With the suspension of public transportation under enhanced community quarantine guidelines, healthcare workers and other frontliners have faced new challenges getting to and from their workplaces.
As part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) has therefore activated Project Mobility. In partnership with its generous donors, RAFI has provided over 60 bicycles with helmets and locks, plus bike racks, to the Cebu City Government for the mobility of the 120 healthcare workers temporarily housed in Bradford United Church of Christ. This represents an alternative for a safer, more reliable, and more efficient means of transportation.
Marianne Ibonalo and Althea Dalumpines, two of the nurses housed in Bradford, sometimes had to walk for miles to get home after work and errands caused them to miss the last scheduled bus.
“We didn’t have a choice but to walk and get home late. The next day, we wake up early to catch the bus, leaving us more exhausted as we lacked rest. We are very happy and moved with this effort. Riding these bikes will help us become healthier and help us cope with the stress in this pandemic,” said Ibonalo.
“We are thankful for the generosity shown to us by RAFI. It’s acts of kindness like this that keep us going, knowing that we are not alone. We assure you that we will amplify that care and generosity towards the people we serve at work every day, tenfold,” shared Dalumpines.
In its effort to continue spreading kindness and positivity, RAFI has also distributed personal protective equipment (PPE), alcohol, and food packs to 94 men stationed at various city checkpoints for the past 30 days.
Meanwhile, distribution of relief goods was extended to 400 persons with disability (PWDs) in the Province of Bohol, through the Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) in the LGUs of Calape, Catigbian and Tubigon.
“We at PDAO-Bohol feel so blessed with the humanitarian mission of RAFI. With the relief extended to 400 PWDs in different LGUs here in our province, we saw how happy they were while receiving their relief packs. We are so grateful for RAFI and its team members for their time and effort, patience, and in giving us their full support with all the arrangements needed, leaving this very meaningful for us. Thank you so much, RAFI!” said Juwel Robin, staff of PDAO-Bohol.
Kind individuals and organizations who wish to participate in the initiative or join the fight against COVID-19 may visit www.rafi.org.ph and RAFI’s Facebook Page or e-mail at [email protected] for more details.
