By donating spare change in every flight, Cebu Pacific passengers raised over US$1 million through the ‘Change for Good’ initiative to improve the health and nutrition of thousands of Filipino children at the most important period of brain development.
Cebu Pacific, the Philippines’ leading airline, made the announcement as it marked a milestone in the fourth year of its partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund through the project. Through the ‘Change for Good’ initiative, passengers are invited to make a donation to help fund UNICEF’s First 1,000 Days Health and Nutrition program.
“UNICEF thanks Cebu Pacific and the generosity of its passengers for raising funds to help children in their first 1,000 days, the most crucial period of their life. These donations helped advocate for laws and policies such as the First 1,000 Law. Now, mothers and children in every barangay can have better access to basic services starting from conception until the child is two years old,” said UNICEF Deputy Representative Julia Rees.
In the Philippines, 95 children are estimated to die every day due to malnutrition. The passage of Republic Act 11148 or the Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-nanay Act, known as the First 1,000 Days Law, will improve access for families to services critical to child development: Health and nutrition, water and sanitation, education, disaster preparedness and social protection programs.
The law strengthens local government systems to provide quality services to mothers and children at the right time. These include training of health workers, nutrition checks and breastfeeding counseling, health check-ups, psycho-social support for mothers, social-welfare support for marginalized families, and home visits for families in far-flung places.
“Cebu Pacific values our partnership with UNICEF to help ensure that the most vulnerable children get timely support through the First 1,000 days program. We commend our staff and crew and most of all, our passengers, for their contributions which have now reached the one-million-dollar mark,” said Lance Gokongwei, Cebu Pacific President and CEO. He added that “the amount is a testament of the public’s support in sharing the vision of UNICEF and the airline for a healthier future for our children.”
Change for Good® is an innovative partnership between UNICEF and the global airline industry since 1987. Thanks to the generous support of customers and participating airlines, the global Change for Good program has generated more than $156 million which has contributed to UNICEF’s efforts to improve the lives of millions of children around the world.
Cebu Pacific is the first and only partner of UNICEF in the Change for Good initiative in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. To date, it is also the only local airline partner to raise funds to benefit children in its home country since July 2016.
For more information on Change for Good, visit http://www.cebupacificair.com
