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‘Alagang Kapatid Foundation’ Rises Up to the Challenge

The Philippines is known for its 7,100 beautiful islands and its 110 million warm and caring residents. However, it has also become famous for being one of the most disaster-prone areas in the world. The past couple of years have been like no other, with disasters-–both man-made and natural–-coming in left and right, without much warning, and causing destruction to countless lives and livelihoods. With this, the MVP group of companies, through its social corporate responsibility organization, Alagang Kapatid Foundation, Inc. (AKFI) aims to provide a helping hand when the strength and resiliency of the Filipino spirit is no longer enough. The need for immediate help and assistance with food, shelter and medicine is always going to be there whenever there is a calamity, and AKFI hopes to be the preferred media-based organization to deliver immediate, efficient and effective support to disadvantaged people.

On a thanksgiving event held recently for partners, AKFI gathered an estimate of PhP11.5M worth of pledges, in kind and in cash from partner companies, including a responder truck from Foton, which was received by Executive Director, Menchie Silverstre, and Alagang Kapatid host, Cheryl Cosim.

On a thanksgiving event held recently for partners, AKFI gathered an estimate of PhP11.5M worth of pledges, in kind and in cash from partner companies, including a responder truck from Foton, which was received by Executive Director, Menchie Silverstre, and Alagang Kapatid host, Cheryl Cosim.

“We believe that we can play a vital role in making the lives of the people a little better, especially during those times when forces beyond their control have made things very difficult for them,” said Menchie Silverstre, executive director of AKFI.

It is no secret that the Philippines’ disaster risk has always been very high, so much so that the Philippines has been tagged as the fourth most disaster-prone country in the world. Super storms and earthquakes have now become the norm here, where a multitude of these disasters has brought about death and destruction. In 2013, the twin disasters of the Bohol earthquake and Typhoon Yolanda combined to kill more than 6,500 people and caused almost 580 Billion worth of destruction in the Visayas area. Just this 2016, super typhoons Karen and Lawin, coming within days of one another, displaced around 32,000 families. Aside from these, the unstable political and civil situation that in the country has been the cause of distress for a lot of families, such as for the Lumads in Mindanao and the almost 40,000 families affected by the government’s controversial war on drugs. Through these all, the families the are affected by these are left with very little to start over, and this is where AFKI aims to provide assistance.

With a vision and commitment to promoting and supporting humanitarian causes, AFKI was established in 2011 and became a fully operational non-stock and non-profit organization in May of 2012. Through its board of directors headed by Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan, the organization has become one of the country’s most adaptive media-based foundations and has already established a reputation for being being able to provide assistance even to far-flung, hard-to-reach areas.

Since 2012, 161,893 families and 45,120 individuals have been provided assistance through relief efforts, soup kitchens, and psycho-social and stress debriefing programs by the organization, including the victims of Yolanda, Pablo, the Bohol quake, and the Zamboanga conflict. The foundation also runs several medical missions aimed at street dwellers, people who have no proper documentation that makes it hard for them to ask for government medical assistance, as well as other disaster response and preparedness programs and several rehabilitation programs, especially in schools inside conflict- and disaster-stricken areas, including in Zamboanga, Surigao, Samar and Leyte.

AFKI’s programs are planned and conceptualized to be engaging both to the beneficiaries and to the network that AFKI uses: the Tulong Kapatid group, which is the MVP CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Council composed of PLDT Smart Foundation, One Meralco Foundation, Maynilad, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), Smart Communications, De Los Santos Medical Center, Makati Medical Center, Asian Hospital, and Cardinal Santos Medical Center, among others. The program makes use of best practices in its efforts like responding within 24-36 hours of the calamity, integration of the efforts of the different partner companies with one streamlined and efficient direction, minimal use of plastic and maintaining partnerships with several government agencies to aid in relief efforts

This coming 2017, AKFI plans to continue its focus on disaster response, recovery, and rehabilitation and deliver help where it is needed the most. As a way to encourage more partners to join in the organization’s humanitarian efforts, these programs will be featured on a television program “Alagang Kapatid”, an extension of the AFKI, on the MVP group’s flagship television station TV5.

‘We are moving and going to places where other organizations dare not go, to provide them relief and help them get back on their feet.” Shared TV5’s President and CEO, Vincent “Coach Chot” Reyes during a recent thanksgiving event held in Pasig.

‘We are moving and going to places where other organizations dare not go, to provide them relief and help them get back on their feet.” Shared TV5’s President and CEO, Vincent “Coach Chot” Reyes during a recent thanksgiving event held in Pasig.

“I am inviting everyone – corporations, groups, and individuals – to be a part of AKFI’s drive to make a difference in the country,” said TV5’s President and CEO, Vincent “Coach Chot” Reyes.

Aside from the regular support from Tulong Kapatid, AKFI has also partnered with other businesses such as SL Agritech, Unilever, RiteMed, civic organizations such as The Latter Day Saints Charities, and National Bookstore Foundation. With this, AKFI is hoping to have more corporations and groups help them provide help that is fast and effective where it is needed the most.

For more inquiries on how and where you can partner up with Alagang Kapatid Foundation, Inc., please call (02) 3764413, (02) 6893100 locals 45191 or 45192 or email alagangkapatidfoundation@tv5.com.ph, alagangkapatidfoundation.tv5@gmail.com or alagangkapatidfoundationtv5@yahoo.com.

Members of the Adamson Chorale performed yuletide songs for guests of Alagang Kapatid Foundation Inc.’s Thanksgiving party for sponsors and supporters.

Members of the Adamson Chorale performed yuletide songs for guests of Alagang Kapatid Foundation Inc.’s Thanksgiving party for sponsors and supporters.

1 Comment on ‘Alagang Kapatid Foundation’ Rises Up to the Challenge

  1. FigaroRift // April 27, 2020 at 3:52 am //

    Целительная сила :
    [url=https://youtu.be/3jSy5rhqumI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jSy5rhqumI[/url]

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