After the recent significant volcanic activity in Taal Volcano, with affected communities relocated to outside possible danger zones, Coca-Cola immediately mobilized volunteers for relief operations and served as among first responders.
Working together with local government units and non-government organizations, the Coca-Cola System has distributed over 40,000 liters of Wilkins water to thousands of families in evacuation centers—among them, the Batangas Provincial Sports Complex, the Provincial Capitol of Cavite, and in Barangay Kanluran in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. More will be distributed to affected areas in the coming days.
Coca-Cola’s facilities in South Luzon—such as Sta. Rosa, Canlubang, and Silangan in Laguna—were also affected by Taal’s unrest, and CCBPI has prioritized the safety and welfare of its personnel.
“We here at Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc., offer our deepest sympathies to the families and communities surrounding Taal as they weather this calamity,” said Gareth McGeown, CEO of CCBPI. “As we join relevant authorities in monitoring the situation and fervently hope that no further devastation will occur, we are prepared to further provide assistance to all communities in need. We will continue to embody and champion the culture of malasakit.”
Going beyond providing beverages, Coca-Cola employees from its Imus bottling plant have also donated 2,000 face masks in coordination with the Christian Commission Fellowship (CFF) and Junior Chamber International (JCI) Foundation Imus and have organized an on-going donation drive for canned goods, blankets, and other necessities of the evacuees.
In the face of trying times such as calamities, Coca-Cola has shown not only its commitment to consistently be a part of relief operations but have also become among the first responders in providing immediate aid and care to communities.
“We firmly believe that affected residents will get through via the innate strength of the Filipino and our nationwide spirit of bayanihan,” said McGeown. “Their resilience can be further strengthened as long as we all come together to help.”
