2018 OEPP CSR: Relief Operation for Typhoon Ompong Victims Baguio City (October 16-17, 2018)
- Typhoon Mangkhut known in the Philippines as Typhoon Ompong, was a powerful typhoon that struck the island of Luzon on September 15, 2018. It was the strongest typhoon to strike Luzon since Typhoon Megi in 2010, and the strongest typhoon to make landfall in the Philippines since Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013. At least five million people were estimated to be affected by typhoon Ompong, as it battered the areas within its 1,000-kilometer diameter path, particularly the northern part of Luzon.
- One of the cities that was hardly hit in Northern Luzon was Baguio City. The “summer Capital of the Philippines” has been isolated with all access roads closed in the aftermath of typhoon Ompong due to landslides. Hundreds of families were affected. A number of them lost their homes and all their belongings. Sadly, some lost the lives of their loved ones.
- Encouraged by our Sales Manager for Respiratory BU, Ms. Bembi Valerio, who sought HR to help her children’s school in Baguio City to gather donations from individuals and companies, the HR Team thought of contacting the local government of Baguio City and started a campaign to encourage every OEPP member to take part in the Relief Operations for Typhoon Ompong Victims in Baguio City. The Office of the Congressman in Baguio City informed us that more than anything else, the families’ pressing needs included Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and a stove where they can cook their meals with. We didn’t have enough funds to purchase these, so we started to ask for cash donations from the employees who were willing to give. When OEPP GM, Mr. Taylor Lai, learned about the objective of the campaign, he pledged that the company will double the amount collected from the employees. The aim was to help at least twenty (20) families. We were so delighted to see pledges and donations coming in and were able to collect a total of Php 52,000.00+ from teams and individuals! We decided to increase the number of families to thirty (30)! Aside from the LPG, we were able to give out basic commodities like 5 kilos of rice, canned goods, snacks, coffee, chocolate drink and toiletries. Furthermore, Karihome’s Nutrition Department donated 100 pieces of Canned Sweeties for the children’s nutritional needs. Thank you Sires Jack Wu and Harry Tsai for accommodating our request!
- On October 16-17, 2018, we drove up to Baguio City for our Corporate Social Responsibility.
- One of the recipients of these donations was a lady who lost her 5 year old child who drowned in the floods during the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong and we can still see the pain in her eyes and the difficulty she has been through is written all over her face.
- ore importantly, beyond the material goods that we were able to share, OEP Philippines demonstrated the value of Solidarity and Compassion. We successfully went beyond the four walls of the company and thought beyond ourselves for the sake of these families who needed help to start anew. In our own little way, we were able to make a difference in the lives of thirty (30) families.
- Kudos, team OEPP!
