CEBU CITY – Following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Cebu and surrounding provinces on Sept. 30, DigiPlus Interactive Corp., through its social development arm, BingoPlus Foundation, mobilized immediate assistance to the hardest-hit families residing in the island’s northern region.

On Oct. 5, the Foundation delivered 1,000 family relief packs to the municipalities of Daanbantayan and Medellin, enabled by employee volunteers from Cebu-based BingoPlus branches.

Each pack was designed to support the immediate needs of a family of five and included 10 liters of potable water in reusable containers, five kilograms of rice, a hygiene kit, and basic medicine.

Collectively, the effort reached 1,000 families or about 5,000 individuals across both municipalities.

One-thousand relief packs prepared from the DigiPlus warehouse in Parañaque City were deployed to Cebu within three days from the earthquake.

Employee volunteers completed the distribution of much-needed potable water, rice, hygiene kits, and basic medicine to affected communities by Oct. 5.

“These are communities that need swift, reliable help,” said Paul Henczen Tamayo, BingoPlus Foundation Program Manager for Resilience and Healthcare.

“Through our Bayanihan Plus initiative, we work hand-in-hand with local officials and community leaders to reach the hardest-hit areas, prioritize those most in need, and get essential goods to families without delay.

"Dan Kemuel Mabano, BingoPlus Area Manager for Cebu, added: “While we had initially targeted the towns of Bogo and San Remigio, information on-ground advised us to go farther up into Medellin and Daanbantayan because relief goods still needed to reach those areas too.”

Employee volunteers from Cebu-based BingoPlus branches supported distribution and on-ground coordination, leveraging DigiPlus’ local presence to respond quickly to disaster-affected communities.

This deployment underscored DigiPlus and BingoPlus Foundation’s ongoing commitment to stand with Filipinos in times of crisis – leveraging the reach of its retail network to deliver immediate relief and hope to communities in need.

Don Adviento, BingoPlus Regional Manager for Visayas and Mindanao said, “Following BingoPlus Foundation team’s quick deployment of relief packs from our DigiPlus warehouse in Parañaque, our employees from Cebu City, Mandaue, and Talisay volunteered to oversee the final distribution in northern Cebu.”

Rain or shine, night or day, 1,000 relief packs were delivered to earthquake-affected families in Daanbantayan and Medellin municipalities through the efforts of BingoPlus employee volunteers and LGU partners.

“It was a challenge transporting our stocks and navigating through the congestion and aftershocks, but it is rewarding to be able to deliver much-needed help to our fellow Cebuanos. Daghang salamat (many thanks) for the teamwork – from our head office, to our branches and our LGUs (local government units),” said Judaline Geraldez, Branch Manager of BingoPlus Park Mall and team lead of employee volunteer deployed.

The Foundation continues to assess the evolving needs of affected communities in coordination with local government units and partner agencies as recovery progresses.

For coordination, assistance, or partnership opportunities, please contact BingoPlus Foundation via its official Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BingoPlusFoundation.