Charity Begins at Home

Charity Begins at Home

Lopez Group Foundation, Inc. (LGFI) monitored the fund raising and recorded more than P6 million donations for the typhoon victims in general, from which more than P1 million was distributed to the 81 employees in Bicol.

30-year-old Rey Lombres of Bayantel
who perished while saving his mother
during the typhoon Reming

Rey Lombres, a Network Technician of Bayantel in Legaspi, escaped the mudslide that buried his house. But upon remembering that his mother was still there, He went back to save her. Both of them perished under the raging mudflow brought by super typhoon Reming last November 30, 2006. Rey was only 30 years old and he worked for Bayantel for nine years.

81 employees from the Lopez group of companies based in Bicol are now trying to rebuild their damaged homes. Bayantel’s Bicol Emergency Assistance Program (BEAP) has given around P1.6 million to the affected 75 employees. ABS-CBN gave a calamity assistance fund to their two employees, and Adtel also provided housing materials to their four employees.

Rey Lombres, a Network Technician of Bayantel in Legaspi, escaped the mudslide that buried his house. But upon remembering that his mother was still there, He went back to save her. Both of them perished under the raging mudflow brought by super typhoon Reming last November 30, 2006. Rey was only 30 years old and he worked for Bayantel for nine years.

81 employees from the Lopez group of companies based in Bicol are now trying to rebuild their damaged homes. Bayantel’s Bicol Emergency Assistance Program (BEAP) has given around P1.6 million to the affected 75 employees. ABS-CBN gave a calamity assistance fund to their two employees, and Adtel also provided housing materials to their four employees.

And because HR Council head Ms. Cedie Lopez Vargas firmly believes that “charity begins at home”, she sent out letters to the HR heads, requesting for assistance from fellow Lopez group employees. Lopez Group Foundation, Inc. (LGFI) monitored the fund raising and recorded more than P6 million donations for the typhoon victims in general, from which more than P1 million was distributed to the 81 employees in Bicol.

33% of these are personal donations from First Phil. Holdings Corp., First Philippine Industrial Corporation, First Gen, Bauang Private Power Corp., Benpres Holdings, Lopez Inc., Eugenio Lopez Foundation, Third Gen Security Group, Philec, ABS-CBN, and LGFI.

Personal donations of Lopez Group employees are given to Bayantel to help the affected 75 employees in Bicol. L-R: Dario Pagcaliwagan – Executive Director of LGFI, Mercedes Lopez Vargas – HR Council head & Lopez Museum Director, Manuel Sison – Head of Employee Relations & services of Bayantel, Zen Perez – Associate for Employee Relations.

First Philippine Industrial Development Corporation (FPIDC), First Philec, and FEDCOR were among the first to give financial assistance. The Manila North Tollways Corp. gave up their calendar launch and employee Christmas party so that the saved amount can be donated. The Tollways Management Corporation’s untouched prize money for winning the Oscar Lopez Business Excellence awards for customer service was also donated.

Destroyed houses of Bayantel employees in Bicol

A thirty-seven man team from Meralco was dispatched to Bicol and other affected areas to help restore electricity. Meralco has partnered with National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) and Gawad Kalinga to bring relief goods to affected areas. ABS-CBN Foundation’s relief operations have served more than 21,000 affected families so far (as of December 2006) and they will soon be doing rehabilitation work.

The Lopez group is composed of more than 20 companies and 9 foundations involved in various industries and advocacies. But it is in times like these that the employees feel the true Kapamilya spirit, remembering that they came from one family, born by the same values Eugenio Lopez Sr. lived by years ago.

February 2, 2007