COVID and the Culture of Malasakit in Petron: A Corporation’s Response to a Global Pandemic

The global pandemic has taught us a crucial lesson over the past three years – that it is no longer business as usual. As the world came to a halt, we became aware of our vulnerability to external factors beyond our control. It exposed gaps in our plans and highlighted the importance of building a business that can withstand any challenge. Amidst the daunting challenge posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, we remain steadfast in our efforts to sustain our operations. We were reminded of our core value of malasakit, which encompasses caring for both our internal and external communities.

Prioritizing our people. In the early stages of Covid characterized by quarantines and online meetings, we found ways to help our employees adapt to this new normal. With Petron identified as a critical industry during the pandemic, our Corporate Affairs and Human Resources worked to secure Covid-19 Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) IDs and RapidPass accreditation to many of Petron’s employees, facilitating their travel to and from Petron offices and facilities to ensure the uninterrupted supply of fuel products to the country.

We implemented work-from-home arrangements to ensure that our business operations continued without any impediments. Our I.T. group ensured that employees had access to the necessary tools and applications to function and communicate effectively while working remotely. Our HRMD also played a critical role in pandemic-related employee activities by closely monitoring cases and addressing the concerns of employees company-wide. This included providing free shuttle services for critical workers, distributing masks and alcohol when supplies were limited, installing thermal scanners, hand wash stations, floor markings, and social distancing guides in Petron offices, and overseeing regular disinfection of our main offices.

To ensure personnel awareness, we conducted regular training and disseminated relevant information. Our medical assistance extended beyond physical health to include support for mental health. In addition, we coordinated with the San Miguel Foundation to facilitate regular RT-PCR testing for approximately 1,900 employees and Third Party Service Providers based in the National Capital Region.

Our Corporate Safety group, in coordination with our HRMD, Head Office Administration, and MISD, established Project TRACIE (Tracking and Recognizing All COVID-19 Infection in the Workplace Environment) utilizing QR code scanning technology. This innovative approach minimizes physical contact by replacing manual forms, pens, and long queues, and shortens the processing time of accomplishing the form. Project TRACIE not only serves as an effective tool for contact tracing but also ensures immediate assessment and response from our medical personnel should the need arise. We have implemented this program not only in the Petron Head Office but also in all terminals.

As soon as vaccines became available in late 2020, Petron worked closely with SMC to develop vaccine-related programs to complement our Covid-testing efforts, including partnerships with LGUs. Access to vaccines for employees, their extended household members, and dependents was given the highest priority to ensure their safety and resilience against the virus. In Limay, Bataan, the location of our Petron Refinery, we participated in SMC’s LIGTAS LAHAT Testing, Isolation, and Vaccination Program. This initiative included the establishment of DOH-approved COVID-19 testing and isolation facilities catering to Petron and SMC employees, third-party contractors, and residents of the town. Our Corporate Affairs Department, led by the Petron Foundation, joined the SMC LIGTAS LAHAT Core Team, which coordinated with external partners for the vaccination of Petron employees. Petron acted as the lead for the SMC Bataan Vaccination Site in partnership with the Province of Bataan, Limay LGU, and The Peninsula School, which served as the vaccination site. The vaccines administered came from both the national government, distributed to the local level, and SMC’s procured vaccines.

In 2021, this SMC’s LIGTAS LAHAT Testing, Isolation, and Vaccination Program we have participated in had operated for 51 days, Monday to Friday, accommodating up to 300 persons daily. Strict prevention protocols were implemented resulting in testing 838 individuals with no positive cases recorded. We also inoculated a total of 4,977 individuals (4,798 had two doses, and 164 had one dose) with SMC-sponsored vaccines, while 6,996 individuals (6,763 had two doses, and 233 had one dose) received the LGU-provided vaccines. As of end 2022, 99.5% (6,492 out of 6,521) of our nationwide workforce were fully vaccinated and 59.7% (3,874 out of 6,486) received booster shots. Four (4) employees and 17 TPSPs opted not to receive the vaccine for personal convictions. The accessibility and availability of vaccines to our employees, contractors, town residents, and their dependents significantly contributed to a decrease in the cases of COVID-19 in the community. Furthermore, the efficiency of the LIGTAS LAHAT implementation ensured no vaccines were wasted.

In 2022, Petron implemented surveillance antigen testing in 26 locations nationwide, with a total of 22,560 employees tested. In September of the same year, Petron initiated a Booster Vaccination Program for our employees in partnership with the Bataan Provincial Health Office at the PBR Visitors Center. This program administered the 1st and 2nd booster shots of Pfizer vaccine to 71 qualified vaccinated employees, both organic and TPSP. Alongside this program, we also established a Self-Administered Rapid Antigen Surveillance Testing program in 2022 to monitor the health and safety of our onsite employees and contractors. This included a standardized process for self-administered antigen testing, scheduling, medical assistance, security, sanitation, waste management, and guidelines. Our efforts culminated in testing 8,912 individuals, including PBR and PPP organic and active contractors, as well as Petron Limay Terminal and SL Pan-Asia personnel.

Through these programs, we continue to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by providing booster shots to all our employees and their families, while also offering RT-PCR testing to those in need. We now have more tools and resources at our disposal compared to 2020, but we remain vigilant in our efforts to see the end of COVID-19.

Caring for our communities. Petron has always prioritized caring for our communities, and we were among the first to respond to appeals for support during the pandemic. Through the generosity of our Petron Value Card holders, we raised over a million pesos to purchase critical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Covid-19 referral hospitals in the NCR. We also donated P2.0-M worth of Petron fuel cards to medical workers and transportation companies to ensure their mobility, and to help ferry locally-stranded individuals back to their homes. We provided canned goods to our host communities and stakeholders affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine nationwide, and our employees even raised personal funds to provide food packs to drivers and utility personnel in Petron offices nationwide. Additionally, our Petron Foundation donated isopropyl alcohol to personnel in Petron service stations.

To further assist the public, we utilized Treats convenience stores in select Petron service stations to make San Miguel Food products available at discounted prices for communities that were restricted by lockdowns. We are committed to continuing our efforts to support our communities in any way we can, and we remain vigilant in ensuring the safety and well-being of all.

We provided financial support to more than 1,300 Tulong Aral ng Petron (TAP) scholars across all academic levels who had to adjust to studying from home. Petron employees from all over the Philippines, as well as those from Petron Malaysia and our office in Singapore, contributed by donating a portion of their salaries during the 2020 Christmas season. This enabled the Petron Foundation to purchase tablets for TAP senior high school scholars in Mindanao to aid their online learning. In addition, the Petron Foundation supported the “Ready for School 2022” campaign of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP). Specifically, we donated to five schools in areas near Petron’s Head Office and terminals in the cities of Mandaluyong, Pasay, Cebu, and Davao. Our donation provided students and teachers with alcohol, disinfectants, and face masks when they resumed face-to-face classes in August. As part of the school supplies distributed to TAP scholars for the 2022-2023 school year, the Petron Foundation also included hygiene kits containing alcohol and face masks.

To date, we still require Covid-19 testing for all employees and guests. Additionally, wearing face masks remains mandatory in all Petron facilities nationwide. Although we have more resources and instruments than we did in 2020, it is still necessary for us to work together to overcome the pandemic for good. As we promote our culture of malasakit and strive to create a brighter future, we are committed to improving our existing resources, enhancing people’s access to opportunities and public services, and rebuilding better from the impact of this global health crisis.