COVID-19 relief efforts: City of Dreams Manila donates P50M worth of food packs for the most vulnerable

Apart from medical frontliners, the daily wagers and the homeless are among those who need the most help in our fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). 

Luckily people have not forgotten them. City of Dreams Manila has donated P50 million worth of food items to help underprivileged families affected by the efforts to contain the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The donation, which consists of 125,000 food packs containing rice, canned goods, noodles and water, aims to help vulnerable families tide over the challenges during the period of the enhanced community quarantine.

According to a press statement, Melco Resorts (Philippines) Foundation Corporation (MRP Foundation) — the charitable arm of City of Dreams Manila’s developer, Melco Resorts and Entertainment (Philippines) Corporation — has coordinated with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to make the donation in unison with the national government’s and private sector’s collective efforts in combating COVID-19 and to aid fellow Filipinos affected by the pandemic.

With the three hotels, restaurants, and casino in the COD complex temporarily closed, City of Dreams Manila's skeleton workforce on property helped in packing the 125,000 food packs to be turned over to the Office of the President.

In addition, the resort has donated bottles of water to the Parañaque city government, and food packs for the city’s Disaster and Rescue team and the Local Health Office.

It has also been lending its fleet of seven buses to help transport health workers in and around the city under the direction of the city government.

“We are heeding the call to lend a helping hand in mitigating the economic situation of those most in need during this temporary COVID-19 crisis,” City of Dreams Manila’s Chief Operating Officer Kevin Benning said in a press release on behalf of MRP Foundation.

“Hand in hand through the spirit of bayanihan, we’re one with the government and other private sectors as we do our part in combating this pandemic.”

Many workers temporarily lost their livelihood due to the month-long enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

The lockdown is part of the government’s bid to arrest the spread of COVID-19, which has infected at least 552 people in the Philippines as of Tuesday. — Margaret Claire Layug/LA, GMA News