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Women of Taguig Livelihood Shoppe repurposing donations of old clothes, blankets, sheets into reusable and washable face masks for donation.
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In
the middle of these desperate times the nation is united more than
ever to put an end to COVID-19 with local communities, health
workers, private sectors, and civilians working hand-in-hand with the
government to adhere to the nationwide enhanced community quarantine.
With majority of Filipinos lives disrupted and robust measures around
the world attempt to contain the spread of the virus, the outbreak is
hitting the marginal sector very hard.
And
yet, it is also in the middle of these desperate times that the very
best in us emerges.
The
Filipino spirit of bayanihan
stays strong — even the affected sectors have shown commitment to
help the country through small acts of kindness. Women of the Taguig
Livelihood Shoppe share their touching stories of heroism to help
flatten the curve and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 with locally
made reusable and washable face masks.
Vida
Sario, 63, wife of a construction worker has chosen to stay in
Livelihood Shoppe community center to sew reusable face masks for
distribution and donation to densely populated areas in the
Philippines.
“We
were given an opportunity by LBC Foundation to do something
significant and continue our daily livelihood with her face masks
orders. We sew reusable face masks all day to produce 500 pieces of
face masks daily. We can’t go home to our respective homes because
it is our job to provide for our families and to help out the
Filipino people so they will be safe in adhering to the enhanced
community quarantine to fight COVID-19. Every day we think of the
welfare of our families and our countrymen by making face masks,”
Vida said.
Vida,
is among the many Filipino women who heeded the call of duty to
produce masks, personal
protective equipment
(PPEs), and other essential needs. With the help of the business
community and its foundation, LBC continues to mobilize its networks
and economic resources to provide assistance across the board and
give livelihood opportunities to women like Vida.
Vida,
is also the face of many women who have taken the family leadership
in her hands during the enhanced community quarantine.
With
majority of Filipino households losing their main source of income in
these trying times especially with their husbands being forced to
stay at home, the women try their best to contribute to the household
on top of their daily responsibilities. For the women in Taguig
Livelihood Shoppe, LBC Foundation has empowered them to continue on
with their daily lives.
Jocelyn
Rodriguez, 47, mother of three, and a wife of a construction worker
expressed her gratitude for the help of private institutions and in
return has also committed service for the Filipino public through
sewing face masks intended for communities and front liners.
“I
am very much thankful to LBC Foundation because they gave us an
opportunity to continue with our livelihood in these hard times. I
first started working in Livelihood Shoppe in 2004 where we make
novelty items. But since the ECQ has been imposed by the government,
it has stopped. My husband who is also a construction worker has been
forced to stay at home with no pay. So, I am still grateful despite
not being able to come home because I can earn to provide for my
family’s daily needs. I am also sewing face masks not only for my
family but it’s also my service and form of help to our countrymen.
It’s very lonely to be away from one’s family during this time
but I do this --- sew face masks every day to ensure public health
safety,” Jocelyn said.
The
women of Taguig Livelihood Shoppe join medical front-liners, hospital
staff, government workers, the police, the military, essential
services workers like groceries, banks, pharmacies, garbage
collection, utilities, media, civil society, ordinary citizens, and
the business community working together round the clock to ensure
that the Filipino nation continues to move with grit and dignity in
the joint fight against COVID-19.
To
date, LBC Foundation is relentlessly working with various nonprofit
organizations such as the Taguig Livelihood Shoppe and Upskills
Foundation Inc. to source, locally produce, and distribute Php 50
million worth of face mask to vulnerable communities as part of their
commitment to help move the nation in these trying times.
“LBC
is starting this mask program with hopes of being one with all
Filipinos–to flatten the curve. This initiative is also set to
assist in educating the public more, on the vital function of masks
to protect not just themselves, but also others around them. We
believe that masks can and will save lives,” LBC Foundation
Executive Director Nena Wuthrich said.
LBC
tapped Rica Tinga to spearhead the donation in Taguig. The donated
masks were prioritized to be given to seniors, pregnant women, and
wet market vendors since they are the most vulnerable and susceptible
to the virus. Most
of the 28 barangays of Taguig were beneficiaries of the free masks,
including Barangay Napindan, our important Muslim Community, Brgy.
Maharlika and Brgy Fort Bonifacio.
In
Pasig, they also gave out masks to the front-liners of Comet Electric
Vehicles that serves as shuttles for the nurses and doctors in Pasig
City General Hospital and Philippine General Hospital.
A
simple act of kindness will go a long way, a simple mask will save
lives and all we have to do is just try to take care of each other--a
neighbor giving out masks to his neighbors. Filipinos helping others
in the most challenging time. Everyone is encouraged to fight this
virus as one. This is the true meaning of bayanihan.
These
are noteworthy initiatives done by the private sector in partnership
with communities to weather the storm and rise above the occasion the
way we Filipinos know best.
#MoveTheNation
#MovingStories #MovingToFlattenTheCurve
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