Globe ensures holistic COVID-19 support for employees and customers; aid totals P2-B by 2021 year-end

Digital solutions group Globe has contributed P2.46 billion in aid for various sectors as part of its unwavering commitment to help internal stakeholders, customers, community partners, and the government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This total amount sums up all support extended by the company– made up of the various products and services offered, community programs launched, in-kind and monetary donations, and fund-raising efforts rolled out.

“The effects of the pandemic are now part of our daily lives.  Throughout this journey of constantly adapting to the changes, Globe has been actively providing relevant assistance to its value chain and customers. We have also taken concrete steps in ensuring that our workforce and customers are fully-supported as we transition them into the post-COVID era,” said Rizza Maniego-Eala, Globe Chief Finance Officer.

In 2021, Globe provided support to its internal and external stakeholders amounting to P620 million, while P1.84 billion was spent in 2020 to cushion the initial impact of the crisis. Employee and vendor partner aid are the top drivers of the company’s COVID response.

Prioritizing employee health and well-being

The company is continuously supporting its workforce, providing those affected with assistance, including the Globe PCR Laboratory, a testing facility available for employees and their dependents, and employees of its vendors and service partners. This is complemented with strict adherence to COVID protocols in all offices, stores, and facilities and hospitalization benefits, mobile service unit support, transportation, service fulfillment incentives and personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies for employees.

As of January 2022, Globe has already vaccinated 99.2% of its employees and 96.7% of the Globe Group workforce. The company has also started providing booster shots to employees and has extended it to their employees’ dependents and entire households.

Mental health support is available for its employees through HopeChat, a chat-based counseling platform that makes consultations with a licensed psychologist private, convenient, and less intrusive. Globe also extended the same service to its customers through KonsultaMD’s telehealth app.

Digital enablement and inclusion

Globe supported the education sector in its transition to online learning through its partnership with DepEd’s National Educators’ Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS), and in mounting the Global Filipino Teachers (GFT) Webinar Series, a professional development training program for teachers on early language literacy and mental wellness. GFT also held webinars that covered fostering cooperation among teachers and parents in their children’s learning journey.

Over 68,500 students and teachers received connectivity tools that helped them cope with the shift to distance learning under DepEd’s Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP), Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE), and Brigada Eskwela (BE) programs.

In line with this shift, Globe recognized the importance of keeping students safe from online risks while learning. With this, the company digitized its Digital Thumbprint Program (DTP) modules to grant educators, parents, and students easier access to online learning materials and eModules created in partnership with DepEd, Plan International Philippines, and UNICEF’s SaferKidsPH.

Throughout the two years that the country has been under several phases of community quarantine, Globe enabled free data access to relevant government hotlines and websites, as well as online platforms of partner organizations, including the Globe eLibrary for its subscribers.

At the height of community lockdowns, the company also provided free and discounted access to work-from-home tools for businesses, free telehealth and mental health services, 1,500 free preloaded mobile phones for hospital and government frontliners, and free SMS broadcast.

Community engagement and empowerment

Globe collaborated with community partners in supporting various COVID-related programs through products, services, and financial aid to customers, partner communities, and various stakeholders. The company partnered with Caritas Philippines and helped 500 families from 10 dioceses nationwide on distance learning and livelihood initiatives.

Meanwhile, Globe Platinum also held lifestyle activities, such as virtual indoor cycling classes, boxing, yoga, and pilates sessions in partnership with World Vision that raised funds for student kits for more than 2,000 students in Baseco, Manila. The company also supported 268 community pantries through grocery packages and prepaid load cards and donated funds to the Ingat Angat campaign.

In line with caring for people’s mental health, Globe launched #PlantHappiness last October during World Mental Health Day. #PlantHappiness is a mental health and wellness campaign that encourages a positive and consistent routine to help manage one’s mental health by caring for plants. The campaign was done in partnership with The Mead Foundation and Philippine Native Tree Enthusiasts.

In addition, the company carried out #BrigadangAyala programs in partnership with the Ayala Foundation and Ayala for the Greater Good, which focused on frontliner support and hunger alleviation in the National Capital Region. With the collective support of all three organizations, the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the Tondo Medical Center, and the National Children’s Hospital received donations valued at P1.8 million that helped them continue COVID response operations.

Globe’s employee and customer donation drives raised a total of P69.7 million as of Dec 31, 2021;

●        Through Globe Rewards, P36.4 million was raised to support 10 COVID hospitals in 2020, while P7.8 million was raised in 2021 for COVID-related advocacies such as health sector support, hunger alleviation, distance learning, mental health, and child safety

●        Fundraising and donations from various partner organizations such as GCash and Ayala Corporation are valued at P10.8 million

●        Employee donations reached P14.7 million from 2020 to 2021, which have been utilized for the following:

●        Power the World Trade Center’s connectivity needs following its conversion into a quarantine facility

●        Provide COVID-19 test kits to Pasig and Mandaluyong communities

●        Provide the New Clark City quarantine facility with WiFi access

●        Contribute to AC Health’s employee facility for COVID-19

●        Food pack distribution to communities in Cavite through the Ayala Foundation’s Project Pananagutan

●        PPE donations to 60 hospitals nationwide

Globe strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 9, which highlights the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. Globe is committed to upholding 10 United Nations Global Compact principles and 10 UN SDGs.  

To learn more about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.