Unilab donations for COVID-19 efforts near P1B

Unilab Inc.’s support to the country’s COVID-19 response is now approaching P1 billion, as the Filipino firm widens its donation channels for medicines, medical equipment and protective kits for the frontliners, as well as relief package for the underprivileged.

The Campos Hess-led Unilab, consistent with its low-key stance, has been collaborating with various government agencies, local government units and civil society groups to deliver much-needed medical supplies to public and private hospitals nationwide. These are in the form of essential medicines and vitamins worth P317 million; alcohol, hygiene and basic protective kits worth P45 million; and support for COVID-19 test kit development worth P50 million.

Answering the call to provide adequate protection to frontliners, Unilab provided PPE sets which consist of coveralls, isolation gowns, face shields, N95 and surgical masks, gloves and shoe covers worth P192 million.  Hospitals identified by the DOH as COVID centers received P11 million worth of ventilators.

To be able to reach out to the poor communities in the country, Unilab also provided a P50-million support for the provision of basic goods and commodities and/or cash vouchers to the underprivileged.

Unilab shared this information to its employees and partners via its Facebook advisory. In its Facebook message, the company said: “Tulad ninyo, kami ay nakikipag-bayanihan upang magbigay ng tulong sa ating mga kababayan at frontliners. Sama-sama nating labanan ang panganib na dulot ng COVID-19.”

Based on its Facebook tally, Unilab has already released and delivered P665 million worth of donations to its partner-institutions, with the amount sure to increase in the coming days as the company responds to mounting requests in behalf of the frontliners.

Netizens commended Unilab for its continuing support to the country’s COVID-19 response, even if its donations were not being reported in the media.

As a company that espouses husay at malasakit as its core values, Unilab has displayed its expertise in responding silently to crisis situations by efficiently determining the kind of critical and appropriate support that should be given to those who need to be prioritized in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19. 

On top of all these, the 75-year-old Filipino company is currently working with the Department of Science and Technology, UP-National Institutes of Health and other government and private institutions to significantly increase the country’s capacity to do testing.