An initial P1.6 billion from its P30-billion financial assistance fund will be released by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation to various health-care institutions to help them fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The money will come from PhilHealth’s Interim Reimbursement Mechanism, its financial aid to partner health institutions affected by natural and man-made calamities.
The P30 Billion set aside by PhilHealth for hospitals and other health care institutions is by far its biggest response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Testing kits
Senator Manny Pacquiao on Friday turned over 57,000 COVID-19 testing kits donated to the Philippines by Alibaba founder Jack Ma, his billionaire friend.
These are the same kits issued and used by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
P10 billion in dividends
Three agencies under the supervision of the Transport department has remitted in advance at least P10 billion in dividends to support the government’s fight to contain COVID-19.
The amount represents the total dividends from the Manila International Airport Authority, Philippine Ports Authority and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines for calendar year 2019.
The MIAA and CAAP remitted P6 billion while the PPA sent P4 billion.
Help for the poor
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, says about P200 billion in additional outlay has been earmarked to sustain for two months some 18 million poor families rendered immobile in their homes by the enhanced community quarantine lockdown as a result of COVID-19.
The government is raising some P275 billion in additional budget from savings realignments in the executive branch for use in the fight against the pandemic, which has affected people from more than 170 countries.
Shell’s top priority
Shell Philippines says its top priority is the health and safety of its people, customers and the community, along with the safe operations of all its businesses.
The company says it continues to monitor the situation closely and to respond to the needs of its employees by providing temporary accommodation and transportation support.
Hand-washing campaign
The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc., the corporate social responsibility arm of the Aboitiz family, says it has partnered with the Cebu City government and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District for #HUNAW (Cebuano for “to wash one’s hands”), a hand-washing campaign launched as an intervention to fight the the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are addressing something basic here that has proven to be the most effective way to prevent getting and spreading the virus,” the foundation said.
P10-million donation
Uniqlo Philippines says it has pledged to donate P10 million to SM Foundation Inc. to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company says the donation will be used to provide food assistance to the communities most affected by COVID-19, and to purchase personal protective equipment for the front liners who are risking their lives in serving the medical needs of the nation.
SMFI expressed its gratitude to Uniqlo for the donation. Uniqlo has been a regular and consistent partner of SMFI, particularly in its Social Good Programs.