Shopee Launches the Shopee Bayanihan: Frontliners Package to Support Frontliners Amidst the Pandemic

“As the nation continues to combat the spread of the pandemic, it is essential for us to step up and support our Filipino frontliners who are at the forefront of this fight. With leading brands such as Smart and Unilever, we launched the Shopee Bayanihan: Frontliners Package to provide frontliners with exclusive vouchers and deals to support them and their families during this period. Every one of us has a role to play in this fight, and we are committed to doing what we can to help our frontliners and the local community.” ~Martin Yu, Associate Director at Shopee Philippines

Shopee Bayanihan: Frontliner Package

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, launches the Shopee Bayanihan: Frontliners Package to provide frontliners a special digital bundle they can use for personal needs. From September 18 to 20, frontliners can avail of the exclusive digital package that includes free shipping vouchers from Shopee, ₱100 off vouchers from Unilever, and ₱100 mobile load plus 1GB worth of internet from Smart.

“Unilever seeks to build purposeful and meaningful partnerships, and we are grateful to work with Shopee on this initiative that values and rewards the contributions of our frontliners. We continue to find ways to extend assistance and ‘malasakit’ where it’s needed through our purpose-driven brands.” ~Kay Veloso - Palisoc, Head of E-Commerce at Unilever Philippines

The Shopee Bayanihan: Frontliner Package aims to support the rising heroes diligently battling the pandemic. These include: 

• Health Care Workers (Hospital admin and janitorial services, Health and service personnel in LGU facilities)
• Medical Professionals (Doctors, Nurses, Medical Technicians)
• Police officers and Military Personnel
• Coast Guards
• Government Agencies (LGU workers, admin staff)
• Delivery and Logistics Providers (Food, restaurant, medicine, logistics company drivers and riders)
• Security Guards
• Mortuary Services Personnel

Starting September 18, frontliners can avail of the package by signing up on the Shopee Bayanihan: Frontliner Package microsite in the Shopee App. Here is the link: https://shopee.ph/m/frontliner-package. 

Shopee Bayanihan: Frontliner Package

As the frontline workers continue to dedicate their time and effort to battle the Covid-19 pandemic, Shopee understands the importance of helping frontliners stay connected with their loved ones. As part of this initiative, frontliners can receive mobile load and data to communicate with their families during this challenging period.

“We want to bridge the distance between frontliners and their family members, that is why we are thrilled to partner with Shopee to provide frontliners with load and data they can use to contact their loved ones. As part of the country’s largest and only fully integrated telco, we want to help people stay connected, and this campaign is ideal for solidifying our vision to lead, inspire, and create a better tomorrow.” ~Precy P. Katigbak, FVP and Head of National Key Accounts at Smart

The global pandemic has affected millions of people around the world. With frontliners working tirelessly to serve others, Shopee will continue to introduce initiatives like the Shopee Bayanihan: Frontliners Package to give back to our modern-day heroes.

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

From September 18 to 20, frontliners can receive Shopee discount vouchers, mobile load, and data from Smart and Unilever’s brand vouchers

About Shopee

Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. It was launched in 7 markets in 2015 to connect consumers, sellers, and businesses in the region.

Shopee offers an easy, secure, and engaging experience that is enjoyed by millions of people daily. It offers a wide product assortment, supported by integrated payments and logistics, as well as popular entertainment features tailored for each market. Shopee is also a key contributor to the region’s digital economy with a firm commitment to helping brands and entrepreneurs succeed in e-commerce.

Shopee is a part of Sea Limited (NYSE:SE), a leading global consumer internet company. In addition to Shopee, Sea’s other core businesses include its digital entertainment arm, Garena, and digital financial services arm, SeaMoney. Sea’s mission is to better the lives of consumers and small businesses with technology.

Motivational cards for frontliners and COVID-19 patients

“At a time when the country is facing multiple restrictions, it’s more important than ever to reach out to those in isolation. It’s incredibly motivating to see so many people step up to demonstrate compassion, something I hope will continue once COVID-19 is eradicated. We’re putting people first, which in turn provides stability and psychological safety in the community - the key to all of us winning the war on an invisible, yet shared, enemy.” ~Yani Hornilla-Donato, Canva Manila, Country Manager

Photo Credit: Ivy Awayan Araullo

The Philippines, which currently holds the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia, in these trying times, as we work together to help flatten the curve by staying at home as COVID-19 continues to spread across the globe, the number of cases has also escalated in the Philippines placing Filipino healthcare workers at the forefront to fight against the virus. Doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, and hospital staff face the hazard of infection everyday, and extensive working hours at the hospital can be very exhausting. 

Virus-stricken patients, on the other hand, have limited contact with their families, and being away from loved ones can really be lonesome. Canva sent over 4,000 motivational cards and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) donations to hospitals around Metro Manila to applaud the sacrifice and dedication of the healthcare workers, and to show support to COVID-19 patients. 

Photo credit: Stephanie Nodado

To show compassion for COVID-19 patients and gratitude for frontliners, online design platform Canva encouraged netizens to show their support by simply designing a motivational card using pre-made Canva templates. In response, different groups and individuals have shared their messages to our frontline heroes and COVID-19 patients. The Filipinos’ trait of bayanihan is indeed in action even online.

Photo Credit: Yasha Christina Alarcon

Check out more cards for frontliners in this link https://www.facebook.com/CanvaPhilippines/posts/256376292429515 and for COVID-19 patients in this link https://www.facebook.com/CanvaPhilippines/posts/251956732871471.

For more information about Canva, visit https://www.canva.com/.

If there’s one thing that keeps them going: it’s the overflowing support of families, friends, and even strangers. 

ABOUT CANVA

Launched in 2013, Canva is an intuitive online design and publishing platform with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design anything and publish anywhere. Featuring a simple drag-and-drop user interface and a vast library of templates ranging from presentations, social media posts, posters, invitations to resumes, a huge collection of stock photography, illustrations and fonts, anyone can take an idea and create something beautiful. Canva is available on web, iOS and Android.

The UP Men's Basketball Team connected via Zoomustahan in a special way with the frontliners from the UP Philippine General Hospital

“This is really a treat for us - to see faces that are not sick. We are getting all the support that you’re giving us and you keep us inspired to move on. It’s really amazing how the whole UP community stood up to the challenge and are helping us get through this. We’re looking forward to your first game.” ~Dr. Gerardo Legaspi, PGH Director

UPMBT Zoomustahan

The UP Men's Basketball Team connected via Zoomustahan in a special way with the frontliners from the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP PGH) and UP National Institutes of Health (NIH) to express the team's gratitude and to provide moral support to them.

With people around the world cheering, applauding, and saying thank you to their frontliners from balconies and plazas, the University of the Philippines Men’s Basketball Team (UPMBT) expressed gratitude and appreciation for local frontliners in their own unique way.

UP coaches joined the call as well:

• Ricky Dandan
• Rodney Santos
• Moriah Gingrich
• Chappy Callanta
• Mark Dandan
• Kenneth Raval 

UP Fighting Maroons

UP Fighting Maroons:

• Noah Webb
• Kobe Paras
• Ricci Rivero
• James Spencer
• David Murrell
• Joe Gomez de Liaño
• Jboy Gob, CJ Catapusan
• Brix Ramos
• Matt Santiago
• Ethan Kirkness
• Sam Dowd
• Malik Diouf

Head coach Bo Perasol hopped on a Zoom call with medical and healthcare workers from UP’s Philippine General Hospital (UP PGH) and the UP National Institutes of Health (UP NIH) on Friday, May 8 for a virtual chat called Zoomustahan.

Noah Webb

“Really grateful for everything you are doing for our country and our fellow Filipinos. Sobrang saludo po kami sa inyo. We are doing this Zoomustahan with you para naman po makapagshare kami ng konting good vibes sa inyo kahit for a few minutes lang. We’re facing this really big challenge and nandito lang po kami to listen to you, extend our support and continue to pray for you. Hoping for your safety and for sure kakayanin natin ‘to, babangon tayong lahat.” ~Ricci Rivero

Kobe Paras

“While we are here sitting in our homes, comfortable, you are out there risking your lives for us so I want to say thank you.” ~Kobe Paras

The cheer-up call was received by:

• PGH Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi
• Dr. Edgar Eufemio
• Dr. Anthony Geronimo Cordero
• Dr. Louricha Opina-Tan
• Former Fighting Maroon Dr. Czarlo Dela Victoria
• and interns and nurses on the PGH side. 

NIH health workers and laboratory personnel led by UP Manila Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology science research specialist Stessi Geganzo also chatted with the team.

“This virtual visit is the least the team could do to give back to you. UP-PGH has been part of our team from the start. Whatever small part we could play now - by saying thank you, by praying for you, or whatever help we could extend to you with our presence – just let us know so we could be part of it.” ~Coach Bo Perasol

 The Fighting Maroons hope to reach more frontliners in the days to come to show their support through the UPMBT Zoomustahan. The team looks forward to meeting more medical and healthcare workers, grocery attendants, and other groups that man the frontlines and continue to serve the country during this pandemic.

“Maraming-maraming salamat, UP Men’s Basketball Team. Malaking-malaking bagay ‘to and salamat sa support sa mga nasa frontlines.” ~Dr. Carmencita David-Padilla, UP Manila Chancellor

 The frontliners thanked the Fighting Maroons for taking time and effort to do the Zoomustahan.

Frontliners for frontliners!

“Century, Shakeys, Peri, and Frontline Feeders have come together - each with its own unique resources, capacity, and skills - to extend help in the best way we know-how. It’s the least we can do to take care of the people who regularly put their lives at risk as they work bravely and tirelessly to save those infected by the virus. For the Century Pacific Group, in particular, composed primarily of food businesses, nourishing our medical frontliners through freshly prepared food is another meaningful way to live out our mission and vision as a company.” ~Nikki Dizon, Century Pacific

Frontliners from CPFI, Shakey’s, Peri Peri, and Frontline Feeders Philippines deliver meal packs to healthcare frontliners from (top to bottom) Manila Doctors, Las Pinas General Hospital, Philippine General Hospital, and St. Clare’s Medical Center staff.

Employees from the Century Pacific Group, Shakey’s Pizza (Shakey’s), Peri Peri Charcoal Chicken (Peri-Peri), and Century Pacific Food (Century), together with Frontline Feeders Philippines (FFP) have joined forces to provide more than 100,000 meal packs to Filipino healthcare workers in over 90 hospitals and facilities in Metro Manila and nearby cities.

Frontliners from the country’s foremost food brands, together with an NGO that mobilizes food distribution to different hospitals in the Metro and neighboring cities, have come together to provide support and nourishment to those who have been similarly working the frontlines.

Frontliners from CPFI, Shakey’s, Peri Peri, and Frontline Feeders Philippines deliver meal packs to healthcare frontliners from (top to bottom) Manila Doctors, Las Pinas General Hospital, Philippine General Hospital, and St. Clare’s Medical Center staff.

Showing a great example of teamwork, each team member makes a significant contribution in this initiative. Century provides processed meats, manages the hospital list, and coordinates with the hospitals on a daily basis. FFP provides the network of hospitals and collects regular information on which hospitals need help the most. Finally, Shakey's and Peri Peri provide meat products, bake bread daily, and does the actual delivery.

Each snack is freshly made, filling, and nutritious. The selection includes freshly baked marinated beef buns, hotdog rolls, ham and cheese flatbreads, pepperoni and cheese flatbreads, as well as ham buns.

Frontliners from CPFI, Shakey’s, Peri Peri, and Frontline Feeders Philippines deliver meal packs to healthcare frontliners from (top to bottom) Manila Doctors, Las Pinas General Hospital, Philippine General Hospital, and St. Clare’s Medical Center staff.

The partnership also ensures the right amount of food is delivered at the right time to avoid food waste and spoilage. The meals are meant for merienda or snack, and are individually wrapped so that medical frontliners may eat them when they need a mid-shift gap fill to power them through. 

Since the program’s start last April 7, it has thus far provided100,000 meal packs to 90 hospitals and health facilities around Metro Manila, and there are plans to do more.

Frontliners from CPFI, Shakey’s, Peri Peri, and Frontline Feeders Philippines deliver meal packs to healthcare frontliners from (top to bottom) Manila Doctors, Las Pinas General Hospital, Philippine General Hospital, and St. Clare’s Medical Center staff.

Century Pacific Food is one of the largest branded food companies in the Philippines, behind household names Century Tuna, Argentina, 555, Birch Tree, and Swift. Shakey’s Pizza is both the Philippines’ largest pizza chain and leading full-service restaurant. Peri-Peri is an emerging fast casual brand in the Philippines known for its grilled chicken and a variety of sauces.

TsuperHeroes to provide free transportation for frontliners

COVID-19 frontliners. Doctors and nurses of The Medical City

Since the government suspended PUV operations for the safety of the public, this leftover 600,000 PUV operators and drivers unemployed and unable to sustain the daily needs of their respective families. This also left frontliners of essential services and health workers helpless and unsafe where they needed to walk for over two hours just to get to work, go home, and vice versa.

Jeepney Kings rolled-out 10 units of PUVs manned by 17 jeepney drivers called “TsuperHeroes” in a humanitarian transportation project called “Elmer’s Run,” named after Francisco. These TsuperHeroes take shifts of eight hours each for a 24-hour operation to provide free transportation for frontliners and health workers in coordination with some Local Government Units (LGUs). Eventually, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) followed suit and asked other manufacturers to help as well. DOTr issued permits from the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) for the vehicles and IDs for the TsuperHero drivers in order to provide 24-hour free transportation unhampered by government checkpoints. This effort would not only help small jeepney operators, drivers and assemblers so they would not lose their livelihood in the midst of the pandemic, but also to ferry health workers and frontliners for free to their medical facilities and workplaces.

Rhyan Hitalia (right) Clinic Nurse Director and Wound Specialist, The Medical City, Stoma and Complex Wound Care Clinic coordinator for the Jeepney Kings fleet servicing the Medica City-Taguig-Pateros route

People from all walks of life have been direly affected by the ongoing Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic—from business owners and corporate executives to construction workers and street vendors.

One particular sector, however, is in critical condition with the constraints and limitations posed by the ECQ—public transportation. The suspension of general public utility vehicle operations has left frontliners with limited or no access to daily transportation.

Jeepney Kings is a recently established modernized jeepney fleet operator backed by investment from local entrepreneurs Enrique Gonzalez and Rajan Uttamchandani, and Hong Kong-based financier Francis “Bing” Zhou.  When Elmer Francisco, CEO, and Chairman of 1111 Empire, Inc., maker of Francisco Passenger Jeepneys, asked for assistance in helping small fleet operators and frontliners combat the COVID-19 crisis, the company immediately responded to his call to arms. 

Among the routes being serviced by Elmer’s Run are PGH Manila-Kalayaan Avenue Route, The Medical City Ortigas Route, Parañaque-Las Piñas Route, Caloocan-Quezon City Route, Taguig-Pateros Route, Luzon-wide relief operations of MRRD-NECC and also the Oplan Hatid of UP Los Baños in coordination with the Office of Civil Defense.

This endeavor also aims to provide temporary employment and livelihood to PUV operators and drivers who all of a sudden found themselves unemployed and unable to even buy food for their families during the lockdown. Francisco initially engaged the Baclaran-Nichols Transport Service Cooperative represented by its leader Reynaldo Liwag with the support of Izupart Caloocan and they immediately started operations.

To boost the initiative, Francisco would seek the help of his fellow members of Rotary Club of Makati West, which coined the project “Elmer’s Run.” Nine other Rotary Clubs followed suit, namely: Rotary Club of Makati San Antonio, Rotary Club of Makati East, Rotary Club of Makati Ayala Triangle, Rotary e-Club of Global City, Rotary Club of Parañaque Metro, Rotary Club of Parañaque Merville, Rotary Club of Muntinlupa East, Rotary Club of Las Pinas and Rotary Club of Las Piñas Camino Real through the efforts of Rotary District 3870 Governor Ador Tolentino.

Aside from providing free transportation to frontliners and health workers, Jeepney King’s and Elmer Francisco also provided free food for health workers at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), which is the Department of Health’s primary COVID19 testing facility. 

The team, through the efforts of the Rotary Club of Makati West, also provided 25 rooms in a nearby facility to house 50 RITM health workers so that they need not travel very far just to sleep and go back to work on the following day. 

Jeepney Kings also distributed relief goods to “TsuperHeroes” jeepney drivers who were suddenly unemployed. The team also helps the Department of Social Welfare Development (DSWD), the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and MRRD NECC to fast track their distribution of relief goods to those who need them most.

The project snowballed and attracted other supporters, such as Ray Jarina of Isuzu Inteco who provided one Isuzu Class 2 PUV to the fleet and helped organize the donation of face shields, disposable bedsheets, robot ventilators, robot alcohol dispenser and personal protective equipment (PPEs), which were distributed to various hospitals within and around Metro Manila.

The Jeepney Kings fleet and TsuperHero drivers have made these fast deliveries of essential items and free transportation services possible, especially for our modern-day heroes, our frontiers, and health workers facing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other individuals and companies who are willing to support this endeavor are welcome to contact +639173011199 via Viber, WhatsApp, or Telegram.

Since there are no fare collections, the salaries of drivers and fuel expenses will come from Francisco’s own pocket and from the company’s coffers, but such is certainly not enough to support everyone in the initiative.

Messages of Strength for Superhero Frontliners transforms Metro Manila Billboards

“Every day our frontliners answer the call of duty, risking their health to take on extraordinary burdens brought about by these extraordinary times. But with the rest of the country in quarantine, they may feel left behind and alone outside. Frontline Heroes is our way of directly expressing our message of strength to the frontliners, cheering them on as they go to work, and lifting their spirits as they go home. Hopefully, the empty roads become less a reminder of isolation, more a source of energy and inspiration.” ~Jos Ortega, CEO of Havas Ortega

Commander Doctor as seen along C5 Bagong Ilog

Havas Ortega leading media and creative agency transformed digital billboards all over Metro Manila. Characters from Frontline Heroes like:

• Commander Doctor (doctors)
• Power Packners (cashier and supermarket baggers)
• Kidlat Rider (delivery drivers)
• Incredible Guard (security guards)
• Super Nurse (nurses)
• Truth Twins (journalists and cameramen)

Are now being displayed along Metro Manila’s main thoroughfares, raising the morale of our already tired and weary COVID-19 fighters in Alabang, Makati, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, and Quezon City.

Idled by the lockdown into empowering messages of strength for Filipino frontliners. Turning billboards once filled with ads into digital comic books featuring frontliners as superheroes, the agency’s “Frontline Heroes” is a tribute to the Filipinos who brave the dangers of the outside world so the rest of the country can survive inside their homes.

Commander Doctor as seen along C5 Bagong Ilog

Havas Ortega urges the public to join the campaign by using #TuloyAngLaban online and tagging frontliners in their personal messages of encouragement and gratitude. Through this, Frontline Heroes can reach frontliners all over the country.

“With the physical, emotional, and mental strength required to do what they do, our frontliners are not just heroes, they are superheroes. But they need our help to keep them going! #TuloyAngLaban is the reaffirmation of support needed to renew our Frontline Heroes’ strength as they continue to fight a long and tiring battle against the pandemic.” ~Griffey de Guzman, Associate Creative Director of Havas Creatives

Frontline Heroes also include:

• Johnny Tor (janitors)
• Pharma Sis (pharmacists)
• Kalye Ranger (uniformed personnel)
• Kusina Titan (restaurant workers)
• COVID Hunter (lab technicians)
• Virus Blasters (disinfect crew)
• Pera Sentinel (bank clerks)
• Boom Bero (firefighters)
• Metro Manong (garbage collectors)

This campaign was developed by Havas Ortega in partnership with billboard companies:

• HDI Admix, Inc.,
• United Neon Advertising, Inc., 
• Summit Outdoor Media
• Luneta Advertising, Inc.,
• Full Linkage (FULITECH) Philippines, Inc.,
• The Out Of Home Advertising Association Of the Philippines (OHAAP)
• The Outdoor Media Advocacy Group (OMAG).

Follow the Frontline Heroes story on Havas Ortega’s Facebook Page. Join the campaign by using #TuloyAngLaban and #FrontlineHeroesPH on social media.

About Havas Ortega Group

A fully integrated media & communications group that is committed to create a meaningful difference for brands, businesses, and people. Established in 2012, Havas Ortega provides the most comprehensive marketing services and offerings across media, creative, digital, PR and healthcare & wellness disciplines. A village model housed under one roof, while boasting a unique and unparalleled entertainment offering through its partnership with Vivendi. (www.havasortega.com).