Bank of China Limited, through its Manila branch, has donated 500,000 disposable medical masks to the Department of Health (DOH) to assist in the agency’s efforts to extend due assistance and protection to affected hospitals and communities in the Philippines.
The COVID-19 pandemic has spread rapidly in many countries. Bank of China, with the highest degree of globalization, once again took on the responsibility of corporate citizenship through the practice of China’s concept of community of human destiny and the international humanitarian spirit of “one family in the world”. The Bank urgently mobilized organizations to purchase a great number of medical protection resources from the mainland and made every effort to deliver this help overseas.
“In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to remember to be compassionate,” said Deng Jun, Country Head of Bank of China Manila. “We all have our roles to play in this challenging situation. As the most internationalized bank in China, Bank of China places a great deal of importance on being a family. And as members of one big family, we need to remember that it is also our responsibility to help keep each other healthy and safe.”
Soon after receiving news from its Manila Branch about the situation of the pandemic in the Philippines, Bank of China Limited immediately processed the purchase and delivery of disposable medical masks that will be donated to DOH. One week after the decision, donations swiftly arrived in the DOH headquarters on March 28, 2020. Bank of China Limited also expressed its appreciation and applauded the continued professionalism and hardworking efforts of the Philippine Health Department to address the challenges brought about by COVID-19 by taking care of the Filipinos people.
As confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus continue to rise, medical supplies for patients and healthcare workers are in even greater demand. Hospitals and governments around the Philippines need personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect frontliners (doctors, nurses, and other workers) and the most vulnerable (sick and elderly) from the corona virus pandemic. According to Department of Health Bureau of International Health Cooperation Section Chief Dr. Miko Amansec, “This is a much-needed donation in these very critical and trying times. We want to thank Bank of China for their invaluable assistance.”
The 500,000 disposable medical masks from Bank of China Limited will be used by the DOH in its efforts to protect vulnerable Filipino citizens from contracting the novel coronavirus. In addition, the Bank also included a message of support and solidarity. On the boxes was the Filipino saying, "Matibay ang walis, palibhasa'y magkabigkis." This important proverb is the Filipino way of imparting the message that there is strength in unity.