Coral Bay Nickel Corporation (CBNC) extended a total of P38.5 million worth of relief assistance to Palaweños in its effort to ease the hardship of the community affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Majority of the assistance provided were used to buy rice, canned goods and other food supplies, hygiene and sanitation supplies, medicine and medical supplies. Some 85,102 beneficiaries benefitted from this assistance, which was derived from the Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) and Corporate Social Responsibility funds of the company since Luzon was placed in lockdown in March this year.
It can be recalled that on March 16, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Proclamation No. 929 declaring a state of calamity throughout the Philippines due to COVID-19. Immediately responding to this emergency situation, the Mines & Geoscience Bureau Regional Office authorized mining companies to realign the unutilized funds of SDMP to assist the host and neighboring communities, as well as, non-impact communities in their respective localities during the enhanced community quarantine due to the pandemic. This was pursuant to the Memorandum Order by the acting MGB Director, Atty. Wilfredo Moncano dated March 27, 2020.
In an interview with Mr. Ernesto A. Llacuna, CBNC’s Community Relations Manager stated “CBNC deeply cares for our kababayans, and it is with great joy for us to live up to the Bayanihan Spirit during these trying times.”
Majority of CBNC’s assistance in the amount of P23.8 million was handed over to the Provincial Government of Palawan for rice subsidy to around 38,080 household beneficiaries.
The P38.5 million spent by CBNC is part of the funds amounting to P57.9 million reported by the Mines and Geoscience Bureau IV-B in its website published on July 3. Other mining companies like Berong Nickel Corporation, Citinickel Mines and Development Corporation, Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation and Unichamp Minerals Philippines, Inc. spent a combined total of P19.4 million
Just recently, another P3 million monetary assistance was extended to the Local Government of Bataraza for another rice subsidy to 23,000 households, which was scheduled for distribution last July 6. (PR)
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