Enabling disadvantaged Filipinos to celebrate a happier Christmas this year and ensuring that it’s Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko despite life’s challenges, the PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF) teamed up with Smart Communications, PLDT Home, PayMaya, and Fiberhome Philippines to provide noche buena packs, vitamins, and t-shirts to jeepney drivers and operators of Barangays Payatas and Bagong Silangan in Quezon City.
At the Quezon City Pamaskong Handog 2021 event, PLDT and Smart, in partnership with the Quezon City local government unit, also set up a booth where residents may register for the Quezon City ID. Smart SIM cards were likewise distributed to the residents for free. During the event, a brand new mobile phone from Smart was raffled off to the drivers. PayMaya also gave out care packs for the drivers, while Maynilad provided bottles of water.
“As one of the most adversely affected sectors of the current pandemic, the jeepney drivers deserve a breather, especially this Christmas season,” said PSF President Ma. Esther O. Santos. “Aligned with the PLDT Group’s core value of malasakit, we’re bringing these noche buena packs, vitamins, and t-shirts to them so they can celebrate with their families and it will be Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko for everyone,” she noted.
PSF, with the help of PLDT Home and other partners, hopes to reach at least 7,000 families for Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko 2021.
Imbued with the bayanihan spirit, the Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko (TPRAP) movement started as a donation drive last year, initiated by the companies and foundations under the leadership of PSF Chairman Manuel V Pangilinan. It aimed to reach out to communities affected by the pandemic and other calamities and provide them noche buena food and other essential items so they can celebrate a joyful Christmas.
Now on its second year, the MVP Group of companies and foundations have launched a bigger, better, and brighter TPRAP campaign, sustaining, and hopefully surpassing, the efforts and achievements of 2020. The TPRAP activities this year include the following efforts: providing education tools and materials to underprivileged students, and noche buena food items to COVID-19 affected families; distribution of meals and gifts to medical frontliners; sharing of gifts to charity institutions; and providing livelihood assistance to various sectors of society. #TuloyPaRinAngPasko