It is truly in times of crisis when the spirit of bayanihan comes alive.

The Aboitiz Group was one in extending help to those affected by the Taal Volcano eruption. Living out the values of teamwork and responsibility, team members assembled and distributed relief packages to thousands of displaced families and individuals. More so, A-People aided in the rescue operations of animals that were left behind.

Over 11,000 Batangueños reached

Several team members from APRI MakBan, LiMA EnerZone Corporation (LEZ), and AboitizLand have pitched in to assemble relief packs containing food, N95 face masks to combat the respiratory impact of the ashfall, sleeping kits, hygiene kits, and drinking water.

These packages will be distributed to 5,519 families, or 11,071 individuals in evacuation centers in Malvar, Sto. Tomas City, and Lipa City, Batangas as well as in San Pablo City and Bay, Laguna.

APRI, LEZ, and AboitizLand all have a presence in South Luzon. APRI operates the MakBan Geothermal Power Plant in Bay and Calauan, Laguna, and Sto. Tomas City, Batangas, while LEZ operates LiMA Land’s distribution system in Lipa City and Malvar, Batangas. AboitizLand has industrial, commercial, and residential developments in San Juan, Malvar, and Lipa City, Batangas.

Pilmico, other local flour millers donate thousands of breads

Pilmico Foods, along with other members of The Philippine Association of Flour Millers (PAFMIL), alloted an initial 1,000 bags of flour.

The first 100 bags of flour were delivered to Tinapayan Bakery which operates in Manila and Cuenca, Batangas. They were baked into pandesal and distributed to evacuees in Cuenca, Batangas.

Meantime, the second batch of 100 bags of flour produced about 37,000 hamburger buns.

They were distributed from January 18 to 20 to over 3,000 evacuees in Tagaytay City evacuation centers near the Tagaytay City Hall, the Tagaytay Sports Activity Center, and Tagaytay City Integrated School. More evacuees from the municipalities of  Alfonso and Mendez in Cavite and municipalities of Calatagan and Calaca in Batangas were also fed with the bread donated by the local flour millers.

Pilmico aids in animal care and rescue

Pilmico together with the Batangas Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), animal welfare and private organizations, local veterinarians and the media, rescued 1,817 hogs (which include sows, boars, and piglets), 6,512 poultry animals (chickens, ducks, turkeys), 2,153 dogs, and 503 cats that needed immediate care from Barangays San Sebastian, Looc, Sampaloc, and Poblacion in Balete, Batangas.

These animals were left after the lockdown and evacuation of affected towns around the volcano made it difficult for animal owners to return to their livestock.

Dr. George Miranda, Pilmico Animal Health Territory Business Manager, and his team provided first aid by checking on and feeding the affected animals, and even administering medicines if needed.

I feel inspired knowing that we can use our expertise in the field to help others. It adds another layer to being a Partner for Growth -- not just to our customers -- but it also reflects how we take to heart the welfare of the animals affected by the eruption. - Dr. George Miranda, Animal Health Territory Business Manager

Alongside this, Pilmico also donated to four barangays 42 bags of swine feeds, 10 bags of poultry feeds, multivitamins, anti-stress medicine, and antibiotics for the animals affected. The remaining feeds and medicine will be reserved for another run of rescue and outreach operations in other affected areas in Batangas.

We fully give our support to operations and programs such as these that enable us to live out our promise of being a Partner for Growth to backyard farmers. Hopefully, through our efforts with the local government, we empower the farmers that were affected to keep going, knowing that there are companies and organizations that they can rely on in trying times. - Norie Bermudez, First Vice President and Chief Operating Officer - Feeds

UnionBank's Go Beyond Communities bring aid to families in Batangas

UnionBank of the Philippines, through its employee-driven corporate social responsibility program 'Go Beyond Communities' or GBC, raised funds and in-kind donations overnight resulting to the much-needed relief of around 1,200 families in Bauan and Banaba evacuation centers, and Bauan Technological High School.

Dubbed BANGON SOUTH LUZON, the employee-led donation campaign is an exceptional showcase of the Ubuntu spirit, a core value of UnionBank that centers on teamwork and a sense of belongingness in a community. BANGON SOUTH LUZON aims to provide in-kind donation and monetary assistance to communities around UnionBank branches that have been severely impacted by the Mount Taal eruption.

The donation and relief campaign was activated immediately after the eruption with a call for donations and monetary pledges. Toiletries, ready-to-eat food, hygiene and sanitary kits, medicines, and masks were identified as the top priorities of the 26,000 displaced families from the provinces of Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna.

UnionBank takes pride in its employees who demonstrated immediate and ardent response to this call to ensure that no one gets left behind. Those of us residing here in Batangas City who are not severely affected by the diasaster rallied together to help our fellow employees, our customers, and our stakeholders. A calamity like this does not discriminate the rich or poor, everyone is affected. Most of us who are able and with resources to share did what any good UnionBanker would do -- help communities in their hour of need. - Edna Reyes, Branch Manager, UnionBank Batangas City

A total of 850 employees pledged P494,850.00 and 60 more employees volunteered to pack the items, transport, and distribute to the evacuees from Agoncillo town seeking refuge in nearby Bauan and Banaba. Evacuation centers in these municipalities are secondary targets of relief operations groups, so UnionBank employees decided to focus the distribution in these areas first.

On the day of relief goods distribution, employees coming from the Batangas and Tagaytay branches trooped together to the evacuation centers in Bauan where they handed the packs to the office of Mayor Daniel D. Reyes of Agoncillo town, whose residents are seeking refuge in nearby Bauan. GBC volunteers also went to the Bauan Technological High School to provide assistance to 800 families.

Napaka-fulfilling at ang gaan ng pakiramdam na makatulong sa kapwa natin. Nag-room-to-room po kami para maiabot sa mga pamilya at indibidwal na nag-evacuate doon. Kahit pagod ang mga katawan namin para isa-isahin ang mga kwarto ng eskwelahan, siniguro po namin na maayos ang ditribution at mabigyan ang lahat . At sobrang na-appreciate naman po nila ang personal na pagdalaw ng mga UnionBankers sa kanila (Going there was a fulfilling and happy feeling to be able to help people at the evacuation centers. Despite the tiring activity, we ensured that we had an orderly system and that everyone receives their relief pack. And they appreciated the personal touch of our visit to that day.) - Myra Buntua, Branch Manager and GBC volunteer

GBC volunteers will mount a second relief operations, this time bringing aid to Ibaan as well as performing a clean-up drive for the houses of fellow employees, branch customers and communities that need similar assistance.