Catanduanes is one of the destinations in the Philippines that I have always wanted to visit, but they were recently ravaged by typhoon, along with other provinces in the Bicol region. For those living in these areas who lost their homes and belongings to Typhoon Nina and for the children at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Pediatric Cancer Clinic, Christmas was certainly a challenging time for them. Good thing that there is a company that turned this moment into a chance to provide hope and courage.

“Christmas is a time for giving and spreading cheer.  Thus, we at Globe take to heart the company’s purpose of creating a Globe of Good by encouraging our employees, customers, and partners to share their time, talent, and treasure to make positive changes in the lives of other people, in this case, young cancer patients as well as our kababayans who needed our care during disaster,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications.

PGH Medical Foundation, Inc. officials receive the check donation from Globe, its partner Amdocs, and major stockholder Singtel.  From L-R:  Erlinda R. Cambia, Executive Director; Dalisay Nodque, Secretary; Dr. Dione M. Suter, Board Member; and Dr. Gregorio T. Alvior, Chairman.

A week into the holiday season, the telecommunications company already embarked on a campaign to raise funds for the rehabilitation of the PGH Pediatric Cancer Clinic to give its young patients a more equipped space ideal for their recovery.  Through the fundraising campaign, Globe was able to cover the cost of renovation amounting to over P800,000.

A young patient wears a Stormtrooper headgear.

But more than the financial assistance, its employees and ambassadors also spent time to treat the kids to a day full of surprises. From good food to exciting gifts, the company organized a fitting finale to its visit with the appearance of the 501st Legion dressed in full Star Wars Stormtrooper gear that provided entertainment to the children and their parents.

While the young patients battled a deadly disease, residents of several provinces in the Bicol region also struggled to survive when Typhoon Nina struck the area on Christmas day, leaving them with little food and drinking water and hardly anything to come home to.

Globe employee-volunteers distribute relief goods to Albay residents.

Responding to the predicament of the victims, the company acted immediately to send 900 relief packs filled with food and water to Albay and Camarines Sur as well as 86 boxes of mineral water to Catanduanes.

At the same time, Libreng Tawag and Charging stations were set up in 16 locations across Oriental Mindoro, Albay, Camarines Sur, Quezon, Sorsogon, and Marinduque to assist the residents with their communication needs.

The majestic Mayon Volcano in Albay.

Albay, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon and Oriental Mindoro are some of the places that I have visited which have captivated me. It is good to know that there are people and groups that are helping them recover from their predicament. I hope to return to these places someday.