Pantawid COVID
During the lockdown, many people were afraid not just of COVID-19, but also of hunger. Patrick Manuel of Ayala Land’s Amicassa Solutions, looked for ways to help street vendors, public utility vehicle drivers, and other vulnerable communities
Patrick Manuel is an employees relation associate at Amicassa Process Solutions, Inc. ( a subsidiary of Ayala Land, Inc.)
I knew I needed to roll up my sleeves and find a way to help those in need—even if it means spending my rest days doing volunteer work.
When the lockdown was implemented, I co-founded the youth-led initiative “Pantawid COVID Project,” which provided food packs to street vendors, public utility vehicle drivers, indigent families, and other vulnerable groups in NCR affected by the community quarantine. From the word “Pantawid,” we aimed to supplement the efforts of the local government units by distributing food bags with enough supplies for one or two days. The initiative is headed by youth leaders aged 18 to 22 years old.
Helping families and frontliners
In the five months since we launched this initiative, we have already raised more than P2 million worth of donations, benefitting 8,500 families across Luzon. We were also able to provide PPEs, face masks, face shields, and energy drinks to more than 1,200 medical frontliners from eight COVID-19 referral hospitals.
#AyalaCitizen Diary: Patrick Manuel launches a youth-led initiative called “Pantawid COVID Project” during the lockdown to provide food packs to vulnerable communities.
We also helped more than 1,000 locally stranded individuals temporarily sheltered in Villamor Airbase Elementary School Basketball Court and Philippine State College of Aeronautics. Last June, we also provided food bags and hygiene kits to more than 1,000 families affected by a fire incident in Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong.
During these difficult times, anyone and everyone—even the youth—can extend a helping hand to our vulnerable countrymen. # —As told to Rhys Buccat
POSTED OCTOBER 23, 2020
