Chowking Provides Meals to Frontliners in Hospitals through Jollibee Group FoodAID Program

Eight months ago, the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the Philippines was admitted to San Lazaro Hospital (SLH) in Manila. Considered the oldest hospital in the Philippines, SLH is the top infectious disease facility in the country. It is among the few that admit COVID-19 patients, as well as cases of meningococcemia, diphtheria, and even rabies, which other hospitals would not have the specialization to handle.

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Chowking donates ready-to-eat meals for frontliners at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila. In all, the Jollibee Group donated almost 3,000 ready-to-eat meals for frontliners and food packs that benefitted about 6,000 people were provided to SLH as part of its FoodAID Program.

Through the Jollibee Group FoodAID Program, San Lazaro Hospital was among the first hospitals Chowking and the Jollibee Group sent food to when the community quarantine was first declared in March 2020.

But even with its status, its personnel continue to have a difficult time during this pandemic.

“Those who had difficulty getting a ride and wala silang sasakyan, sa office natulog. We had to convert the other offices and some of the wards na wala pong patients for employees na walang transportation (Those who had difficulty getting a ride and finding transportation slept at the offices. We had to convert other offices and some wards that had no patients to accommodate employees who were having transportation issues),” shared Dr. Ferdinand de Guzman, an infectious disease specialist who also double-hats as the hospital’s spokesperson.

“Noong nag-lockdown tayo, there were no restaurants to buy food. A lot of the staff, as well as the patients and watchers, they [usually] buy the food from the stalls at the front of the hospital. With the lockdown, wala pong nagtitinda (During the lockdown, there were no restaurants to buy food from. A lot of the staff, as well as the patients and watchers, they would usually buy the food from the stalls at the front of the hospital. With the lockdown, those stalls had to close, too),” said Dr. de Guzman.

Chowking sends support as part of Jollibee Group FoodAID

The Jollibee Group has made its coin banks available digitally so that people may donate online and actively participate in the effort to help feed more frontliners and families who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) was reimposed in Metro Manila this August 2020, Chowking immediately sent ready-to-eat meals to SLH to help energize its frontliners.

 

“We cannot cook in the offices. Kung meron man sa lounge, hindi naman tayo pwedeng makaluto nang mabuti doon so it was a big help po iyong mga pinadalang pagkain. (The food sent to us was big help. While there is a lounge, you can’t really cook much there so the ready-to-eat food was such a big help to us),” said Dr. de Guzman.

In fact, SLH is among the hospitals which the Jollibee Group immediately sent food to as part of its FoodAID Program when the lockdown was first declared in March of this year.

 

Aside from ready-to-eat meals for the frontline personnel, Chowking and other brands from the Jollibee Group also sent food packs that the SLH staff prepared in its kitchen and served to the patients confined in the hospital. In all, Jollibee Group provided SLH with almost 3,000 ready-to-eat meals for frontliners and food packs that benefitted about 6,000 hospital staff, patients, and watchers.

 

“We recognize the extraordinary service and sacrifice that the men and women at the frontlines are rendering at this time. We hope that through the food that we give them, we can help nourish and bring joy to our modern-day heroes,” said Jollibee Group Foundation Executive Director Gisela Tiongson.

Continuing effort

With the COVID-19 still putting a strain on health care systems and the community quarantine still in place, supporting the frontliners continues.

 

To give the public a convenient way to actively participate in the FoodAID Program and be able to help more frontliners and families in need, the Jollibee Group has complemented the coin banks on the counters of Jollibee Group restaurants with an online version.

Donations through the digital coin bank will be used to bring food packs directly to families and frontliners such as Dr. de Guzman and the staff at SLH.

Interested donors may donate through online bank transfer to the Foundation’s Metrobank (Account number: 473-7-473-01406-4, SWIFT Code: MBTCPHMM) and RCBC (1253-10519-0) accounts, or via PayMaya (http://pymy.co/jollibee).

Why Igorots in Metro Manila Directly Source Goods from Farmers

Two pesos a kilo for cabbage. Four pesos for cucumber.

After spending to bring their produce to the nearest vegetable trading post in the last week of July, 

Cordilleran farmers were given a cruel rate, crushing their hope of raising cash to buy seeds for the 

next harvest. 

A Sad Story for New Gen Farmers

Shereen Umayat and Jessica Dapliyan, two young farmers from Sagada, had a cheaper option for 

their next maturing vegetables- let the plants rot in the farmland to stop having additional expenses. 

Asked how much she has spent for her cucumber, Umayat computed it to be at least P40, 000.

While there are active programs like Sustainable Sagada and Rural Rising organized to help ease the 

situation, not all produce in the remote Mountain Province town can be accommodated.

Dapliyan, a former innkeeper who shifted to farming following travel bans, started giving away her 

cabbage produce for free in September after unsuccessful attempts to sell what her family has been

 working since community quarantine restrictions were implemented. 

Trying the Metro Manila Market 

For generations, farmers in Sagada and other towns of the Cordilleras have been trading in marketplaces 

within the mountainous region and going to the lowlands is not part of their regular routine. But as they run 

out of options, they are forced to seek help outside the highlands.

Tapping Metro Manila-based Cordillerans or Igorots was the first move. Upon learning about the crisis, 

Christian Aligo, a Marketing Communications practitioner living in Quezon City, started the  

“The Sagada Harvests Project” on Facebook. 

With the assistance from Umayat, Menchie Buking of the Department of Agrarian Reform Mt. Province 

(DAR MP) and other concerned locals, The Sagada Harvests Project is able to sell out about three tons 

of produce in its first two runs.

Alongside Aligo are other Metro Manila-based Igorots including Luisa Gay Pugong, Jenny Lyn Likigan, 

Bing Podes Laguipen, and Hector Ngales who transformed themselves into vendors after their day job to 

help address the crisis.

Joining the force is the couple Atty. Pio and Noemie Jeanet Daoas who now spend their weekends 

on vegetables. With the help of dedicated riders, the couple deliver the goods within Taguig City at only P20. 

A Trade Friendlier to Farmers

As agreed, it is the farmers who set the price of their produce. Currently in marketplaces, it is the multi-level 

middle men who dictate the price and get a bigger portion of it.

When the rate at the La Trinidad trading post for cabbage was P2 per kilo, The Sagada Harvests Project 

purchased the vegetable at P20 per kilo-- as dictated by the farmers.

To further assist the Igorot vendors, DAR’s Sagada Linksfarmers Consolidation Center opened its doors to 

help screen quality produce prior to shipping. 

Recently, the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) also offered transportation assistance to 

help lower expenses.

Meanwhile, local food producers Gabay Wines and Food Preserves and Masferre Country Inn & Restaurant 

have been doing experiments for delicate items like wild blueberry, wheat bread, and goat cheese products 

to check on the shelf-life of the products when offered in places with a warmer climate.

To know more about The Sagada Harvest Project and a list of Igorot vendors who directly source their 

goods from farmers, contact Aligo at 0956-174-8464 (Globe) or visit www.facebook.com/sagadaharvests 

now.

 

 

PorkyChix: Tatak Sarap Grilled Pork Belly and Chicken

So, since it's been a while for a pandemic season, where everything is almost buying online and deliveries and the like, so many food sellers emerging.

With so many to choose from, the community here in Puerto Princesa are actually lucky. The best part is that some offers free delivery around downtown.

I tried this PorkyChix: Tatak Sarap grilled pork belly. I ordered some for our lunch at the office. They still have their promo (lower price) since they've just open for public.

Litson Whole chix at Php189

Litson Porky belly at Php129

 

They also have some other ulam being offered like Tokwa't Baboy, Ginger Lemon juice, Tokwa't Atay ng Manok.. 

  

 

Tender and juicy meat with the crispy balat is the best for their grilled Pork Belly! A plus for thier spicy dip! Mapapadami talaga ang kain mo dito! I was given the chance to taste the chicken (as a freebie).. The kids loved it! 

You guys should try this! Highly recommended! For sure di kayo magsisisi at babalik-balikan nyo pa!

One more thing that I liked about this local business is that they accept payment via GCash. Which is more convenient for cashless transactions. :)

Located at Wescom Rd. In front of CountryBloom Garden. We also offer delivery services. For inquiries, you may contact us at 09102124118 and 09755577188.Tikman! TATAK SARAP!