The following is a Public Service Announcement in behalf of the Aboitiz Group:

The Aboitiz Group, led by the Aboitiz Foundation, is now accepting donations for areas in Mindanao that have been badly hit by Pablo.

After the damage left by the typhoon, it is estimated that thousands of families in various Mindanao localities to include New Bataan, Compostela Valley, Bukidnon, Iligan, and Davao, and in Visayas, specifically Negros and Dumaguete, are still in need of help.
As of today, the Aboitiz Group has given over P5.5 million worth in assistance to an estimated 10,000 families in the said areas, P2 million of which came from the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI), and P1 million from UnionBank of the Philippines. More than half of the total funds have been channeled for relief operations in ComVal, which experienced the most devastation.

For the donations that will be raised, the Aboitiz Group will prepare a mix of ready to eat canned goods, water, bread and biscuits, personal effect like towels, blankets, and underwear, as well cooking ware.

Even before super typhoon Pablo hit the country in the first days of December, the Aboitiz Group was ready with its emergency response activities, especially in areas where its business units are located. WeatherPhilippines Foundation, the Aboitiz Group’s partnership with Meteomedia of Switzerland, played a key role, and used its weather forecasting system that aided the Group with its disaster risk management initiatives.

In Mindanao, Aboitiz Group subsidiary Therma Marine, Inc. (TMI) in Maco, Davao del Norte coordinated with provincial and local governments to move affected families to evacuation centers. About 1,500 families have already been provided with relief goods, while 2,000 food packs and 1,500 packs of mats, towels, and cooking ware are yet to be distributed.

Aboitiz Group subsidiary Hedcor Sibulan has dispatched a relief team to five barangays in Bukidnon to assist about 600 families. Aboitiz Group subsidiary Therma South, Inc. (TSI) has also coordinated with local government representatives to reach affected areas to distribute mats and blankets to 400 families.

In support of TMI Maco and TSI, Davao Light and Power Co., also an Aboitiz Group subsidiary relief team distributed food items to 1,000 families in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley. The AboitizPower sales team in Mindanao also donated 1,000 bottles of water to families in Barangay Macasandig in Cagayan de Oro.

Davao Light has also dispatched teams of linemen to help the Davao Oriental Electric Cooperative in restoring power to affected areas. Two other groups were dispatched in Compostela Valley to assist the Davao Norte Electric Cooperative.

For the Visayas relief operations, the Aboitiz Foundation and Aboitiz Group subsidiary Visayan Electric Co. (VECO) have sent relief packs for 1,250 families in Dumaguete and Tanjay, with distribution coursed through CitySavings Bank branches. VECO also deployed linemen to Surigao del Sur to help Surigao del Sur Electric Cooperative I restore their lines.

The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation has set up a communications center within Cebu to send out the distribution of goods to both ComVal and Davao Oriental.

Those who wish to give cash donations may do so through personal deposits at UnionBank’s 190 branches or CitySavings Bank, or via online transaction.

Aboitiz Foundation
Union Bank of the Philippines: 10026-1070944
City Savings Bank: 200-200331301

The following Aboitiz Group representatives may also be contacted for more information on how to help:
Aboitiz Foundation:
Rowena Astillo (09176304484)
Danny Cerence (09176308172)

Compostela Valley Relief Operations:
Marissa Campomanes (09177250992).

For immediate updates on typhoon Pablo relief efforts, you may visit the Aboitiz Foundation Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/aboitizfoundation.

About Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.
The Aboitiz Foundation is the corporate foundation of the Aboitiz Group, with social development initiatives focused on the areas of education, enterprise development, primary health and child care, and the environment. With education as its main thrust, the Foundation allocates more than half of its annual budget to education-related projects.

Let’s make this season more meaningful. Let us all do our part to #helpDavao.

Image courtesy of Anj Nacorda.