Project Ugnayan, the fund-raising initiative led by top
business groups in cooperation with the
Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), reached over 7.6 million
people in the vulnerable communities of Greater Metro Manila.
“As we close, we wish to reiterate our wholehearted thanks
to all our generous Donors for making this project possible. By coming together
in a Bayanihan spirit so quickly, we were able to create a program of this
scale and importance. This unprecedented assembly of so many of the
country’s corporations and business
families coming to the assistance of the most vulnerable in our society
illustrates and speaks of the heart and generosity of the business community.
Our special thanks go to the 10 Bishops of the Dioceses in
Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna, as well as to Caritas Manila
under the leadership of Father Anton Pascual, and the network
of Parish Priests, Volunteers, and Barangay Captains who
distributed the gift certificates door-todoor
in the lowest-income communities of Greater Metro Manila. We
appreciate the swiftness and efficiency of their work under very difficult conditions and
over very long hours each day,” said Project Ugnayan Lead, Fernando Zobel de
Ayala.
"We are grateful for this opportunity to be part of
this business community effort to help people in a time of crisis. This is a
movement we should nurture as we prepare to let people return to work and to
re-start our economy in the post-quarantine period.” said PDRF Co-Chairman
Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.
“The unity in diversity demonstrated by Project Ugnayan
reveals the private sector’s serious commitment to help our country recover
from the lost economic momentum because of the pandemic. We are proud to be
part of this extraordinary collaboration of industries which will prove most
valuable in getting the economy back on track,” PDRF Co-Chairman Manuel V.
Pangilinan said.
According to Father Anton CT Pascual, Executive Director of
Caritas Manila, the initiative earned praises from Archdiocese of Manila
Apostolic Administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo, San Pablo Bishop Buenaventura
Famadico and other Prelates of the Suffragan Dioceses of Manila. The Prelates
thanked the businessmen and private organization who collectively help to make
Project Ugnayan possible.
“The true spirit of Easter is about hope and has special
significance in these difficult times. We thank all the generous benefactors of
Project Ugnayan for this opportunity to fulfill a great mission of compassion
for our vulnerable brothers and sisters. Your gifts have warmed their hearts
and uplifted their spirits,” Father Pascual said.
Caritas Manila’s Project Damayan, the project’s main
distributor of emergency cash through P1,000
supermarket gift certificates has so far reached 1,070,854
families or 5,354,270 people. It is on target to deliver gift certificates to 1,366,495 families or
6,832,475 people by Wednesday, April 15 (the original end-date of the Enhanced Community Quarantine).
ABS-CBN’s Pantawid ng Pagibig has reached 238,854 families
or 1,194,270 people through food
packs delivered through Local Government Units. They will
reach a total of 631,921 families or 3,151,605 people by the end of their program.
ADB and the Government’s Bayan, Bayanihan has delivered food
packages to 13,370 families or 66,850 people through the Philippine Army and
DSWD. ADB has provided funding to reach 80,000 families or a total of 400,000
people.
Jollibee’s FoodAID program delivers ready-to-cook chicken to
low-income families from its commissary through a network composed of Don
Bosco, Caritas Manila, and the Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilya ng Pantawid
(SNPP). So far, they have delivered to 199,491 families or 977,455 people. They
are targeting to reach 500,000 families or 2,500,000 people by end-April.
“In sum, Project Ugnayan and its Partners have reached
1,522,569 families or 7,612,845 people in just over three weeks. This number
will rise as all deliveries have already been programmed by the partners,” said
Fernando Zobel de Ayala.
The donors of Project Ugnayan are (in alphabetical order):
Aboitiz Group, ABSCBN/First Gen, Alaska Milk Corporation, Alliance Global Group
& Megaworld, AY Foundation & RCBC, Ayala Corporation. Bench/Suyen Corp,
Bonifacio West Devt Corp. Carmelray Group, Cathay Land, Inc, Cebuana Lhullier,
Century Pacific, Coca Cola Philippines, Concepcion Industrial, Consuelo
"Chito" Madrigal Foundation, Inc., Daiichi Properties, DMCI Group of
Companies, Dowell Container and Packaging Corporation, Far Eastern University,
First Life Financial Company, Focus Global, Inc., Global Food Group, Glorious
Commercial Exports, Inc., Gokongwei Group of Companies/Robinsons Retail
Holdings, ICTSI, JAKA Group 1, Jollibee, J.P. Morgan, Kawit Prime Holdings,
Inc., Leonio Group, Mercury Drug Corporation, Metrobank,
