Pitmaster Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of e-sabong operator Lucky 8 Star Quest, has been providing life-saving COVID-19 aid or “ayuda” to Filipinos since the onset of the pandemic, with millions of pesos in donations to government and indigents.
The foundation has provided thousands of COVID-19 homecare kits to vulnerable populations in Metro Manila to support care and recovery of moderate COVID-positive patients at home.
This aims to avoid congesting hospitals, which have been pushed to their limits during infection peaks in the country’s hotspots.
The kit contains a thermometer, vitamins, paracetamol, antibacterial gargle, alcohol, face masks, and a pamphlet containing information on COVID-19 prevention and recovery.
“The foundation takes a bold resolution for this year to: serve more, serve better, and serve deeper. We are relentless in pursuing this mission, and this homecare kit donation is part of our many efforts this year to help the communities we serve. We follow the lead of our LGUs as they know better the needs of their constituents. We are only helpers of the government,” said Pitmaster Foundation in a statement.
In January, the organization distributed around 45,000 homecare kits across Metro Manila, for long the center of COVID-19 incidence in the country. It also gave 1,000 kits to tricycle drivers in Bicutan, Parañaque and Sta. Ana, Manila in February. The foundation is set to donate 2,000 more to other TODAs (tricycle operators and drivers’ associations) in the capital region.
It has donated a total of P20 million worth of homecare kits to Metro Manila residents.
Also in January, during the height of the COVID-19 Omicron variant surge, Pitmaster Foundation donated a total of P100 million in cash and testing kits to the 17 Metro Manila LGUs in partnership with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Health and Department of the Interior and Local Government in support of its pandemic response.
“Through our contribution to the government, COVID mass testing kits can now be made readily available in every city in the NCR to be able to detect and isolate those who are sick so as not to infect their families or co-workers,” said Pitmaster Foundation Executive Director Caroline Cruz.
Cruz vowed the organization will remain an ally of Filipinos on the way to recovery from the pandemic. She said Pitmaster will also remain by the side of the government and continue to support its pandemic response programs.