After the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) authorized the re-alignment of unutilized funds of Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) of mining companies to support affected impact and non-impact communities from COVID-19 on March 27, 2020, members of the Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) assisted by collectively disbursing more than PHP38M of their SDMP fund for various COVID-19 relief efforts to benefit frontliners and host communities during the enhanced community quarantine in the regions of CARAGA, Zambales, and Palawan.
PNIA coordinated with organizations such as Act as One, Kalinga Kontra Korona QC, as well as local and national government authorities to provide assistance to key hospitals in Metro Manila and to more than 66,200 households.
Mining companies under PNIA have helped in supplying food packs and sacks of rice to host communities and have organized transportation for displaced individuals, set up disinfection tents, and facilitated disinfection drives in their respective areas.
They have also donated medical supplies, PPEs, digital thermal scanners, vitamins, and other medical and disinfection supplies, as well as 5,000 COVID-19 test kits through Act as One to help fast track rapid testing efforts of local government units in selected cities in the country.
PNIA members have also prepared a COVID-19 response fund to support stakeholders and local community partners through continued wages and different types of crisis assistance.
MGB extends its gratitude for PNIA's commitment in responding to the pandemic brought by COVID-19.
To read more from PNIA's article, kindly click here.
By: Mineral Economics, Information and Publication Division
AMVI
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Citinickel
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