tons of produce, helping 3,374 Filipino farmers and fisherfolk to sell their harvest and catch to sustain their livelihood. Over 477,920 meals were distributed to healthcare workers, military personnel, logistic drivers, and other members of the at-risk communities.
Proteksyon Para sa Bayani connected Shell’s businesses and external organizations in creating and distributing more than 19,000 PPE that could be used by other frontliners, such as delivery workers and public service personnel. Around 4,870 of the total PPE sets were created in partnership with SIBBAP Multi-Purpose Cooperative and the Batangas State University. The former was in charge of banding together Batangueño housewives to support their sewing livelihood while BSU leveraged technology by using 3D printers to produce face shields for protective use.
Mobilizing heroes
One of the hardest-hit sectors by the pandemic was transportation. With lockdowns bringing public transportation to a standstill, it became difficult to move about, especially for frontliners who needed to quickly respond to emergencies.
Since the start of the Enhanced Community Quarantine, Shell has given 3.78 million liters of discounted fuels to frontliners.
For frontliners who had no access to their own transportation, Shell partnered with five fleet account customers – Vallacar Transit Inc., Jasper Jean, BGC Bus, Ube Express, and Transportify – by providing them with free fuel. This resulted in roughly 2,175 healthcare workers and critical goods moved within Metro Manila.
Shell also provided free fuels to 23 hospitals in key cities around the Philippines. These efforts fueled more than 50 ambulances and hospital fleet vehicles to ensure swift and safe response to any medical emergencies.