MPIF, MVP Group, launches “Bike for Livelihood” Program

Makati, Philippines, 30th May 2021 – Metro Pacific Investments Foundation (MPIF), along with the MVP Group of Companies, launched its partnership with Gretchen Ho’s Donate A Bike, Save A Job (DABSAJ) program today, to collectively celebrate First Pacific Co. Ltd.’s 40th Anniversary, International Bicycle Day, and Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan’s upcoming 75th birthday.

The “Bike for Livelihood” program with MPIF, First Pacific Co. Ltd., One Meralco Foundation, PLDT-Smart Foundation, and Maynilad, will distribute more than 500 bicycles to beneficiaries across the country, most of whom lost their sources of income to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Present during the ceremonial turnover were Group Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, MPIC President & CEO Jose Ma. K. Lim, PLDT Chief Revenue Officer and Smart Communications President & CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio, and Maynilad President & CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez. Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and DILG Undersecretary Nestor F. Quinsay Jr. were also in attendance on behalf of the program beneficiaries. 

The “Bike For Livelihood” Program

The 500 bicycles will be distributed to different cities within Metro Manila such as Pasig, Manila, Quezon City, Malabon, and Caloocan. 

MPIF also focused its allocation to its Shore It Up! partner sites in Marinduque, Alaminos, Pangasinan, Del Carmen, Siargao, Batangas, and Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro. Since these sites are primary tourist areas, most of their workforce lost their jobs due to the lockdown and the subsequent effect on tourist foot traffic. The bicycles, which will come with pocket Wi-Fis, will be used for alternative livelihood programs, intended to augment their affected income sources. 

A percentage of the bicycles will also be given to government agencies, primarily to MMDA traffic enforcers who protect bike lanes and to DILG-PNP’s physical contact tracers, intended to provide them with safe and individualized transport to carry out their duties efficiently. 

Bicycles will also be provided to a specialized television program to be broadcasted by Cignal TV, the group’s television media network company, focused on supporting alternative livelihood and small-scale businesses.

Along with the bikes, 100 Smart Retailer Kits and 100 Smart Pocket Wi-Fis will be distributed to beneficiaries as tools for these programs.  

“The best solution to poverty is livelihood. If you could provide [people] with a means of making themselves a livelihood, whether by delivering food or medicine or water, I think that’s something we should support,” Pangilinan said. “I do hope they would use it for their families, so they can uplift their way of living. At the end of day, that’s what we’re all here for. Social orientation is embedded in our Group’s DNA.”

“We want to refocus our corporate social responsibility towards more sustainable initiatives, starting with the development of alternative livelihood programs that provide long-term support to our partner communities,” says MPIC President & CEO Jose Ma. K. Lim. “Through this Bike for Livelihood project, we empower individuals whose livelihoods were jeopardized by the pandemic, to move forward to provide for themselves and their families.”

“You help those in need of assistance on mobility, so that they may still be able to go to their workplaces in the absence of sufficient and reliable public transport. Biking also promotes health and wellness, while providing livelihood,” says Smart Communications President and CEO and PLDT Chief Revenue Officer Alfredo S. Panlilio. “A lot of delivery riders in Makati are riding a bike so maybe you can also open up your own business as a delivery rider so there’s a good perspective.”

A Bike-Friendly Culture

In line with the partnership, the MVP Group has also pledged to promote a bike-friendly culture across the group. Through the improvement of its existing facilities such as bicycle parking and shower areas for employees, as well as creating a bike loan program, the companies will take significant strides to support the thriving movement. 

Maynilad has also pledged support to the project through the installation of drinking fountains in various local government units. Bikers will have access to these drinking fountains as they will be strategically located along bikers’ routes.

Partnership with Donate A Bike, Save a Job 

The Donate A Bike, Save A Job campaign, started last year by Founder and Woman-In-Action Gretchen Ho, provided transport and livelihood to those who have been affected by the pandemic. What started out with a social media post and 50 bicycles, drew in donations of more than 1000 bicycles given to 10 cities all over Metro Manila, as well as flood victims in Naga and Cagayan.

 “As we move together toward building businesses that are bike-friendly, we enable a culture that supports biking,” says Ho. “Hopefully, we will have more equal share of road space on our streets, more respect and education for bikers and motorists, and hopefully cities that promote active, sustainable transport. There’s no other time for change but now.”

The “Bike for Livelihood” program coincides with the group’s initiatives for First Pacific Co. Ltd.’s 40th Anniversary. Starting May 25th, the group has already distributed hot meals and care bags for frontliners, food bags for communities in need, pocket Wi-Fis to public schools and select barangays; and sewing machines for alternative livelihood programs of parishes and displaced tourism workers. 

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For further information, please contact:

Melody del Rosario

VP – Public Relations and Corporate Communications, MPIC

09189635639