For every liter of fuel products that will be retailed at its pumps, independent oil firm Unioil Petroleum Philippines Inc. indicated that it will be donating P1.00 of its proceeds to the victims of the recent typhoons Rolly and Ulysses.
Via its ‘Liter of Hope’ initiative, the oil company noted that for every purchase of its Euro-5 gasoline products, P1.00 will be earmarked as donation to Filipinos who are still wobbling to recover from the recent natural disaster. For diesel, the allocation is P0.50 for every liter sold on its Euro-5 diesel brand.
Unioil’s drive to raise funds for the typhoon victims, especially for Catanduanes, is considered a ‘front running’ act in the oil sector when it comes to tangibly aiding those affected even without direct call from government for them to help.
“Proceeds of this donation drive will be given to the affected people of Catanduanes. This will be coursed directly through their provincial government,” the company said.
The window of its sale that targets to share part of proceeds to the people of Catanduanes, will be from November 17-30 this year, according to the oil firm.
In the strike of calamities in the previous administrations, the Department of Energy (DOE) has always been active in exerting ‘moral suasion’ upon the energy companies so they will extend help to affected Filipinos.
This time, however, it is observed that initiatives are being spearheaded on the volition of the oil companies – including the drive to spare some areas in this week’s hefty price hikes, primarily those in Rizal, Marikina City, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora and Catanduanes.
Through its fund raising jaunt, Unioil underscored that it wants “to encourage motorists to also do their part by coming together in helping our kababayans who were greatly devastated by typhoon Ulysses.”
Unioil started in the downstream oil industry via a blending facility that it set up in Valenzuela in the 1990s; and when the petroleum sector was deregulated in 1998, it was among the independent players that tugged its way into market.
And as the financial torment of the strong typhoons and the nagging pandemic are seen lingering in weeks or months to come, there is intensifying call on private corporations, including the oil companies, to do their share in easing the burden of many Filipino families blighted by disasters.