P&G partners with Philippine Red Cross for COVID-19 Bakuna Buses in CALABARZON

MANILA, Philippines, Sept. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Procter & Gamble (P&G) Philippines continues stepping up as a force for good by supporting the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) mission to assist in the government's national COVID-19 vaccination program.

P&G recently donated over 5 million pesos to fund PRC COVID-19 Mobile Vaccination Clinics, popularly known as 'Bakuna Buses'. Over the next eight months, they will deploy three (3) mobile vaccination clinics that will serve at least 150 barangays and 15,000 highly vulnerable Filipinos in CALABARZON who are especially challenged in accessing LGU bakuna centers. These include senior citizens, persons with disabilities, bed-ridden patients, and persons with special needs. This not only supports the government's vaccination program but also protects communities in region 4, which is home to P&G's Cabuyao manufacturing plant and where P&G employees and their families live and work.

In their virtual turnover ceremony, PRC's Secretary General, Elizabeth Zavalla, along with Red Cross CALABARZON's chapter administrators, expressed their heartfelt gratitude for P&G's long-standing partnership with the private organization and for choosing CALABARZON as the beneficiary area of the Bakuna Buses. "This is another milestone for our partnership", said Secretary General Zavalla. "We could not thank Procter & Gamble enough for this continuing partnership, for always trusting the Philippine Red Cross, and for your leadership in supporting humanitarian efforts", she continued.

The fully-equipped PRC Mobile Vaccine Clinics are set to make two to four visits per barangay to cover the first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, the Philippine Red Cross is in the process of determining the key cities in region 4A that are of utmost priority for this program, with a population of highly vulnerable people as one of the factors for consideration.

"P&G strives to be a Force for Good in the Philippines. We focus on the protection, prevention, and vaccination of our employees, their families, and our communities. At the start of the pandemic, we re-purposed our plant to produce and donate 3 million medical-grade face masks to protect the frontline.  We continuously donate thousands of P&G health and hygiene kits to vulnerable families and communities to prevent sickness in their homes. Now, the Mobile Vaccination Clinics are a timely initiative to provide vaccine access and protection for highly vulnerable individuals who need it most," said Raffy Fajardo, President and General Manager of P&G Philippines.

P&G Philippines is also on the road to getting its employees vaccinated with an 80% vaccination completion rate. Apart from the company purchased vaccines, they have also partnered with the local governments of Taguig and Cabuyao to execute vaccine administrations for their workforce in these cities.

Aiming to complete their employee vaccination in October, they also hope to begin their commitment to vaccinate employees' families, all eligible dependents, and additional members from employee households.