TULONG KAPATID, the alliance of foundations and companies in the MVP Group, has turned over face shields, grocery packs, bread, and bottled water to various waste management providers of Quezon City.
Municipal waste management teams are made up of the city’s garbage collectors, pickers, river waste management and street sweepers, who continuously serve as front liners for the community and for the environment.
Quezon City, the largest and most populous local government in Metro Manila, has placed 34 barangays under “extreme enhanced community quarantine” due to a higher risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission. This has increased waste generated by households during the quarantine period since most people are staying home.
In 2019, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte signed Executive Order No. 3, which formally created the task force on solid waste collection, cleaning, and disposal services management.
Recently, Ms. Belmonte ordered the task force on solid waste management to mandate city-contracted service providers to supply their waste collection personnel with the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks, face shields and hand gloves, which will be part of their regular uniform. The move is in anticipation of what will be the “new normal.” It ensures that the risk from exposure to viral and microbial diseases can be minimized.
“We are thankful that Tulong Kapatid, through Mr. Manny (Manuel V.) Pangilinan, has considered providing for the welfare of the solid waste management team of Quezon City,” she said.
“Apart from the food items, these face shields would help protect our waste management operations and monitoring teams from the daily hazards of their duties,” she added.
For Tulong Kapatid, around 500 Quezon City waste management enforcers will receive 300 face shields, and 500 food bags containing canned goods, coffee, rice, Sari Roti breads, Kopiko and bottled water.
The companies and foundations that participated in the turnover were Metro Pacific Investments Foundation, One Meralco Foundation, PLDT-Smart Foundation, Maynilad and Alagang Kapatid Foundation of TV5.
“The mandate for Tulong Kapatid to reach out to garbage collectors came from our Chairman (Mr. Pangilinan), who said not to disregard these people who are being exposed daily not only to danger such as broken glass, smoke and chemical inhalation but also to the coronavirus,” said Melody del Rosario, who chairs Metro Pacific’s foundation. “They play a vital role in our society and neglecting them could pose enormous health and environmental issues.”
