Driven by their commitment to corporate social responsibility, trusted medicines and vaccines providers belonging to the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) have contributed about P120 million monetary and in-kind donations to help protect frontliners and support more than 1.5 million families and over 155 hospitals nationwide during the pandemic.
Employees of PHAP Member companies are also volunteering in community efforts to support frontline health workers and patients affected by the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.
In-kind donations of PHAP Members consist of personal protective equipment sets (coveralls, N95 masks, surgical masks, surgical gloves, face shields, goggles, shoe covers), test kits, ventilators, medicines, vitamins, vaccines, personal hygiene items, disinfectants, food packs for frontline health workers, and transportation assistance for patients. Beneficiaries include government and private hospitals, charitable institutions, government agencies, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), among others.
“Even as the global biopharmaceutical industry is leading the way in developing Covid-19 vaccines, treatments and diagnostics, we are taking concrete actions to support the Philippine government’s Covid-19 response. We are working round the clock to ensure an uninterrupted supply of life-saving medicines despite global lockdowns. Also a key component of these actions is our corporate social responsibility initiatives aimed at protecting frontline health workers and patients,” said PHAP Executive Director Teodoro B. Padilla.
Aside from their respective company’s Covid-19 response initiatives, PHAP Members also contributed a total of P8.5M monetary and in-kind donations to the PHAPCares Foundation, the social responsibility arm of PHAP dedicated to help improve the health and lives of Filipinos disadvantaged by sickness, poverty and disasters.
“As responsible corporate citizens, PHAP and its member companies are committed to support the country’s health-care system capacity and protect health care workers and patients. We are one with the government and all concerned stakeholders in the fight against Covid-19,” said PHAPCares Foundation Executive Director Dr. Rosarita Quijano-Siasoco.
The PHAP Members that have so far contributed to the country’s Covid-19 response are Abbott Laboratories Philippines; Astellas; AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals (Phils.) Inc.; Bayer Philippines Inc.; Boehringer Ingelheim (Philippines), Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Philippines Inc.; Hi-Eisai Pharmaceutical Inc. (Philippines); Johnson & Johnson; Merck Group, Inc.; MSD Philippines; Mercury Drug Corporation; Metro Drug Inc.; Mundipharma Distribution GmbH (Philippine Branch); Novartis Healthcare Philippines Inc.; Novo Nordisk; Otsuka (Philippines) Pharmaceutical Inc.; Pfizer Philippines Inc.; PHILUSA Corporation; Qualimed Pharma Inc.; Roche Philippines Inc.; Sanofi; Taisho; Takeda; The Generic Pharmacy (TGP) Pharma Inc.; and Zuellig Pharma Corporation.
The PHAPCares Foundation turned over PPEs and in-kind donations to the San Lazaro Hospital, Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine Heart Center, Philippine General Hospital, Jose Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and East Avenue Medical Center, San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital, Rizal Medical Center, Perpetual Help Medical Center–Biñan and World Citi Medical Center. Other beneficiaries were the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Ospital ng Muntinlupa, La Union Medical Center, La Union Provincial Health Office and Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center.
Other recipients of in-kind donations was the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Sta. Ana Hospital, Biñan City Main Health Center and Our Lady of Peace Hospital Foundation whose members also served as frontliners during the enhanced community quarantine and the general community quarantine in Metro Manila starting March 15. During the quarantine period, the PHAPCares Foundation also provided in-kind donations to members of the police and several barangays manning the checkpoints.
PHAP, its Members and the PHAPCares Foundation will also be initiating future pandemic-related partnerships in support of the nation’s efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19, and establish pharmaceutical security resilience in preparation for pandemics.