CHERRY kicks off Cherry Swab Test Aide Project for returning residents

In an effort to alleviate the plight of locally stranded individuals (LSIs), CHERRY, through its Corporate Social Responsibility arm, the MSN Foundation—launches the CHERRY Swab Test Aide Project.

A family of beneficiaries for the CHERRY Swab Test Aide Project

The project was made possible in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), under their Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) program.

At present, residents who wish to return to their home origin are mandated by selected LGUs to present a negative swab result. CHERRY pledges one RT-PCR test per beneficiary thru PCR Med Inc. Molecular Laboratory, an accredited testing laboratory in Makati.

CHERRY is set to fund the swab test of 100 LSIs and other individuals affected financially by the COVID-19 crisis, and would like to return to their place of residence to start over.

“We are expecting a surge in recipients as Christmas draws near. A lot of our kababayan are possibly looking forward to celebrating the holidays with their families so most of them are very eager to go home,” says Agnes Conopio, PR and CSR Senior Manager, CHERRY.

Another family headed for Eastern Samar catered by the MSN Foundation 

The project beneficiaries are based on the recommendation of DSWD, from their list of Kalahi-CIDSS grantees and are carefully assessed by the social workers at MSN Foundation.

“We give full assistance to our beneficiaries, from referral to their scheduled departure, to ensure that they will return safely and hassle-free to their respective provinces,” shares Dezza Sacdal, program officer, MSN Foundation.

This initiative is in line with CHERRY’s Pandemic-Academic Medic Project which aims to assist the health and education sectors while the country is grappling with the effects of the pandemic. Another initiative under this project is the Cherry E-Skwela which on the other hand is steered at assisting students adapt with new modalities of learning.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, CHERRY has been in the forefront of efforts that intend to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. Just recently, they distributed medical supplies to over 30 hospitals across NCR.