Ways to help local farmers, event freelancers, others during lockdown

MANILA, Philippines — The COVID-19 pandemic does not only take lives. It has also taken away livelihood from countless Filipinos across Luzon, which has placed under enhanced community quarantine to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Daily wage earners, as well as those working in the retail and food industries are some of the most hard hit by this situation. Also affected are those working for the live events industry, farmers in the provinces, and even surf instructors in tourist destinations.

Here are ways we can donate and help them:

For live event professionals

Right now, thousands across all sectors of the live events industry have suffered financial hardship because of live event cancellations.

While most are riding this situation out with their savings, there are others who have lost what little remains of their funds from illnesses and ailments even before the COVID-related cancellation of events.

They are also the sole breadwinners of their families who rely heavily on a steady stream of live events as they are paid on a per-project basis and are not covered by any advance payments by an employer.

This fragile group in the live event industry include production assistants, utility staff, technical assistants and freelance workers who help make a show run smoothly. They do not have any employment protection and have current medical maintenance needs. Right now they need our help as they face months of uncertainty.

To donate, click here:

Roadies, or the individuals who assist musicians and event organizers during live shows, are also affected. These are professionals whose jobs have been compromised as they depend on the numerous gigs and concerts to earn a living.

To help the roadies, Indie Manila and Red Ninja Productions in partnership with Director Juno Oebanda‘s Roadie Superstar launched a GoGetFunding page to help raise funds for the Roadies. To donate click here: 

Donations can also be sent to: 

• BDO

Angelo S. Pagaragan

002010315738

For farmers in Quezon province

Quezon province has always been the top agricultural-producing province of various farm products in the Calabarzon Region (Region 4-A), which groups the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.

The average production cost of palay is at P12 per kilo. People from the mountains in other rice-growing parts of the country say some wholesalers there buy farm-gate palay at only P8 per kilo, stealthily citing what is happening in some parts of Luzon.    

As we face this pandemic of COVID-19, we are all subjected to enhanced community quarantine within the safety of our homes, but our farmers continue to work for us to have enough supplies for the coming days and months of quarantine.

As our backliners, the goal of this project is to give them protection for their health as they are also exposed to the virus as they work. 

They have been neglected several times, but with our current situation, they are vital in our survival of this crisis.

The project aims to be able to provide protective gear such as reusable masks, multivitamins, ascorbic acid tablets, medicine for flu, fever and cough, which will lessen the worry of our farmers at work from being infected by the virus.

Any amount will be of great help. Donations can be sent to:

• BDO

Pauline Louise Raymundo

001020716897

• UnionBank

Pauline Louise Raymundo

1096 5620 9588

• BPI

Ma. Theresa Liberty Raymundo

25992295291

For surf instructors in Baler

In light of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon brought by the increasing cases of people infected with coronavirus disease, many provinces have ordered lockdown or travel restrictions in their areas, including Aurora.

Because of this, many of the surf instructors have suffered as their main income relies on tourism.

A group of ardent surf students would like to seek help to be able to reach out to those who are affected in the surf town of Sabang Beach.

P100 is the encouraged amount of the donation and will be part of a collective fund used to buy food packs for surf instructors and their families, through the Aurora Surf Riders Association Incorporated (ASRAI).

Donations can be sent to:

• BPI

Ma. Petula Delos Santos

2669086612

• BDO

Tiffany Aise Cruz

0027-1018-9964

• Gcash

Lala D.

09952740604

Whatever little amount we can give will generate a sum that can help these individuals and their family during this crisis.