As Filipino families continue to struggle with the loss of jobs across different industries, ABS-CBN Foundation (AFI) now moves to the second phase of the “Pantawid ng Pag-ibig” campaign with the aim of reaching a million families by the end of August 2020.
With the support of its sponsors and partners, the said campaign of ABS-CBN and AFI has raised over P400 million in cash donations and pledges as of May 31. To date, the project has fed over 750,000 Filipino families in the National Capital Region (NCR) and nearby provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.
The cash was used to purchase food and basic necessities such as rice, canned goods, noodles, biscuits, milk, coffee, shampoo, soap, detergent, and vitamins. Also part of the campaign was the distribution of hot meals to families in need and frontliners in hospitals and partner cities, as well as distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and hygiene kits to over 80 hospitals and frontliner organizations in NCR and various provinces.
AFI managing director Susan Afan expressed her gratitude to the network and its many donors. “Because of ABS-CBN and its partners, working hand in hand with us, we were able to scale up and help thousands of families. So it was extremely successful,” she said.
The target of the second phase is to encourage individual donors to donate at least Php 100 or USD 2 which could feed one family. It will focus on individuals, ordinary Filipinos being able to help other Filipinos. “We’re really counting and hoping that 10 million Filipinos will join us in our fight against hunger,” Afan shared.
To do this, the foundation plans to partner with digitally inclined businesses like financial technology companies and ride-hailing apps that could provide their users the option and convenience of donating through their mobile gadgets. Initial partners include GCash, Lazada, and HSBC. It also intends to work with artists, communities, religious and non-religious organizations, and other private companies that can encourage their employees, members, and more individuals to support this endeavor.
“COVID isn’t just the enemy here. We’re also fighting against hunger and unemployment, Filipinos not being able to put food on their families’ tables,” Afan said.
According to a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) early May, around 4.2 million Filipino families (16.7%) experienced hunger at least once in the past three months due to lack of food. This is nearly double the 8.8% (2.1 million families) involuntary hunger survey in December 2019.
“With as little as Php 100, you can help feed a family with rice and a simple viand. If we can invite other equally able friends or family members to do the same, we can save a lot of people from hunger,” Paul Mercado, head of AFI marketing department said.
“Pantawid ng Pag-ibig” started last March when the government first implemented the enhanced community quarantine to control the spread of COVID-19. The Lopez Group of Companies, which includes ABS-CBN, provided the seed money with a donation of Php 100 million. The initiative was launched to complement the relief efforts of Local Government Units during this health crisis. The members of the Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilya ng Pantawid (SNPP) also assisted in the distribution.
ABS-CBN Foundation accepts donations through bank deposits to ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc – Sagip Kapamilya bank accounts: BPI Peso Account 3051-11-55-88, Metrobank Peso Account 636-3-636-08808-1, Security Bank Peso Account 000003312430-0, BDO Peso Account 0039301-14199, and BDO Dollar Account 1039300-81622. Donations are also accepted through ABS-CBN Foundation website, Cebuana Lhuillier, PayPal, Pass it Forward, GCash, Lazada, and HSBC.