The City of Iloilo received a state-of-the-art Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) machine, RNA extractor and test kits during the weekend from the Lopez Group of Companies through the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) to further strengthen their resiliency against COVID-19.
Iloilo Mayor Jerry Treñas thanked EDC and called it “a celebration of successful collaboration and partnership with the private sector”, a press release from the firm said.
“We humbly recognize that we cannot gain leverage and perform effectively without the assistance and support and essential contributions coming from the private sector like EDC,” said Treñas in his acceptance speech at the Deed of Donation signing held via zoom Sunday.
Federico “Piki” R. Lopez, chairman and CEO of First Philippine Holdings Corporation (FPH), said providing the necessary support to Iloilo City’s Uswag Molecular Laboratory and its people is part of the new mission of the Lopez Group of building a regenerative future through collaborative pathways.
“Being regenerative is all about elevating everything we touch — from our employees, our customers, suppliers, and contractors, our environment, our communities, as well as our shareholders. This is why we’ve committed to provide our country with only clean sources of energy such geothermal, wind, solar, hydro, and natural gas. But our mission goes beyond energy and anticipates in dealing with the many adaptive challenges needed to redesign how we live, work, and do business in a changed world,” Lopez said.
Lopez, whose roots traces in Iloilo, added that it exemplifies a city and a province that are taking concrete steps to develop not just sustainability but also regeneratively, thus, progress and prosperity that benefits the people and planet can be achieved in collaboration between like-minded individuals and institutions.
The letter, signed by Lopez, First Gen President and COO Francis Giles B. Puno, and EDC President and COO Richard B. Tantoco, laid out the proposed donation of the conglomerate which will cover the cost of the equipment, test kits, and consumables worth over P5.5 million.
“As part of our continuous support to the city, the Lopez Family and its Group of Companies would like to signify our desire and commitment to be part of your foregoing initiative… We believe this will augment your capacity to deliver timely and accurate testing services to our fellow Ilonggos,” the letter read.
Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases against COVID-19 Deputy Chief Implementer and Bases and Conversion and Development Authority President and CEO Vince Dizon graced the event and expressed his appreciation for the Lopez group’s continuous efforts and collaboration with Iloilo City and various local government units to help them combat COVID-19 and become resilient amid the pandemic.
“You know since last year the tremendous assistance of the Energy Development Corporation has been a major factor in our battle against COVID-19. From the beginning when our president called for everyone all throughout the country to help in this once in a generation challenge that we all face, EDC was one of the private sector companies that responded to this call of the president in his whole nation approach. We want to thank Chairman Piki again for this partnership with the national government that has not wavered since the very beginning,” said Dizon.
To date, EDC has already donated RT-PCR machines, other laboratory equipment, and testing kits to its partner communities in Ormoc City, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Mount Apo, and the Bicol region. It will also provide the same assistance to Burgos, Ilocos Norte.*