foodpanda announced an effort to bring supplies to communities heavily impacted by typhoon Odette, in collaboration with various development organizations.

The company, known for its fast delivery of food and groceries to customers via its app, is set to make a delivery of a different kind as it prepares over P3 million worth of essentials such as food, water, toiletries and alcohol for immediate delivery via cargo planes and participating domestic carriers to impacted towns in Visayas and Mindanao. 

It has also earmarked P3 million in cash and groceries for over 2,000 partner riders in Vis-Min who were most impacted by Odette, and unable to work as many shops remain closed and roads impassable. The company also vowed to reach out to affected partner stores to assist them in their recovery.

While many of foodpanda’s donated supplies will be coming from Manila via its own pandamart stores, the company will also leverage its regional logistic network in Vis-Min to help source supplies locally and make deliveries to relief centers wherever possible. 

The company’s assistance to communities under its pandaSHARES CSR program will be coursed through the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation or PDRF, a non-government organization organizing disaster relief and recovery operations. Both foodpanda and PDRF are members of the Pilipinas Kontra Gutom, a national and multi-sectoral anti-hunger movement whose member-partners have joined the call for help as Odette ravaged many towns and cities just days before Christmas. 

“We are fortunate to be in a position where we can quickly source, pack and distribute essential goods to affected communities, and together with our partners, we hope to bring these to as many families in the quickest time possible,” said Daniel Marogy, managing director of foodpanda Philippines. 

“It was especially heartbreaking for many of us at foodpanda to see what has happened to places like Siargao and Cebu. But we are hopeful that through the Bayanihan spirit, we can all help bring these places to their glory, and more importantly help the people who live there to get back on their feet,” Marogy added.

Marogy noted that among the very first beneficiaries of the relief operation were foodpanda employees in the affected areas, as the company gathered updates on affected staff during the onslaught of the typhoon. “Fortunately, we were able to get a hold of them as communication lines broke down, and they are now in the process of receiving calamity assistance,” he said.