COVID-19 Response Corporate Social Responsibility AP Renewables, Inc. Therma Mobile, Inc. Sustainability

AboitizPower units help Luzon jeepney drivers get back on their feet

February 09, 2021

AboitizPower subsidiaries Therma Mobile, Inc. (TMO) and AP Renewables Inc. (APRI) distributed food packs to close to 400 out-of-work jeepney drivers in Luzon to help them cope with challenges brought about by the pandemic.

In partnership with the Aboitiz Foundation and through donations raised on the Aboitiz-led crowdfunding platform KINDer, the two companies were able to assist 200 drivers in Navotas, Metro Manila as well as 165 drivers across Bay and Calamba in Laguna and Sto. Tomas in Batangas.

“We are always ready to give a helping hand to our host communities, especially to those who are at risk during these times. We are glad to have been a part of this cause and we are thankful to all of the kind hearts who donated,” AboitizPower Oil Business Unit Vice President for Corporate Services Jokin Aboitiz said.

Navotas City hosts TMO’s power barges while the Laguna-Batangas area is home to APRI’s geothermal power plant.

“It is still uncertain when our hero jeepney drivers can get back on the streets. In the meantime, we want to alleviate their situation as best as we can,” APRI Vice President for Corporate Services Noemi Sebastian said.

In the Philippines, jeepney drivers are among the most vulnerable sectors amidst the global health crisis.Most of them have been living hand-to-mouth pre-pandemic and with travel restrictions still in place up to this day, they are finding it even more difficult to put food on the table for their families.

Recognizing this problem, the Aboitiz Foundation launched the Mamang Tsuper campaign on KINDER and managed to pool close to ₱400,000 to help displaced drivers and their families get back on their feet.“With this campaign, we also hope to encourage others to help our tsuper heroes and all other vulnerable sectors recover from the effects of the pandemic,” Aboitiz Foundation President and Chief Operating Officer Maribeth Marasigan said.

KINDer provides the opportunity for everyone to be part of collective efforts that uplift lives. Even a single peso donated to KINDer causes is leveraged to achieve lasting impact, helping the Aboitiz Group fulfill its promise of advancing business and communities.

As more people join the call to create shared value through the platform, more children can be served nutritious meals through feeding programs, more trees can be planted to help prevent flooding, more students can reach their full potential, and more lives can prosper.