Be a buddy to mother nature with Nestle´ Chuckie’s paper straws

Did you know that the Philippines is the top 3 contributor to ocean pollution among all the countries?* Waste in landfills and oceans are piling up due to the surge of waste that increased especially during the pandemic. It is an important time to accelerate our reduction of plastic waste, and to search for recyclable materials. One way to do this is to replace items that have alternatives to plastics, like replacing plastic straws with paper straws which are designed for recycling, so that we can shift towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

Embracing these simple choices by parents and children alike can reap benefits, and can help keep the environment clean. This is why Nestle’s Chuckie ready-to-drink chocolate milk is also joining the pursuit to take care of mother nature by replacing plastic straws with paper straws which are 100% food-grade and designed to be recycled!

Using paper straws may take some time to get used to, especially for kids and the young-at-heart who have a habit of chewing on their straws. To help get around some of these new changes, here are some tips on how the whole family can be mother nature’s buddy and how you can get the best paper straw experience: [See infographic in next page] Starting out with simple individual efforts to embrace small lifestyle changes for the better can definitely add up in the long run. Making the most out of paper straws is one perfect example of how our little acts can help create a greener, cleaner, and more sustainable waste-free future. Actively choosing to be more environmentally-conscious is something to be proud of, and teaching kids about finding joy in embracing eco-friendly habits is a great lesson best taught at an early age too! So the next time you or the kids want to enjoy a refreshing drink, treat yourselves and mother nature by choosing Chuckie that now comes with paper straws! Together let us do our part and be a buddy to mother nature by recycling and limiting our litter. Learn more about Nestle´ Chuckie’s shift to paper straws together with your kids by viewing the printable Chuckie Activity Book in this link bit.ly/ChuckieActivityBook, and by reading the FAQs here bit.ly/ChuckiePaperStrawsFAQs. Check out the hashtags #BuddyToMotherNature and #ChuckiePH for stories and updates as well.

Smart provides free data to over 12m subscribers in areas hit by Typhoon Ulysses

Dazzling the ber months with Careline’s Blythe Stardust Palette

Anything sparkly, shiny and bright has the ability to get one into a festive mood. Now that we are well into the Ber months with holidays fast approaching, we should allow ourselves to enjoy the season—even more so during these very trying times—while it lasts. Blythe Cosmetics by Careline helps give you that boost to perk you up, give you confidence, or simply get you into the holiday spirit with these fun make-up hacks you can try using the Blythe Stardust Highlighter Palette (P275): As an eye make-up: While highlighters are known to be applied on the high points of the face such as the cheeks, bridge and tips of the nose and cupid’s bow, it can also be used to make your eye make-up standout even more! Apply your preferred Stardust Palette shade above and below the eyebrows to enhance the shape of the brows and accentuate the eyes and face. You can also dust on the corners of the eyes to open them up and make them appear bigger and brighter. As a concealer: Did you know that you can also use highlighters to cover the dark circles of the eyes? To achieve this, go for the pearly white shade or pinkish tone in the palette and dab under the eyes; then apply your favorite concealer on top of it and blend into the skin to make it look seamless. On the lips. On the days you get to expose your lips, be sure to make it standout by dabbing it on before or after you apply your gloss or lipstick. Also apply some on the cupid’s bow to give the illusion of a plumper lip. On the skin: If you feel as if your skin looks dull and pale lately, a quick application of highlighter on the skin can easily make it look healthy and fresh. You can mix it with your favorite lotion or moisturizer or you can directly apply it on your collarbones, décolleté, shoulder and arms. You’ll surely dazzle when the sun hits your skin! Bring sparkle into your life these ber months by trying these highlighter hacks using the Blythe Stardust Highlighter Palette available on Careline’s official Lazada page (bit.ly/BlytheLazada). To know more makeup tips, visit and like Blythe by Careline on Facebook (@blythebycareline) and Instagram (@blythecosmetics).

MVP Group gears up for Typhoon Rolly

  The MVP Group of Companies is gearing up for the onslaught of Typhoon Rolly. Manuel V. Pangilinan, in a tweet last Saturday, committed that the network operations centers for telco, power, and tollways will be operational and manned 24 hours, and that the Group has mobilized its foundations to do relief and medical work in the wake of Typhoon Rolly.

"Our restoration teams from PLDT-Smart and Meralco are also on alert," Pangilinan said.

Meralco Spokesperson and Head of Corporate Communications Joe Zaldarriaga said measures are now in place to mitigate the impact of the typhoon. Its personnel are also now on standby to immediately respond to possible power outages.

PLDT-Smart FVP & Group Head of Corporate Communications Cathy Yang said the telcos have prepositioned their personnel, network equipment and resources to ensure the resilience of their services. PLDT-Smart also assured customers of quick restoration of communication in areas that will be impacted by the typhoon.

Smart Communications has also launched the Smart Store on Wheels to provide free calls, free Wi-Fi connection, and free charging to areas that are on the path of the typhoon. They will be deployed in the following locations: 

• Aurora
• Bataan
• Bicol
• Bulacan
• Pampanga
• Tarlac
• Zambales 

The MVP Group urges the public to prepare, remain vigilant, and to stay informed on updates about Typhoon Rolly. Likewise, it reminds everyone to keep all channels of communication open and ready by ensuring mobile phones, laptops, radios, and other gadgets are fully charged.

LRMC partners with Binhi English Literacy Foundation for learning program

In keeping with its advocacy of supporting nation-building through various initiatives, the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) has announced a new partnership with Binhi English Literacy Foundation, a non-profit and non-governmental organization, to aid struggling children in learning to read and write.

Through the partnership with Binhi Foundation, LRMC is adopting a Grade 2 class from Marcelo Marcela Elementary School in Pasay City and supporting the Beginning Reading Program for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years. The school is located close to the LRT-1 EDSA station. The Beginning Reading Program is an entire learning program for six (6) months designed to support children struggling to read and write at a relatively advanced age. The program aims to keep the children in school by improving their literacy skills, to foster a love for reading and improve comprehension skills, and to inculcate a love for learning that will inspire them to do better in school and subsequently improve their economic situation. The components of the curriculum include teaching tools (modules, activity sheets, various school supplies, instructional USB flash drive); assessments (pre-test, mid-test, post-test); monitoring of the students; inputs on lesson plans; evaluation and recommendation. It has also been modified and maximized for the online and modular learning setup required by the Department of Education given the pandemic situation. “This English literacy support is a greatly-needed intervention program for our struggling readers. The effective strategies and learning kits provided by Binhi and funded by LRMC will surely bring the pupils’ much-sought enhancement in their English and reading skills,” said Marcelo Marcela Elementary School Principal Norma P. Jamon.

Binhi English Literacy Foundation is an NGO founded in 2008 to help out-of-school children and students who are at risk of not completing their primary education due to absence of learning support in their homes and communities. Inspired by PRATHAM, an NGO in India which was responsible for helping more than 21 million underprivileged children, Binhi designed an intervention tool to improve reading and comprehension skills to achieve its vision of “Every Filipino Child in school and learning well.” LRMC is a staunch supporter of education, spearheading previous initiatives such as the partnership with the PLDT-Smart Foundation’s Gabay Guro program in celebration of Teacher’s Month every year.

MERALCO AIDS CAVITEÑOS WITH RELIABLE POWER SUPPLY TO IMUS' COVID-19 TREATMENT CENTER

Meralco crews work round-the clock to provide safe, adequate, and reliable supply of electricity to United Imus Doctors Inc., one of Cavite's COVID-19 treatment facilities located in the city of Imus. The project involves the upgrading of metering facilities, installation of two concrete poles, and replacement of two 75-kVA distribution transformers with three 250-kVA distribution transformers. Powering COVID-19 quarantine and treatment facilities within its franchise area is one of Meralco’s priority projects this year, as the company continues its relentless support to the government and to the private sector in the fight against COVID-19.

Quarantine creativity: 19-year-old Cebu student uses soy sauce to make art

As the quarantine keeps everyone at home for their safety, many young Filipinos spend their time honing their skills and creativity, finding ways to express themselves. With all this free time on their hands, there are those who even go the extra mile when it comes to being creative.

This was certainly the case for 19-year-old communication student Thea Sophia Disabelle, from Bantayan Island, Cebu, who stirred buzz on the internet after creating art not just through traditional mediums, but also using a medium no one thinks could be used for art: soy sauce. Yes, the very same soy sauce you ordinarily see in kitchens at home.

“It all started when I poured a little amount of soy sauce into a saucer, since I needed it for my fried fish,” said Thea, who made her first soy sauce artwork back in March using Silver Swan Soy Sauce, a staple in their pantry. “After that, I paused for three seconds while staring at it—something was beautifully formed. After I had my breakfast that day, I asked myself, ‘Why not make art using soy sauce?’”

 

Working with soy sauce

While Thea always had access to Silver Swan Soy Sauce as it was the family’s preferred brand since her childhood, it would take her a few more months before trying to make another soy sauce artwork after her first one. This time, however, people took notice.

“I posted it on Facebook and didn't expect to get many likes, comments and shares,” she said.
“Fortunately, it really went viral and I was so overwhelmed.”

Although Thea also creates art using more traditional mediums such as paint, pastels, and pencils, she likes the convenience that soy sauce allows, recommending it to artists who may have challenges getting art materials during the quarantine. Silver Swan Soy Sauce, made of high-quality soybeans, also provides artists a unique texture to work with, distinguishing it from the usual materials and providing a tamang-tamang timpla even to art.

“The texture looks so cool after a while,” she says. “Artists just need soy sauce, a large plate, and imagination. It's tricky to do this kind of artwork because one wrong move, you'll have to start all over again. It might be an ephemeral artwork but it's worth the effort.”

Inspiring young Filipino creatives

As some artists find new ways to make breathtaking art during the quarantine using everyday items, Thea believes that there’s really no limit to what anyone can create as long as they keep trying. She herself wants to pursue a fine arts course and eventually turn her hobby into her life’s work.

“I encourage them to be creative and make use of their time through art,” she says. “You don't need expensive art materials—you just have to go to your kitchen, get some stuff and make it your masterpiece. It's just a matter of creativity, dedication and willingness to learn something new. You just have to be creative in making nothing into something. That's how art works.”

As a token of recognition for Thea’s astounding creativity and resourcefulness, NutriAsia, makers of Silver Swan will be sending her and her family more of their products for their use—whether it’s for their food or for more of Thea’s art.

 

Quarantine Creativity: 19-year-old Thea Sophia Disabelle only had a bottle of Silver Swan Soy Sauce, large plate, and a limitless imagination to create unique works of art.

 

Photos from Thea Sophia Disabelle’s Facebook Account

 

 

 

Smart launches new Giga Study data pack for learning

 

 

As the world continues to deal with the pandemic, many schools have resorted to online classes as a safe and innovative way for students to continue learning new knowledge and skills.

  

To help students adapt to this new normal, mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc. has launched Giga Study, a prepaid data pack aimed at giving students simpler access to a selection of learning apps and productivity tools.

  

Register via *123# or the new Smart App

 

Available to all Smart Prepaid and TNT subscribers, Giga Study 99 comes with 1 GB of data for specific study apps every day for 7 days, plus 2 GB of open-access data for only P99. To register, simply dial *123# and choose Giga and select Study. Subscribers can also avail of the promo conveniently via the new Smart App.

  

Giga Study offers access to Google Suite, which includes Google Classroom, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, Meet, and Drive. Learning via video is also an option with YouTube and YouTube Kids. The data pack also offers access to Microsoft 365, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Teams, and OneDrive. 

  

Giga Study adds to Smart and TNT's line of Giga offers, which are designed to cater to the various lifestyle needs and passions of customers. Recently, Smart also introduced Giga Work for those who need access to work and productivity apps.

 

Country’s fastest mobile data network

  

Smart and TNT subscribers can enjoy all these Giga offers powered by Smart LTE, the country’s fastest mobile network, as certified by third-party mobile analytics firms such as Ookla and Opensignal.

 

Ookla, the global leader in internet testing and analysis, recently named Smart as the country’s fastest mobile data network in the first half of 2020 after it achieved a Speed Score™ of 18.33, with average speeds of 15.94 Mbps for download, and 7.57 Mbps for upload, based on 2,810,963 user-initiated tests taken with Speedtest®.

 

On the other hand, Opensignal, an independent mobile analytics firm, reported in its April 2020 Mobile Network Experience Report for the Philippines that Smart remained ahead of the competition in terms of Video Experience, Upload and Download Speed Experience, Voice App Experience, Games Experience, and 4G Availability.

 

For more details on Smart’s products and services, follow Smart’s official accounts on Facebook at www.fb.com/SmartCommunications and Twitter and Instagram at @LiveSmart.

Creative snacks for homeschool recess

 

As students prepare to take their classes online for their safety amid the pandemic, it is important to keep them fueled and motivated for school. To help boost their creativity and learning, Solane, the country’s leading LPG solutions provider, suggests smart tips for creative snacks that are perfect for study breaks:   

Create fun snacks during craft-making day. Parents can bake butter cookies, cupcakes or cakes while kids decorate them with designs like the planets of the solar system or their favorite literary characters. The key is to think out of the box and prep ahead of time or during the weekend so everything is ready for a quick snack break. Doing this can help make their homeschooling experience more fun and give them something enjoyable to look forward to every week.

Have a weekly themed recess. Turn recess into an opportunity to learn something new. It can be a fun science experiment like turning milk into ice cream or it can be a short “tour around the world,” discovering different cultures through food. Serve them various cuisines as their snacks with a new country as the theme every day or every week.

Make bento boxes. Some parents struggle to make their kids eat nutritious foods. To encourage and excite the kids to eat well-balanced meals, why not make bento boxes? Utilize colorful ingredients or shape them into cute animals to make the bento box visually appetizing. Other great ideas for bento lunch sets are sushi sandwiches with sliced fruits or nori-wrapped rice sandwiches that can be made from leftovers.

Incorporate food that boost memory and concentration. Help kids get through their homeschool hours by preparing “brain food” to boost memory and concentration. Try fruit bowls or smoothies with blueberries, strawberries, kiwis and oranges. Studies show that these fruits contain vitamin C and antioxidants, which help prevent mental decline and improve communication in the brain cells, respectively. Be sure to include fatty fish like salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, which are rich in omega-3s for better cognition and thinking abilities.

Prepare these fun and healthy snack options suggested by Solane to help students be well and learn better. To know more, visit www.solane.com.ph.

This Grade 12 artist can make awesome artworks with banana catsup

 

When hard times strike and traditional resources are out of reach, the most creative of us can find ingenious ways to make one-of-a-kind works of art.

This is especially true for Filipinos—and no one proves our resourcefulness and creativity more than this amazing Grade 12 artist, who didn’t need paint or pencils to create artwork. No, Vincent Dwight Paulo from Nueva Ecija uses banana catsup to draw portraits of famous personalities while staying at home during the community quarantine.

While he first started with a catsup portrait back in 2018, it was during the quarantine when he really started honing this unique art skill. “I really engaged myself in doing catsup art since school and art supplies shops were closed,” said Vincent. “I was running out of materials, so I used catsup instead.”

With creating catsup art being only a hobby for him, Vincent never thought it would become as popular as it did.

 

Working with catsup

Catsup was not the first medium he had used to create art, but it was the one within reach at home—which is how he ended up creating portraits of celebrities like Liza Soberano, Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, Taylor Swift, and One Direction.

“I really loved catsup because it is readily available inside the house,” Vincent shared. “I really love exploring and trying other mediums just to try something new. I don’t like to stick to the conventional and typical artworks that we see.”

Vincent primarily uses UFC Banana Catsup as it is the family’s favorite catsup brand at home. “It’s always what’s in our kitchen, and we really like fried foods dipped in UFC Banana Catsup because of its tamis-anghang taste,” he said. “I don’t want to try other brands for my art because I’m already used to UFC.”

Artist Vincent Dwight Paulo received various NutriAsia products which the family can enjoy both for cooking and creating unique artwork

Vincent’s resourcefulness led him to their kitchen pantry, where he used a bottle of UFC Banana Catsup to create one-of-a-kind portraits that went viral on social media.

 

Inspiring creativity in Filipinos

While Vincent wows admirers online with his amazing catsup art, his plans are a little more different, as he dreams of taking up architecture in college. He realizes that such a course could be expensive, hindering others from pursuing their passion, but with his work he wants to inspire fellow artists and creatives to be resourceful.

“Being more creative and resourceful really is my objective. Painting does not stop if you don’t have art materials,” he continued. “Alternative materials are everywhere; you just have to explore. If you could think of some other materials than those usually used in making art, that would be great.”

As a token of recognition for Vincent’s astounding creativity and resourcefulness, NutriAsia sent him and his family more of their products for their use—whether it’s for their food or for more of Vincent’s art.

PLDT ramps up its Infoteach Outreach Program with a webinar series

 

Empowering teachers and students for blended learning

To enable various sectors in the new normal of online teaching and learning, leading telco PLDT, through its Infoteach Outreach Program, is conducting a webinar series called "Gearing up for the New Normal in Teaching and Learning.”  

The webinar series recently kicked off with the topic “Preparing your course for online delivery,” and was attended by almost 15,000 registered participants. These include teachers and students who were selected by PLDT in coordination with the Department of Education (DepED) Schools Division Superintendents, while the program’s long-time partner UP Open University (UPOU) provided the learning modules. The session was also extended to the public through the UPOU Networks’ Facebook Live and YouTube streams, with peak views reaching over 8,000 individuals.  

"We echo our Chairman's commitment that there should be no learner left behind. Amid the pandemic, we continue to empower our teachers and students by providing them with digital capabilities. Our webinar series aims to equip them for a smoother transition to a blended learning set-up,” said PLDT Public Affairs Head Ramon Isberto.    

"Through the webinar series, we advocate the culture of sharing. We become architects as we design our own modules. Through this, we enable our fellow teachers to learn from our best teaching and learning practices,” said UPOU Chancellor Dr. Melinda Bandelaria during the first session.  

There are several topics educators can watch out for, including engaging learners online (August 3), assessment of online engagement tools (August 7) and supporting online learners (August 10). Students will be given an online course on preparing to be an online learner (August 5), while parents will be offered a special webinar on how to support their children as online learners (August 18). There will also be a webinar session on cyber security open to the general public (August 14), led by PLDT Chief Information and Security Officer Angel Redoble. 

“This webinar series in partnership with the UPOU is a milestone that aims to uplift our country’s new digital education system. We continue to take strides in ensuring that we utilize our resources in helping the teaching and learning community," he said. 

Recognizing the vital role that the local government units (LGUs) play in supporting the education sector’s transition to digital learning, PLDT will also hold a special webinar session for them on August 12. 

For more details on how to participate, visit the UPOU Network’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/UPOpenUniversityNetworks/ 

Through the shared goal of enriching the country’s education sector, PLDT and UPOU are dedicating this webinar series not only to the teachers, but also to the whole ecosystem of the teaching and learning process: the students, their parents, and their communities. [END] 

 

About the Infoteach Outreach Program 

Now on its 16th year, the PLDT Infoteach Outreach Program started in 2004 as a barangay-based initiative on digital literacy training, and was later transformed into a school-based program. As the company’s flagship educational program, it champions digital literacy by empowering public school teachers and students nationwide. Its partnership with UPOU started in 2012 and has already produced over 30,000 graduates from different public schools all over the country. 

 

For more details on PLDT’s efforts for the education sector, please visit http://pldt.com/about-us/corporate-citizenship 

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About PLDT

PLDT is the leading telecommunications and digital services provider in the Philippines. Through its principal business groups – fixed line, wireless and others – PLDT offers a wide range of telecommunications and digital services across the Philippines’ most extensive fiber optic backbone, and fixed line and cellular networks.

PLDT is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE:TEL) and its American Depositary Shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:PHI). PLDT has one of the largest market capitalizations among Philippine­listed companies.

Maxicare gives free COVID-19 testing for thousands of members

To provide continuity of care and to ensure their members’ safety and well-being, Maxicare successfully recently hosted a 4-day free SARS COV2 Antibody Testing activities for 4,061 Maxicare members. 

With a simple and convenient process, members simply had to register and fill out a risk assessment form online. This was a quick and easy screening process that determined their risk category. Instructions were then given based on their respective categories. 

The initiative was met with much appreciation and gratitude from members and their families, both during the event and after.  “Maxicare was very efficient. You will get a 1-hour window to show up and take the test in a large, events-purposed building in Bridgetowne, Quezon City. There were testing stations with proper queuing, social-distancing etc. The whole process took only about 30 mins,” Attorney Butch Dado narrated of his experience.  

Benjunar Barcoma, a sales engineer from Rohde & Shwarz (Philippines) Inc., was grateful for the peace of mind it afforded him.  Another member, Dr. Kenneth Y. Hartigan-Go, an Associate Professor and Head of the Stephen Zuellig School of Development Management at the Asian Institute of Management, commended Maxicare’s integration of science and heart in this time of uncertainty. “It was  a well-organized COVID-19 testing one Sunday morning, offering myself peace of mind.” 

Aside from the free tests, Maxicare continues to cover members infected with COVID-19. A total of 631 cases were confirmed, and 592 already recovered as of July 11, 2020. Amidst the lockdown, Maxicare clinics remained open, while strictly adhering to appropriate health protocols. Maxicare members who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and other health concerns are encouraged to call in through the 24/7 TeleConsult service to verify with licensed physicians whether or not they need to head to the hospital to avoid unnecessary exposure.     

During these uncertain times, a sense of shared responsibility has seen the country coming together, while staying apart.  The free test is “consistent with Maxicare’s mission of helping people achieve peace of mind through quality healthcare so they may live their best lives,” added Christian Argos, Maxicare President & CEO. 

Tips to turn newbies into supermarket pros in the new normal

Every once in a while, we’ll be pushed to do things we don’t normally do. For some of us, going to do the groceries is something that’s way outside our comfort zones. It’s true—the reality is there will be people, who are totally clueless when it comes to buying groceries. But that’s okay, it’s nothing to be ashamed about, as everyone can always learn something new and get better at it.

What’s most important when it comes to buying groceries, especially during this pandemic, is making the most out of your grocery trips. You’ll want to be in and out of the store as fast as you can like a real supermarket pro in order to avoid risks to yourself and your family.

Here are some tips to help you be a better grocery shopper in the new normal:

1. Write down a carefully planned grocery list

To make the most out of each grocery trip, you’ll have to step up your planning. That means estimating what you’ll need to buy and how much of it you’ll need to buy (within your budget, of course) in order to prolong the time it takes until your next grocery trip. You may have to calculate more thoroughly than usual here, but if it means being able to do more physical distancing and reducing the risk of the virus, it’ll be for the better.

2. Go extra early or in off-peak hours to avoid crowds

Many people will be thinking the same thing and this will be harder than it sounds, but you should try to avoid times when the supermarket has more people. While stores will enforce a maximum capacity limit, you’ll still want to avoid people as much as you can. Try to go extra early so that stock doesn’t run out on you, or figure out the times when there are fewer people in the store—and of course, don’t forget your protective gear!

3. Make a list of “plan B” items

But sometimes, no matter how careful you plan, no matter how early you go, there may be some items and products that won’t have stock. If, for example, there is no more of a certain ingredient in the store shelves, you should be ready with a quick replacement so that you don’t spend too much time in the supermarket, risking yourself further.

Fortunately, there’s always something that works, such as your trusted kitchen and cooking partners from NutriAsia, which have been delicious staples of households for decades. In the company’s latest video, a clueless dad calls up his son to ask for his help in preparing a special meal to surprise Mom, and

the resulting adventure is nothing short of adorable, thanks to the help of some handy NutriAsia products like the UFC Spaghetti Supreme Pack. You can watch the video here.

No matter how challenging situations might be, it’s definitely easy to make the most of them—and your grocery trips—with NutriAsia’s products!

PLDT-Smart Foundation partners with women's group to provide face masks, PPEs to frontliners

Through the KKK women’s group, the PLDT-Smart Foundation is able to provide face masks to several hospitals in Metro Manila. 

PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF), in partnership with the Kababaihan, Kamay ng Kalikasan (KKK), recently distributed over 36,000 protective face masks to frontliners from various organizations and communities to help augment the supply of face masks - necessities in the continuing fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Some 500 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) were also donated to the following facilities: Novaliches Hospital, Sta. Ana Hospital, National Center for Mental Health, San Lazaro Hospital, and Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital.

Among the recipients of the face masks were the AFP frontliners, Makati Medical Center Foundation for PNP HPG, and various communities affected by COVID-19.

"It is an honor for us to help our beloved frontliners by equipping them with the basic necessities, such as face masks and PPEs, to protect them in their battle against COVID-19," said PSF President Ma. Esther O. Santos.

"We would like to assure our frontliners that we are here for them and one with them in fighting this pandemic," Santos said.

The KKK women’s group has produced over 36,000 face masks for Frontliners nationwide

"If every Filipino will wear a face mask, observe physical distancing and practice proper hygiene, we will all have some protection from COVID-19," KKK Founder and Commissioner at Philippine Commission on Women, Sandy Sanchez Montano pointed out.

"We are glad to provide reusable, non-woven protective masks produced by women who were severely affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the pandemic," Montano added.

The KKK is a program under the Community Health Education Emergency Rescue Services Corp. (CHEERS). It aims to actively help in addressing the spread of COVID-19 while providing a source of sustainable livelihood for women who need to make a living for their families. KKK participants/beneficiaries include women-recipients of 4Ps, solo parents, and those who were affected by the ECQ.

A non-profit organization, the PSF fully serves as the social outreach arm of PLDT, Inc. and its wireless subsidiary, Smart Communications Inc. Headed by PLDT and Smart Chairman Manuel V Pangilinan, the PSF created programs focused on education, livelihood and social enterprise, disaster response and recovery, youth arts, and sports development.

To know more about the efforts of the PLDT Group in beating the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit https://beta.pldt.com/covid19/.