LISTED telecommunications firm Globe Telecom, Inc. and its partners have donated WiFi devices and smart television sets to three hospitals based in Metro Manila as a tribute to medical frontliners.
Philippine General Hospital, Tondo Medical Center and National Children’s Hospital will each receive 50 Globe MyFi devices, smart TVs powered by Globe Home Prepaid WiFi, and a monetary donation of P500,000 from the Ayala Foundation, among others.
In a virtual briefing on Monday, Globe President and Chief Executive Officer Ernest L. Cu said that the firm’s donations aim to boost connectivity, which is vital for ensuring patient care and keeping in touch with families.
Staying connected will prevent delays in primary care and management, and will allow frontliners to safely connect with their loved ones, he added.
Mr. Cu said that the Ayala group of companies had extended a total of P16-billion worth of assistance for various coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response initiatives, as of May.
Listed conglomerate Ayala Corp. owns around 31% of the telecommunications firm’s common shares.
“With Globe as being part of the Ayala initiatives, we continue to extend assistance as the crisis unfolds. Since the start of the pandemic, we provided about P1.3 billion in assistance just in 2020 alone in the form of connectivity, donation drives and aid to families in need,” Mr. Cu said.
Of the amount, some P41-million worth of Globe Rewards went to donation drives for frontliners working in 10 partner hospitals; P27 million for health facilities, government units, and families in need; and P7.2 million went to Globe’s mobile wallet arm GCash’s donation drive for its partner companies.
“This contribution is Globe’s way of saying thank you for their continued service and sacrifice. We know that these connectivity devices will help them in sharing their struggles and triumphs with their families and make it easier for them to take care of their patients,” Mr. Cu said in a separate press release.
The company’s first-quarter attributable net income to its parent climbed by 11% to P7.31 billion year on year, as the economy slowly recovered.
Shares in Globe at the local bourse improved by 0.92% or P18 to close at P1,983 apiece on Monday. — Angelica Y. Yang
