Globe adopts Aklan for rehab and recovery efforts

MANILA, Philippines -  Telecommunications giant Globe Telecom is the development sponsor for Aklan, one of the 14 provinces damaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda last year.

“Globe has been committed to nation-building and to help Filipinos get back on their feet when disaster strikes. Adopting Aklan is our response to a government’s call for the private sector to help rehabilitate the country after Yolanda,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe’s corporate communications senior vice president.

The company supports the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery, which was created to handle the rehabilitation and recovery of Yolanda-devastated areas.

Globe was tasked to fund and implement measures in education, housing, livelihood and health, and other priority projects, as well as to lead a strategic plan for Aklan and ensure its success. 

Aklan incurred P2.811-billion losses in infrastructure and agriculture, which left a majority of residents homeless and without livelihood. Schools and health facilities were also destroyed.

Through the “Bulig 4 Aklan” project, Globe committed to provide education, housing, health, and livelihood assistance to seven Aklan towns: Libacao, Madalag, Banga, Batan, Altavas, Balete and New Washington.            

Globe will build five “Noah’s Ark”-type classrooms that double as evacuation structures during calamities and more than 30 regular but “built back better” classrooms to be funded from the firm's waste management program and its parent company Ayala Corp.

Globe has started building 20 homes in New Washington in partnership with Gawad Kalinga and UT Global Foundation. Twenty more are in the pipeline.

Twenty-eight houses will be constructed in Libacao on top of the 600 shelter kits to be distributed in the municipality before the yearend. Earlier, Globe gave out 940 shelter kits in Madalag. 

The shelter kit project is being undertaken by Globe together with the Inter Church Cooperation Organization.