SMC donates P30-M worth of food aid to Odette-hit provinces

SMC donates P30-M worth of food aid to Odette-hit provinces

San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has activated its network in the Visayas and Mindanao regions to deliver truckloads of food to Odette-hit areas. This, as the company, dispatches fuel stocks at its Petron installations and, where possible, provides access to water at its affected manufacturing facilities to help fenceline communities.

SMC president and chief executive officer Ramon S. Ang said the company had, over the weekend, coordinated with various local government units to immediately extend aid to stricken cities and communities, with its donations reaching P30 million as of Monday, December 20.

Among the provinces SMC has been sending food donations to are: Antique, Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur, Bacolod, Bohol, Biliran, Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin, Cebu, Dinagat island, Davao del Sur, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Iloilo, Leyte, Marinduque, Misamis Oriental, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Siquijor, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Tagoloan.

“We are one with all our countrymen who were affected by the recent typhoon. There’s a lot of things that are needed right now; we want to help make sure that basic food is covered. We will continue to assess the situation in the coming days and weeks and find more ways to help,” said Ang.

He added that following last week’s typhoon, the company, through its San Miguel Foundation, had immediately mobilized available resources from its facilities in the Visayas region and nearby provinces as well as Luzon, in order to bring immediate relief to some provinces.

SMC has since mustered more resources, including an additional donation of 10 truckloads of assorted food products, worth almost P20 million.

“We are exerting all efforts to reach, and help all affected provinces--with special focus on the hardest-hit areas. Our priority is to get as much food stocks from our facilities all over the country to the affected provinces in Visayas and Mindanao, and to make sure these are distributed to affected families at the soonest possible time” Ang said.

“We are coordinating with the LGUs, who would have the means and capability to distribute aid. Our efforts will continue. All our major businesses are contributing resources. Wherever possible, our facilities in the Visayas region have also started organizing efforts to help surrounding communities. We join all Filipinos in praying for, and working towards the recovery of our countrymen,” Ang said.

In Mandaue, Cebu, Ang said that the San Miguel Brewery facility has opened its Henan Cortes water station to the public, providing water for free from 8 am to 5-pm daily. While the water is not potable, it may be used for washing and other purposes, as water access in the area is still limited.

Fuel subsidiary Petron is also set to donate food products to some 3,700 families in its fence line communities in Mandaue and Mactan, Cebu.

In Bohol, where fuel stocks had run low, Petron has sent fresh stocks of fuel, as Ang assured other provinces needing fuel that the company will work to make sure their requirements will be met.

Outside of SMC’s efforts, Ang, in his personal capacity, has also extended support to the relief operations, donating P1 million to Operation Damayan, a fund drive organized by Philstar Media Group.