By Myrna Velasco Transmission firm National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) will donate P1 billion to help government fight the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) health crisis that has been overwhelming the country in the past weeks. In a letter to President Duterte that was channeled through Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, NGCP President and CEO Anthony L. Almeda said that “on behalf of the NGCP’s board directors – particularly major stockholders Henry Sy Jr., Robert Coyiuto Jr. and the State Grid Corporation of China, we would like to inform you that NGCP will donate P1 billion to aid our medical frontliners.” He said that the donation is intended “to support the President’s efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Philippines.” The NGCP chief executive said the assistance will come in the form of P500 million worth of goods and medical equipment; while the other P500 million will be given as cash “for allocation to COVID-19 response purposes,” as may be determined by the Office of the President. Almeda further noted that “NGCP will be coordinating with (the President’s office) team on the turnover of our donation.” He also said the company will “continue to look for opportunities to support the government in battling this pandemic.” Duterte has placed Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon on enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from March 15 to April 14; while "a state of calamity" has been declared nationwide for the next six months for the country to contain the spread of the lethal virus. And as the number of Filipinos affected by COVID-19 increases on a daily basis, the lack of supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the country’s frontliners – primarily medical workers – had become a serious problem. It is seen that the committed medical supply in the NGCP donation would help solve the problem in private and public hospitals and medical institutions in the country. NGCP is the operator of the country’s transmission facilities and has its nationwide operations. It won the concession deal to manage the transmission assets based on a privatization exercise undertaken by state-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation in 2009. (MMV)