Bayanihan in the midst of a pandemic: The Coca-Cola Foundation, Coca-Cola Philippines contribute aid to Filipinos impacted by Super Typhoon Odette

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Responding to the call for aid following the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Odette in the Philippines in December 2021, The Coca-Cola Foundation, the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company, has extended relief assistance to thousands of Filipinos across six provinces of the country.

Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines Inc. partnered with Synergeia Foundation to provide residents of Barangay Tiling, Cauayan, Negros Occidental with relief goods, ensuring that they have the support they need in the aftermath of the typhoon.

The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded a grant of US$400,000 to CBCP Caritas Filipinas Foundation to support the disaster relief efforts of nine dioceses in the Visayas and Mindanao. The grant will provide food, shelter repair kits, solar lamps, and hygiene kits to 4,031 families affected by the typhoon in Bohol, Leyte, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Palawan, and Surigao del Norte.

Meanwhile, the local Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines has provided humanitarian aid to 5,420 families, donating P5.8 million for food packs, hygiene kits, shelter or roof repair kits, drinking water, and water filtration kits to help them cope in the aftermath of the typhoon. Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines has channeled its assistance through its NGO partners Water and Life Philippines, World Wildlife Fund-Philippines, Caritas-Manila, Philippine Business for Social Progress, Gawad Kalinga, World Vision, Synergeia Foundation, and Waves 4 Water.

“The Coca-Cola Foundation is resolute in its commitment to communities by extending humanitarian aid to those in need,” says Saadia Madsbjerg, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation. “We recognize the devastating impact of natural disasters and the pandemic especially on vulnerable communities with limited resources.”

Cecile Alcantara, President of Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, adds: “Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines and its trusted partners will continue to serve Filipinos not only through our programs on waste management, water stewardship, education, and youth and women empowerment but also through our long-held commitment to disaster relief. The resilience of a Filipino is always strengthened when we come together—and we are here to give our unrelenting support, one day at a time.”

Continuous support for vulnerable communities

In its 110-year journey of refreshing Filipinos and uplifting vulnerable communities, Coca-Cola Philippines remains dedicated to supporting disaster relief operations for families affected by natural calamities.

Coca-Cola Philippines’ initiative in the past month has amounted to a total of more than P10.8 million worth of disaster relief funds for typhoon victims, including employees in the Visayas and Mindanao.

“Circumstances such as typhoons and the pandemic continue to affect Filipinos across the archipelago, and this is why it is critical for us at Coca-Cola Philippines that we provide continuous support to communities whenever we can,” shares Tony del Rosario, President of Coca-Cola Philippines and VP for Franchise Operations of the ASEAN and South Pacific-East Asia Region. “By extending humanitarian aid, we continue to prioritize the immediate needs and well-being of those affected the most.

”World Wildlife Fund Philippines and Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), funded by Coca- Cola Foundation Philippines Inc., distributed sacks of rice and relief goods to support residents of Anajawan Island in Surigao del Norte.

Beverage donations, employee support

In the aftermath of the typhoon, Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. (CCBPI)—the company’s bottling arm in the country—also mobilized its resources to distribute nearly 70,000 liters of Wilkins drinking water for residents in affected provinces and cities. Moreover, CCBPI made sure that affected employees were given assistance through a P5-million emergency fund, while also providing them with over 70,000 liters of drinking water and around P800,000 worth of grocery items.

Staying true to their People First commitment, CCBPI’s employees from other parts of the country launched an internal donation drive and were able to collect more than P600,000 to help their fellow associates in the Visayas and Mindanao whose homes were destroyed by the typhoon.

On top of this, CCBPI is working with the local government of Mandaue City in Cebu toward the deployment of a SETA machine (a mobile water treatment equipment that processes water to make it potable) in evacuation sites and communities in Marawi, Davao del Sur, and Bicol.

“Our commitment has always been uplifting the well-being not only of our consumers but the employees behind the work we do,” said Gareth McGeown, President and CEO of CCBPI. “It is truly heartwarming to see CCBPI’s employees come together despite the limitations and challenges posed by the typhoon. Their dedication to helping those in need is a testament to our People First commitment–that through our collective effort, we are able to uplift one another even in times of crisis.”

The SM Store launches Share Your Extras for the benefit of Typhoon Odette communities

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Let’s make the start of the year more meaningful by donating new or gently used clothes via The SM Store and SM Foundation’s Share Your Extras. Donations pooled this year will be for the benefit of communities impacted by Typhoon Odette.

Shoppers can drop off their pre-loved clothes or purchase new ones for donation at any of The SM Store branches from January 15 to February 15 in Metro Manila, and February 1 to 28 at the rest of the branches nationwide.

For every donated item, shoppers will receive a P100 discount coupon voucher courtesy of The SM Store. This can be redeemed at their next single-receipt purchase of a minimum of P1,000-worth of select items in-store or via Call To Deliver.

What are the DOs and DON’Ts?

·     Donate clothes in good condition. The clothes should be gently used and in good, wearable condition, without holes or damages.

·    Donate practical clothes only. Remember that your donations will go to communities who have lost access to basic needs. Please donate tops and bottoms for everyday wear that can be used comfortably by infants or adults. Avoid donating suits, gowns, uniforms, and costumes.

·    Wash the clothes first. For the safety of the people handling and receiving your donations, clean the clothes first and try to remove spots or stains. Skip donating used undergarments and bathing suits.

·    Check the pockets. Double and triple check to make sure there are no valuables or pieces of trash, such as used tissue or candy wrappers, left in the pockets.

Share Your Extras is an annual initiative of The SM Store and SM Foundation aimed at helping communities in need, such as those impacted by calamities. In 2018, we provided personal hygiene items for families in Marawi, and in 2020, we donated packed relief items for the communities in Isabela impacted by Typhoon Ulysses. This year, Share Your Extras will benefit families affected by Typhoon Odette, which has displaced millions of individuals in Mimaropa, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Other The SM Store campaigns like Share Shoes, Donate A Book, and Share A Toy have received overwhelming support from customers.

For more updates and ways to donate, visit www.thesmstore.com and follow its social media pages @thesmstore on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Shopee Delivers Aid to Typhoon Odette Victims via Shopee Express

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 Shopee collaborated with partner brands and utilized its nationwide Shopee Express fleet to dispatch immediate relief 

Almost a month since Typhoon Odette devastated several provinces in Visayas and Mindanao, millions of Filipinos continue to reel from the aftermath. To support and serve the communities affected, Shopee partnered with several brands and corporations and mobilized its nationwide Shopee Express network to help provide immediate relief to Typhoon Odette victims in less accessible areas.

Reaching the affected communities via Shopee Express

With the typhoon damaging communication and transportation infrastructure, a lot of the affected communities experienced difficulty receiving aid. With its nationwide coverage, Shopee Express trucks and vehicles have been able to transport water, health kits, water filters, solar lights, and other relief goods from brands and organizations such as the Manila Water Foundation, Maynilad Water Services, Inc., Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc., Unilab, Akari Lighting, Envirocab, Socone, Asia Brewery, Inc., Mitsushi, Herco Trading, Inc., Qoncept Furniture, Foodplus, Del Monte, Dohera Corporation, Universal Robina Corporation, San Miguel Corporation, Lions Club International, and Luzon Clean Water Development Corporation. 

These donations were brought from Metro Manila to key Shopee Express Sorting centers in Cebu, Bohol, and Surigao for repacking before being distributed to thousands of affected residents across Visayas and Mindanao. With the support from various government agencies, such as the Office of Civil Defense, the Philippine Air Force, and the Philippine Navy, Shopee was able to expedite distribution to these areas further.

Through this nationwide effort, Shopee Express was also able to immediately provide essentials such as water, sanitary kits, and non-perishable food items to around 10,000 of its affected workers, most of whom are riders and drivers. 

Despite being among those affected by Typhoon Odette, Shopee Express riders also volunteered to help repack and distribute the donations. Some even decided to donate cash from their own pockets to be used for purchasing relief goods.

Elmer Tapales, who started as a Shopee rider last August, said, “I decided to become a rider because of the pandemic, where it was difficult to find employment. Thankfully, there was an opening here so I decided to apply. We were badly affected by the typhoon but we are grateful for the help Shopee gave us.”

Marijon Pinebro works as a maintenance personnel at a Shopee Express Hub, and Typhoon Odette affected them very much. “Shopee helped me a lot, aside from the financial help I received, they also provided assistance and relief goods. I'm so thankful to Shopee.”

Bernadette Sanchez, a security guard at Shopee Express, said, “Shopee helped us a lot and we got to keep our jobs. Shopee even gave all employees, riders, staff, and guards relief goods and provided the needed assistance. I want to thank Shopee for helping us in times of need.”

Keeping the spirit of generosity alive with Shopee Bayanihan

In partnership with GMA Kapuso Foundation, World Vision, and UNICEF, Shopee raised more than ₱1 million worth of donations through its Shopee Bayanihan: Typhoon Odette Support initiative, which allows users to donate to the typhoon-affected communities by purchasing e-vouchers on the microsite and checking out via ShopeePay, Shopee’s all-in-one e-wallet. With the donation drive raising more than ₱1 million worth of donations, Shopee matched the amount to provide an additional ₱1 million worth of total donations to further support these three charities. 

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “As soon as we learned about the struggles that our kababayans faced in Visayas and Mindanao, we immediately mobilized our resources to provide relief quickly. The Filipino spirit of Bayanihan never fails to shine a bright light amidst dark times. We are thankful to our partner brands, generous users, and our employees who went out of their way to provide support to those in need. We hope that our combined efforts will contribute to the recovery and restoring of livelihoods among those affected.”

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