The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected global industries, hitting tourism and agriculture the hardest. Cognizant to their partner communities’ plight, ABS-CBN Foundation – Bantay Kalikasan (BK) extends assistance to different people’s organizations.
BK partners with communities all over the Philippines to support the organization’s mission of taking care of the environment. BK supports these communities though livelihood opportunities like farming, eco-tourism, and many more.
However, many of these livelihoods are greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic which made life harder for the community members.
To help them get through this global crisis, BK launched “Tulong para sa BK Partner Communities sa panahon ng COVID-19,” an initiative to distribute food and basic necessities to the affected communities. These communities were the first batch of beneficiaries:
Sites | Families Served | Partner Communities |
Sarangani, Samar, and Carles | 189 | 4 |
Bulusan, Zamboanga, Palawan, Samar, Gubat, Leyte, and Carles | 481 | 13 |
Palawan, Sarangani, and Sorsogon | 205 | 5 |
Sarangani, and Samar | 211 | 3 |
Sorsogon | 32 | 1 |
Lake Sebu | 85 | 1 |
Community leaders assisted in buying, packing, and distributing the goods to the community members. As of 15 April 2020, ABS-CBN Foundation has served 1,203 families in 27 partner communities.
Some members from Bacungan Mangrove Eco-Tourism and Calategas Farmers Marketing Corp. were selfless enough to even share the relief goods they received from BK to non-members in their communities.
Keeping their commitment to care for the environment, some communities also initiated in eliminating the use of plastics by bringing their own containers like balde (bucket), ecobags, native bayongs (woven bags made of dried leaves), just like the initiative of Purok Jolohano Women’s Association (Sarangani), Basiao Native Weaver’s Association (Basey, Samar), Marabut Livelihood Association (Marabut, Samar), and Dancalan Rural Worker’s Association (Bulusan, Sorsogon).
In Gubat, Sorsogon, other private individuals inspired by the effort contributed more resources to help more families. Truly, the bayanihan spirit of the Filipino people is alive during these trying times.
Remaining partner communities are scheduled to receive assistance in the coming days.
AFI – BK would like to thank the donors’ unending support in making “Tulong para sa BK Partner Communities sa panahon ng COVID-19” possible.
April 7 – Sarangani, Samar, Carles
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April 8 – Bulusan, Zamboanga, Palawan, Samar, Gubat, Leyte, Carles
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April 9- Palawan, Sarangani, Sorsogon
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April 10 – Sarangani, Samar
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April 13 – Sorsogon