The MVP Group of Companies has partnered with the Department of Health (DOH) to champion its BIDA Solusyon sa COVID-19, a campaign that aims to educate Filipinos on the best hygiene practices and promote positive behavioral changes to ensure safety in the new normal.  
  
"On behalf of all our Companies and our Foundations, I would like to pledge our support to promote the values of BIDA not just in our businesses, but in our daily lives as well. We are hoping that through our Group's contribution, we could help the real bida who are central to our businesses--the Filipino people, the Filipino consumers," said Manuel V Pangilinan, Chairman of the MVP Group of Companies. 
  
The 14 companies and foundations under Pangilinan's leadership, with presence in the utilities, investments, financial services, infrastructure, media and healthcare sector have come together to espouse BIDA: B for Bawal walang mask, I for I-sanitize ang mga kamay, iwas-hawak sa mga bagay, D for Dumistansya ng isang metro and A for Alamin ang totoong impormasyon.  
  
With over 52,000 employees in the Group united in advocating for BIDA, their families, communities, and the people they serve will create a ripple of change benefitting Filipinos nationwide. Aside from active promotion on social media assets, the Group, also known to be patrons of sports teams like the Gilas Pilipinas, TNT Ka-Tropa, Meralco Bolts, NLEx Road Warriors, and combined with TV5's roster of talents, aim to widen the reach of this very important message.  
  
Physical stores and business centers under the Group such as PLDT-Smart stores nationwide, Meralco, Bayad Center, and Maynilad will also carry DOH's BIDA campaign educational materials for customers' information. The Light Rail Manila Corporation, which operates LRT-1, will also promote these materials to over 100,000 passengers who take the train on a regular basis. Group employees who face customers are required to wear PPEs and observe social distancing. 
  
Tollroads NLEx, CAVITEx and CALAx will be equipped with contactless RFID payment in toll booths. PayMaya, the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the country, is accelerating cashless adoption across consumers, government, large enterprises, and small businesses for safer and more convenient transactions for every Filipino.  
  
Maynilad, meanwhile, will install contactless handwash stations with liquid soap to further promote handwashing, ensure continuous water supply especially for COVID hospitals like PGH, and expedite technical requirements related to water for mega quarantine facilities.  
  
The Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings Inc., home to the leading hospitals across the country, have formed a COVID Crisis Management Team to ensure the safety and welfare of their healthcare workers so they can continue to provide services to Filipinos. 
  
The Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts will also play a crucial role in propagating the campaign to various communities across the country as it becomes an integral part of educating and helping Filipinos combat the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes the community partnership program of leading infrastructure company Metro Pacific Investments Corporation called Bayan Tanim, and all of their Mangrove Centers across the country. 
  
“Ang ating nabuong partnership ay isang malaking hakbang sa pagpapalawig at pagpapatibay ng ating health system capacity sa buong bansa. Taos-puso ang pasasalamat ko sa MVP Group of Companies. Sa kanilang suporta, naipundar natin ang Center for Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases (CERID) sa East Avenue Medical Center,” said Department of Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque. 
  
Quality healthcare for all Filipinos   
Earlier, Pangilinan and his companies PLDT and Meralco donated hospital equipment to East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC), strengthening the hospital’s bid to become a new COVID referral institution by increasing its bed capacity to accommodate additional COVID-19 patients. With a 250-bed capacity, the new building of EAMC is re-purposed to be the CERID.       
    
“The generosity of the MVP Group proves that the fight against COVID-19 is not just the fight of the government. But together with the private sector, we can help our fellow Filipinos to have an access to quality healthcare through the hospital equipment donation,” said EAMC Chief Medical Professional Staff II Dr. Allan Troy D. Baquir. He also serves as the Chairman of the Ad hoc committee on the EAMC CERID.      
    
A total of 60 beds were allocated for the emergency room, wards and intensive care unit (ICU). These include hospital bed with mattresses, overhead and bedside tables, foot stool, IV stands, curtains, comforters and draw sheets. Monitors, ventilators and gadgets needed to attend to serious and critical patients were also part of the hospital equipment donation.    
    
“The QC government is eternally grateful to the MVP Group’s generous assistance of high-quality medical equipment to the East Avenue Medical Center. These donations will greatly benefit the people of Quezon City, most particularly the underprivileged and vulnerable. This equipment will help the hospital become more responsive to the needs of our people. It is also a great contribution to our common dream of a higher level of service for all,” said Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.