A US-based nonprofit charitable organization has committed to donate funds to finance the purchase of coronavirus vaccines and/or the acquisition of testing facilities to offer free tests to marginalized workers and their families of three Philippine non-profit business groups.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the donation pledge was signed Wednesday between the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce (FACC) Foundation Inc. in collaboration and support of the Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce (COFACC), the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) and the Philippine Exporters Confederation
Inc. (Philexport).
Relations Lorenzo Formoso; Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (PCCI) Chairman Ma. Alegria Sibal Limjoco, PCCI Honorary Chairman and Treasurer Dr. Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., Philippine Export Confederation of the Philippines Chairman George Barcelon, and PCCI Acting President Edgardo Lacson, with (inset) Amb. Jose Manuel “Babe” del Gallego Romualdez, Consul General Edgardo Badajos, FACC Foundation President Ellen Samson, and COFACC President Jose Gerardo Palon.
Under the MOU, the three Philippine business organizations expressed their desire to receive cash donations that would be generated from the fund-raising project conducted by the FACC Foundation starting August 11 to December 15, 2021. They will be responsible for procuring and distributing the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine and related materials, and/or provision of free testing facilities for their marginalized workers.
The virtual signing of the MOU under the “Saves Lives, Donate Vaccines to the Philippines” project was signed between PCCI Honorary Chairman and Treasurer Dr. Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., PCCI Chairman Ma. Alegria Sibal-Limjoco, Philexport Chairman George Barcelon, acting PCCI President Edgardo G. Lacson as recipients and
FACC Foundation President Ellen Samson, COFACC President Jose Gerardo Palon and COFACC Senior Director for International Relations Lorenzo Formoso as donors, at the PCCI office in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. It was witnessed by Philippine Ambassador to US Jose Manuel “Babe” del Gallego Romualdez and Consul General Edgardo Badajos.
Acting PCCI President Edgardo Lacson expressed gratitude for the donation, citing that this will go a long way in the fight against Covid-19 that has left many people unemployed and the economy in recession.
Philexport Chairman Dr. George Barcelon said they appreciated FACC’s generous expression of support to save Filipino lives, economy, jobs and livelihood, even as the US is also facing challenges amid the pandemic.
ECOP President Dr. Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. emphasized the project will not only save the lives of their workers of member-companies and their families, but also the enterprises themselves, especially the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) who are members of the three business organizations.