For years, the hundreds of animals at the Manila Zoo have entertained generations of kids. But in a time of crisis, who takes care of them?
Hearing that there is a shortage of food for the animals housed in the 60-year-old zoo, Bounty Agro Ventures Inc. (BAVI) stepped up to the plate.
A total of 2,000-kilograms of raw chicken will be given to the zoo at increments of 200kg per week.
The deliveries of goods will be every Wednesday.
“When we heard that the animals inside the zoo were about to starve, we did not hesitate to pledge two-thousand kilos of chicken to Director Pio [Morabe],” said BAVI president Ronald Mascariñas, who has been donating both fresh and ready-to-eat chicken since the implementation of the community quarantine in the country to numerous public hospitals and vulnerable communities. “All of us grew up going to Manila Zoo and now is the time to give back to it.”
Since the early part of 2019, the zoo has been closed for rehabilitation. But with the on-going coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the funds to sustain the animals in it has decreased.
With this, the caretakers of the zoo are grateful that there are kind-hearted individuals who are not forgetting their residents.
“Maraming salamat sa Bounty at kay Sir Ronald para sa donasyon na ito,” said Morabe. “Sana huwag po nating kalimutan ang ating mga zoo animals sa ganitong krisis dahil pati sila ay apektado rin.”
Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. (BAVI) is the number-one rotisserie chicken company in the Philippines. It is also the country’s second largest poultry integrator, together with sister company Bounty Fresh Foods, Inc. (BFFI).
Its retail brands include Chooks-to-Go, Uling Roasters, Reyal, and Adobo Connection. The company also distributes dressed chicken products in supermarkets, wet markets, hotels, and restaurants outside Metro Manila under the Bounty Fresh Chicken brand.