Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion yesterday said “donor fatigue” has started to set in the Philippine corporate world as Go Negosyo mounts a much bigger project – PCR Pooled Testing – that calls for another round of donations from the private sector.
“I know there is lots of donor’s fatigue and I know that many companies are not doing well at a time like this but your heart is still there to really help the Filipino people overcome this crisis,” said Concepcion during the signing of the memorandum of understanding for the first pooled testing in Makati to be conducted next week.
BDO Foundation of the country’s leading commercial bank BDO is funding the Makati pooled testing.
Tessie Sy-Coson, chairman of BDO and vice chairman of SM Investments Corp., and Makati Mayor Abigail Binay attended the event.
“Every time I call them they know what I am after so I look like a beggar from the rank,” said Concepcion who started the donation drive and was able to enjoin more than 200 conglomerates to help the initial COVID-19 testing by donating the PCR equipment to 11 government hospitals and now to help all 16 cities and one municipalities of the National Capital Region for the pooled testing.
Aside from the COVID-19 testing initiative, companies are also donating in cash and in kind during this pandemic.
Big conglomerates have waived rents in commercial establishments like malls, which were closed during the harsh lockdown.
“But am glad to note that even if there is that (donor fatigue) feeling, they see the importance of helping the country,” he said stressing that 16 conglomerates have already stepped up to fund all the pooled testing in 16 cities and one municipality in NCR.
“Despite the donors’ fatigue, am glad to say many of them continue to donate. Some not doing very well but still they are donating even a part so we will be able to fund the 16 cities.”
For the first PCR pooled testing in Makati, the BDO Foundation has committed to bankroll the cost of testing.
Concepcion thanked Tessie Sy-Coson, the vice chairman of the SM Investments Corp., for the donation.
BDO Foundation is also funding the pooled testing of another city.
“I am happy that the Bayanihan Spirit of the private sector and the public is well intact,” he added.
He stressed that it is cheaper to test than to lockdown the economy because many of those that closed would or may never reopen or be able to come back.
He cited economist Congressman Stella Quimbo who said that locking down is costing the economy ₱18 billion a day.