FROM organizers who raised donations for food, personal protective equipment (PPEs), and gadgets for distance learning, to a nurse who helped a homeless woman give birth on the street, the Ayala Mall’s Extra Miles campaign is honoring everyday individuals as Changemakers — those who have shown exemplary acts of altruism amidst the pandemic.

Inspired by the spirit of bayanihan, Ayala Malls began the Extra Mile campaign — now on its 16th year — as a way to honor its employees and has since gone beyond to honor more Filipinos in broader communities.

“The story of each changemaker is an example of what any person can do for a more optimistic future. No kind act is too small to make a difference. We hope that the Extra Mile campaign and its outstanding honorees will spark a desire for kindness in every Filipino’s life,” said Ayala Malls president Jennylle Tupaz in a statement.

The 39 honorees are recognized for their selfless acts of kindness by initiating many efforts like fundraising and donations for the benefit of vulnerable communities. They are:

• Marco Alejandro “Aldo” Panlilio. Panlilio founded the Your 200 Pesos or Y2P Project, a program dedicated to help frontliners and professionals who lost their jobs during ECQ.

• Enrique Prado: Prado sourced materials for DIY (do-it-yourself) face shields, which were produced and donated to AFP frontliners and 1,500 healthcare workers in local hospitals. He also sent P10,000 worth of food to three struggling families, 150 food packs to a vulnerable community, and 125 bikes to deserving individuals.

• Dr. Tiger Garrido:  A medical professional, Dr. Garrido sourced and distributed PPEs in different health institutions. He reached 3,000 front liners in 63 hospitals in the last three months.

• Carmaela Alcantara:  She provided 4,000 locally made PPEs to public hospitals in her province. Her endeavor also provided livelihood for sewers within her community.

• Ismael Jerusalem: Jerusalem created face shields via 3-D printing for distribution to frontliners in Legazpi City, Albay. He and fellow artists earned nearly P100,000 enough to provide more than 3,000 face shields for free.

• Janice Cuevas: By conducting yoga classes for a cause, she was able to raise funds and provide PPEs to frontliners, as well as distribute sanitary kits and food packs to vulnerable communities and charity organizations.

• Gary Ramirez: He launched “Pakainin ang Buong Barangay,” a Facebook page that encouraged people to help feed residents of poor barangays during the lockdown. This effort reached 11 cities and municipalities, and has provided 45,000 meals to indigent families.

• Paulina Clara Zulueta: She initiated the Arawan: Para Pu Karela (Para Po Sa Kanila), a fundraising and relief distribution project that was able to provide grocery packs worth P500 each to drivers of selected JODA in Angeles City and 600 drivers in Baguio city.

• Carla May Berina-Kim: She organized a fundraising event to provide hot meals for frontliners. Along with her family and friends, they were able to gather P340,000 in cash and P350,000-worth of in-kind donations, which reached 21 hospitals in nine cities within the NCR (National Capital Region).

• Dr. Vincent Paul Olalia: The doctor was instrumental in helping a business establishment recover and restart after the enhanced community quarantine was lifted to allow stores to reopen.

• Dr. Aimee Nunez-Regala: The doctor gathered thousands of PPEs in the form of bunny suits, isolation gowns, n95 masks, goggles, face shields, gloves, head and shoe covers, and ear savers, which she eventually distributed to hospitals in need.

• Malaya Genotiva: She helped those without access to learning resources through The Mitsa Project. She was also able to help print 395 modules and deliver 214 module workbooks to families.

• Maria Gliceria “Ria” Valdez:  Valdez and her friends created The Mitsa Project (TMP) to collect and distribute gadgets for students due to the enforced online classes.

• Nini Andrada Sacro: Sacri, with the help of her team of volunteers and donations from various restaurants and the Philippine Army, did an initiative that fed 12,000 frontliners, homeless and street kids, and locally stranded individuals and OFWs.

• April Joy Cruz: She launched a DSWD-accredited donation drive that gathered P2.5-million worth of donations, which reached 89 hospitals and 25 institutions nationwide.       

• Maxine Andrea Carasig: Carasig, along with fellow volunteers and friends, started an initiative called Sadiwa, which brought surplus produce from local farmers to consumers to support the farmer’s livelihoods. They have since helped 21 farmers and their families.

• Marvin Bagube and Renan Dela Cruz: Bagube and Dela Cruz of Le Sucre Lab continued operations despite less revenue to sustain their feeding drive for various vulnerable communities. Their relief drive supported frontliners and those who lost their livelihood during the ECQ like jeepney and tricycle drivers.

• Tracy Ampil: Ampil started MediDyip, a transport system that provided safe transportation for PUIs, PUMs, and patients safe to healthcare facilities, and supported the livelihood of the jeepney drivers.

• Marvin Caparros: The engineer and his friends raised P8.5 million in donations, which reached more than 1,500 people in the poorest barangays in Quezon City. They also provided hot meals and groceries to thousands of frontliners and distributed 5,000 PPEs to many government hospitals.

• Simon Fernan:  Fernan created modified 3D printed adaptors that can convert reusable respirator masks as a response to the shortage of PPE equipment in hospitals in Cebu.

• Evelyn Nacario-Castro: Her “Usa Ka Gasa para sa Duha ka Pamilya” initiative purchased vegetables from local farmers and provided Family Support Packs, while her other project SAKSI helped in the reproduction and distribution of PPE materials to Bisaya-speaking communities.

• Jumax Morgia: Morgia spearheaded the manufacturing of 10,000 face shields, 300 hazmat suits, and 50 sanitation tents, which were distributed to most hospitals in Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu, and Talisay.

• Karl Arriola: Through their Cebu-based new-generation law firm KaLe Solutions, lawyers Karl Arriola and Leny Ignalaga extended help to small businesses in need by providing cash and goods donated by their clients, including 100 facemasks, 300 pieces of clothing, food packs, two laptops, a cell phone, and cash worth P50,000.

• Michael Arcilla: He provided grocery items to more than 300 families and provided more than 100 face masks and eye glass protectors for the tricycle drivers in his community, as well as two mountain bikes for Makati residents.

• Gian Dela Rama:  With his Knowledge Inspires Responsible Action (KIRA) platform, Dela Rama connected the Department of Health (DoH) with many online users via its official Kontracovid-19 chatbot. KIRA was turned over to the DoH for free, as Dela Rama’s true act of community service.

• Theriza Lanche: She provided 40 PPEs and 82 hot meals for medical staff who took care of kids with critical illnesses at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center.

• Marlon Pia: He launched Ayuda para sa Aeta, an on-line fundraiser to purchase relief food packs for 2,000 mountain Aetas good for two weeks. Through collective efforts, he was able to help 2,000 Aeta families from three barangays situated in 20 mountain communities.

• Manoling Francisco, SJ:  Through the Tanging Yaman Foundation which he founded, he was able to provide 125,075 food packs for 252 communities, PPEs for 208 hospitals and health clinics, and 56,940 hot meals for frontliners in seven Hospitals within the ECQ period.

• Mary Lorraine Pingol: Despite running late for work, nurse Mary Lorraine Pingol stopped to help a homeless woman deliver her baby on a sidewalk in Makati City.

• Mariko David, Marie Sol Bartolome, and Shiela Marie Borongan: They launched The Wagi Project which, through a “Bid for A Cause,” also known as “Sale for A Cause,” was able to earn P113,629.88 from bidding, cash, and kind donations. This benefitted eight beneficiaries from NCR (National Capital Region), Cavite, Laguna, Zambales, and Sarangani.

• Stanley Seludo: He was able to help displaced musicians and roadies earn a living during the pandemic. He also helped businesses with logistical needs.

• Christine Remo:  Remo prepared packed home-cooked meals for at least 3,000 front liners which included hospital staff, security guards, maintenance, and elevator operators.

• Svethllana Patricia De Guzman: She was able to raise P45,635 and distribute relief packs for 206 drivers.

• Joel dela Paz: Through #BayanihanSaMontalban, Dela Paz was able to help jeepney drivers from different Jeepney Operators and Drivers Associations (JODAs) in Montalban and San Mateo, Rizal by providing relief packs as well as monetary and in-kind donations.

• Dale James Ferrer: Focusing on helping musicians, Ferrer raised P50,000 and distributed P1,000 through GCASH for each beneficiary in need of groceries, medicines, and baby milk. He also provided P50,000 cash and a few sacks of rice to 50 musicians and their families.

• Micaela Gavino: Through Salindiwa, Gavino was about to donate pocket WiFi units to students-in-need from Grades 4 to 6.

• Renz Allan Lacorte:  Through TulongSkwela PH, Lacorte seeks to raise donations — particularly connectivity devices and educational materials — for selected public schools in the rural barangays of Davao del Norte.

• Sharra Crizel Elep: Through Reconnect PH, Elep was able to raise P89,621 that would provide distance learning kits for JHS, SHS and colleges.

• Dionicio Castro, Jr.:  With P30,000 worth of funds that Castro’s friend provided, he was able to gather food packs good for 500 families.

Check out the full stories of the 39 Extra Mile Changemakers at ayalamalls.com/pasyal.

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