While everybody is on “house arrest” and trying to figure out what series to watch next or what food to cook for dinner, some celebrities care more about helping our frontliners and people affected by the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine than spending their time on something else.
Any, if not most of the A-list celebrities in the country can write a check or wire money for a good cause, but there are some who stand for something beyond some IG photos that can attract numerous likes and praises on the comment section.
Angel Locsin, who is always referred to as the real-life Darna, has done so much for her country than those in elected positions who are missing in action at a time their countrymen need them most.
Angel has started setting up tents for patients at Metro Manila hospitals, to help address overcrowding amid the surge of cases of the COVID-19. Through her fundraising campaign dubbed #UniTentWeStandPH, the actress and her fiancé Neil Arce, a film producer, aim to provide additional room at hospitals operating at full capacity due to the pandemic.
The couple has chronicled their effort and calls on other celebrities to donate. As of this writing, Angel has raised more P3.5 million pesos and was able to set up two tents each at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Las Piñas Doctors Hospital, and Las Piñas City Medical Center last week, Friday.
Angel plans to deliver more tents not just in Metro Manila and Luzon but across the country as well.
Bela Padilla, is another actress-philanthropist who is extending her hands to the people in need this difficult time.
Through her personal effort, the 28-year-old actress was able to raise P3.3 million in just two days. She opened a GoGetFunding page on March 16 after expressing concern for the welfare of street vendors whose income would be hit by the community quarantine.
Meanwhile, Eat Bulaga mainstay Maine Mendoza is once again putting her social media influence to good use. The 25-year-old TV personality is raising funds to help daily wage earners affected by the Luzon-wide quarantine.
Called “DoNation Drive,” Maine made an appeal via twitter calling on people to donate.
“The COVID-19 virus has been continuously affecting all sorts of people, regardless of their status in the society. We are all required to stay at home, but some people, especially our frontliners, whether be it in the government, food and medical industry have been trying their best to fulfill their duty as our modern heroes on these difficult times,” she noted.
“But the world won’t stop despite the peril of the virus. Consider yourself blessed, if despite all, you can purchase food and sanitation supplies (even hoard!) for your homes. But what about those workers who live on a day-to-day basis? Now that they are obliged not to go to work, how can they survive?,” she continued.
And we also have Alex Gonzaga and online sensation Ivana Alawi who use their Youtube earnings to buy grocery items and have them repacked. Actress Sarah Lahbati has been distributing relief goods and sanitizers and masks to hospitals in the metro, while newest Darna Jane de Leon quietly works with the help of her family to distribute packed goods to those who are greatly affected by the community quarantine.