WHEN frontliners of The Medical City (TMC) were faced with the problem of finding a place to stay after their shifts were over, Meralco’s call came at an opportune time, offering them conducive living quarters at Meralco Center, complete with all the amenities to help them recharge for their next line of duty.
A room filled with furniture and a table
The Medical City Ortigas medical frontliners are now taking shelter at Meralco Multi-purpose Hall, which was repurposed to serve as sleeping quarters. Meralco provides beddings, meals, amenity kits, internet access, Smart SIM cards, and even a TV with Netflix.
Prior to opening its doors, TMC frontliners were temporarily staying in TMC’s conference room, but unfortunately had to move out and were transferred to the TMC Rehabilitation Center gym. When the gym resumed operations, the frontliners had to move out again, leaving them no option but to seek for another place to stay close to TMC.
Recognizing the urgency of providing the TMC frontliners with a decent accommodation, Meralco readily reached out to TMC management, offering the company’s Multi-Purpose Hall (MPH) at the Meralco Fitness Center in Ortigas, just a 10-minute walk away from TMC, for its frontliners who had been living at the hospital since the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) was announced.
Initially, 32 TMC frontliners were welcomed by Meralco to stay in their MPH as long as they needed, providing them beddings, amenity kits, home-cooked hot meals four times per day, refrigerator, microwave, exercise equipment, shower and toilet facilities, internet access, 30 Smart SIM cards, including a TV with Netflix.
“These frontliners treat COVID-19 patients and we wanted to do our best to make them feel loved, cared-for, safe, and comfortable,” said Meralco President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa.
Through this initiative, Meralco continues to help address the frontliners’ problem in seeking conducive living quarters and faced difficulty in travelling to their homes due to the suspension of public transport during the ECQ period.
Kyla Buenafe, one of the TMC nurses currently staying in Meralco’s MPH, continues to be a light of hope in the war against the pandemic, calling on everyone to do their part in flattening the curve, as well.
“Stay home, senior citizens especially. Keep yourselves strong, take your vitamins and eat fruits if there are no vitamins. Get enough sleep, as that is the number one cause of a weakened immune system. And if you have to leave the house to buy food, stay away from the elderly to protect them,” said Buenafe.
Housing these critical personnel in the fight against COVID-19 is just one of the many ways that Meralco is fulfilling its civic duty during this difficult and unprecedented time. Aside from ensuring reliable supply of electricity for everyone throughout this crisis, Meralco commits to keeping the lights on for those who work the hardest in the battle to fight against the dreaded pandemic.
“You are the bearers of torches that give light to the dark corners of our country—not just mirrors passively reflecting the light of others” said Meralco chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan to his employees, as a testament to the company’s promise to serve and support the fight against the pandemic.
