San Miguel Corp. (SMC) on Tuesday said it has started implementing a plan, together with nonprofit groups, to distribute free nutribuns in disadvantaged communities via feeding kiosks at identified Petron service stations.
Ramon S. Ang, the company’s president and COO, said it allotted initially 4 Petron stations that served as staging areas for the food relief effort. The said program was officially launched early this week.
The nutribuns are baked at the Petron stations, while partner NGOs and local government units take care of distributing these to nearby poor communities.
“About a month ago, we announced a new initiative to make nutribuns available to the poor, to help keep them from hunger as our country continues to deal with the health crisis. I’m happy to report that the first 4 Petron nutribun baking stations are now operational,” Ang said.
“Despite our economy already partially open, many less-fortunate Filipinos continue to have limited access to food, resources, and livelihood. As much as possible, we don’t want anyone to go hungry. This is one of the ways we felt we could help tide some of them over, by providing nutrient-packed and energy-rich nutribuns, made with care and malasakit by our people.”
The pilot sites in Caloocan, Malolos, Tondo and Payatas will produce an estimated total 8,000 nutribuns for distribution every week.
The company revived the nutribun—originally developed in the 1970s to fight hunger and malnutrition among schoolchildren–in March, when the enhanced community quarantine was implemented to stem the spread of the virus.
According to Ang, more sites will be added, as soon as special baking ovens are built and installed at other Petron gas stations. The company is prioritizing implementation in areas close to disadvantaged communities.
“For as long as there’s a pandemic and, we will not stop looking for ways that San Miguel can help out,” Ang said.
Ang also emphasized the importance of working with NGOs, such as Gawad Kalinga and Munting Hiling, as well as local government units, to help ensure the initiative’s success.
“Throughout this whole crisis, in all our food relief efforts, the help of our partner NGOs and the LGUs, has been invaluable in ensuring that our food donations reach those who really need it. We’re grateful for their support and are now counting on them again to help make sure that help gets to those who need it the most with this new initiative,” Ang said.
Image credits: www.sanmiguel.com.ph