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EDC responds to Bacolod Diocese’s urgent need due to COVID-19

EDC Community Partner Jayvi Valenzuela, together with EDC BINHI Youth Champion Eunice Arnaez and SIKAT scholar-alumni John Lyod Dionido, turned over 50 sacks of rice to Fr. Jerryvel Celestial (USLS Chaplain), Rev. Fr. NItodel Soriano (Director, Diocesan Pastoral Center and Rector of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Shrine) for parishioners of the Diocese of Bacolod who were badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Markslin John Ato, EDC BINHI Youth Champion.

“Our genuine malasakit (care) is extended to our partner communities in times of natural catastrophe, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic.”

This was the statement of Richard Tantoco, president and chief operating officer of Lopez-led geothermal leader Energy Development Corporation (EDC) during his recent talk on the call to be regenerative for the Global Catholic Climate Movement and Focolare Movement’s joint online celebration of the “Season of Creation,” a monthlong prayerful observance that calls on the planet’s 2.2 billion Christians to pray and care for God’s creation, a press release from the company said.

Just a few days after Tantoco’s talk, parishioners of the Diocese of Bacolod became EDC’s most recent beneficiaries of its COVID-19 assistance, as Jayvi Valenzuela, the company’s community partner from its Negros geothermal facility turned over 50 sacks of rice to Rev. Fr. Nitodel Soriano, Director, Diocesan Pastoral Center and Rector of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Shrine, and Fr. Jerryvel Celestial, University of Saint La Salle Chaplain. Valenzuela was assisted by EDC BINHI Youth Champions’ Eunice Arnaez, also the Diocesan Commission on Youth’s Administrative Secretary, and Markslin John Ato as well as John Lyod Dionido, one of EDC’s SIKAT scholar-alumni.

“Thank you for extending your help and support to us during this pandemic. Your donation will help our small parishes in mission areas, especially the poor families that have been affected by COVID-19. May the good Lord bless you a hundred fold. May this endeavor strengthen our relationship. Continue being a good Samaritan to others,” Rev. Fr. Soriano said.

The activity is part of EDC’s third wave of COVID-19 community assistance in Negros Occidental. EDC began providing aid to its partner communities, local government units, and customers at the onset of the pandemic even if it has no operations in the area as part of its commitment to continuously support Negros Occidental, which gets power from its 222.5-megawatt geothermal facility in Negros Oriental.

A total of 1,000 food packs were recently handed over to the legislative staff of Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer for Bago City and La Carlota residents and to 3rd district of Negros Occidental Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko for indigent families from the towns and cities of EB Magalona, Talisay, Silay and Victorias City.

“We in EDC continue to have all hands on deck as we provide uninterrupted clean, renewable, reliable power while helping our stakeholders in Negros Island beat the health and economic challenges brought about by the COVID-19 crisis,” said Norreen Bautista, head of EDC’s CSR team in Negros and in Mount Apo. “Working together to help more communities is part of being regenerative, which is what our company and the rest of the Lopez group have committed to be.”

Bautista was referring to their new mission of forging collaborative pathways for a decarbonized and regenerative future. Their new chosen path calls for the entire conglomerate to uplift the state of everything they touch and everyone they partner with.*

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