SHE’S been compared to Hollywood celebrities who initiate and lead humanitarian efforts but I see Filipino actress Angel Locsin as her own person. Charity acts committed by people who are rich and famous are generally viewed suspiciously by netizens. Many of Locsin’s endeavors to help those in need have been generally applauded but she has certainly not gained acting jobs or endorsements from it. I don’t claim to know her but I think she really just wants to help people.
Locsin, together with second-generation tycoon Hans Sy of the SM Group, has been named in Forbes’ 13th annual Heroes of Philanthropy list featuring “30 outstanding altruists” in Asia-Pacific. On the list are billionaires and businessmen. Forbes said the actress has donated P15 million in the past 10 years.
Through #UniTENTWeStand, Locsin, her fiancé Neil Arce and their small team raised over P11 million in cash to put up tents outside hospitals.
Beko, the global home appliances brand of the Arçelik Group and belongs to the Koç Holding, one of the largest conglomerates in Europe, was one of the companies that supported #UniTENTWeStand at San Lazaro Hospital.
Helping LGUs and the private sectors is consistent with Beko’s brand purpose to “empower new generations to live healthier.”
“Frontliners are our today’s heroes and we are happy to provide refrigerators, cookers and washing machines to make the place where they are resting more convenient and homey. We are also looking at ways to continue to extend our support during the war against Covid-19,” said Gürhan Günal, country manager of Beko Pilipinas Corp.
Beko Pilipinas is also teaming up with the local government units of Pasig, San Juan and Manila; the hardest-hit hospitals, like Philippine General Hospital, San Juan de Dios Medical Center, Quirino Memorial Medical Center and Delos Santos Medical Center; and recently to the converted mega quarantine facilities in Philippine International Convention Center, Rizal Memorial Stadium and Philippine Arena by donating its innovative washing machines, freestanding cookers and refrigerators for use during the Covid-19 crisis.
Beko is sharing its innovative technologies with frontliners.
With Hygiene+ wash program technology, frontliners will get clean laundry because of its custom drum movements, additional rinse and spin cycles, and sensitive temperature control, especially at 60 degrees cycle as approved by Allergy UK, which eliminates 99 percent of allergens. Meanwhile, the fridge’s EverFresh+ technology ensures ideal humidity and temperature to keep fruit and vegetables crisp and fresh up to three times longer or even up to 30 days. This will help our frontliners stay healthy and keep their meals, fruits and vegetables. More than just a function to cook food efficiently, Beko’s CookMaster capacity means the cooker can cook loads of food in one go.
In addition, Beko Pilipinas is also working with the #RockEd Relief (@RockEdPhilippines) and #FrontlineFeedersPH (@FrontlineFeedersPH) groups that help and support the medical workers in mobilizing, allocating and providing food delivery to hospitals and ensuring the right number of people are fed at the right time.
Beko has been in the Philippines for five years and is available in select SM Appliance Centers, Robinsons Appliances Stores and Asian Home Appliance Center in Cebu. This year, Beko will be made available soon in other appliance stores nationwide as it continues to expand its distribution to other retail channels. More information is available at www.beko.ph.
“We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors and tent suppliers. YOU who have shared a part of your hearts through our campaign. You have reached out your helping hands even while you are home and did not only give but sent out love and prayers to those who needed your help,” said Locsin in a post on Instagram.
#UniTENTWeStand has helped135 hospitals nationwide, put up 246 tents and raised P11,359,856.89.
“In the beginning our only dream was to provide tents to hospitals for patients, for our frontliners, to address the challenge in overcrowding, and to help lessen the increase of spreading the virus in hospitals, but because you were all so generous and kind, we received from you donations of food, PPEs, aircon and many others kaya naman po dahil sa inyo we were able to give out not only tents but also PPEs and other supplies,” said the actress.
Locsin celebrated her 35th birthday recently and I’m sure the success of her project was one of the best birthday gifts that she received. Happy birthday to this angel. May you have the good fortune to help more people in your lifetime. n
Image credits: @therealangellocsin on instagram