With the country battling the COVID-19 pandemic, Nestlé Philippines is upholding its 108-year heritage as the “Kasambuhay” or “trusted companion in life” of generations of Filipino families by implementing a P500 million program to assist one million families and thousands of frontliners, others in need of healthcare, and its own employees and those of its business partners. The program is called “Kasambuhay ng Pamilyang Pilipino.” “Through the years, Filipino families have come to trust Nestle as their Kasambuhay, with our much-loved brands and products that are appropriate for different hours of the day and all stages of life. We care deeply for Filipino families and communities, and we will live up to their trust by doing our part to help, including sharing our products with those who need them most,” Nestlé Philippines Chairman and CEO Kais Marzouki said. Reaching out to a million families, communities most in need, frontliners In solidarity with those severely impacted, Nestlé Philippines is providing Kasambuhay kits consisting of Nescafé, Milo, Bear Brand Fortified, Koko Krunch, Chuckie, and Maggi products to one million families nationwide. It is cooperating with local government units (LGUs) and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) for their distribution. The NGOs include Caritas Manila, one of the largest church-based non-profit organizations in the country whose core programs aim for the integral human, spiritual, and socio-economic development of the poor. Earlier this month, Nestlé products were shared with LGUs, healthcare workers, and other frontliners numbering in the thousands. Supporting the Philippine Red Cross Lending a more direct hand against COVID-19, Nestlé Philippines has contributed P10 million to the Philippine Red Cross that the latter will spend to augment government efforts to address COVID-19. The Nestlé donation will help fund the setting up of a testing laboratory and the purchase of medical tents, personal protective equipment (PPEs), test kits, ventilators, respirators, surgical masks, and other essential health equipment. “The partnership with Nestlé shows great corporate social responsibility at the height of our country’s fight against our invisible enemy, COVID-19,” said Sen. Richard J. Gordon, PRC chairman and CEO. Prioritizing people “While we ensure that our products continue to be available, we are grateful to our own and our partners’ frontliners. They are making great sacrifices above and beyond the call of duty. And so we can only do our best to support them,” Marzouki said. Recognizing that people are the most important element enabling operations to continue and products to be made available to consumers, as a food and beverage manufacturer, Nestlé Philippines is ensuring the safety and welfare of its employees, and helping those of its business partners who continue to work despite the challenges they face. Nestlé employees and those of its business partners are being provided with various forms of support. Additionally, Nestlé Philippines employees have voluntarily raised funds, supplemented by the company, which will be turned over as gratitude allowances to business partners’ frontliners. “As the Kasambuhay ng Pamilyang Pilipino, we are pursuing the Nestlé purpose of enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future, which we believe becomes even more relevant during this challenging and difficult time,” Marzouki said.