Cebu Pacific partners with Waves For Water to serve Odette-stricken Communities
Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB) stays true to its mission to aid in humanitarian assistance through its bayanijuan efforts. The Philippines’ leading carrier has yet again partnered with Waves For Water to deliver water filters to Odette-stricken communities.
Severe tropical storm Odette made landfall and intensified into a category 5 super typhoon. After this, it laid waste to 36 million homes and affected around 17.8 million people in the Philippines. With the destruction of essential infrastructure in its wake, people’s basic necessities, especially water, were at stake; giving a possible rise in cases of life-threatening dehydration and a spread of waterborne diseases.
Global humanitarian aid organization Waves For Water was one of the first responders. They immediately deployed water filtration systems to affected communities.
CEB has worked with the organization by safely transporting these water filters, aiding Waves For Water in alleviating this crisis. This is across six affected provinces, including Surigao del Norte where the hardest-hit Siargao is located. The filters make it possible to drink from a water source without the dangers of bacteria, cysts, or protozoa passing through.
Michael Ivan Shau, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Cebu Pacific, said,
“It has always been part of our Filipino Bayanihan spirit to assist in relief operations wherever we can. We all know Siargao was one of the destinations severely affected by the Super Typhoon Odette and we prioritized our response with the immediate transport of essential goods especially water treatment needs of the community.”
Waves For Water is an organization grounded on giving immediate, long-term, and sustainable clean water solutions to those who need them most.
With its emphasis on sustainability, the filters have the technology that helps minimize logistics costs. This makes it the most sustainable way of providing clean water. Further, this has resulted in the ability to eliminate single waste plastic; a goal that the airline has also endeavored to integrate into its operations.
“We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support for Waves For Water Philippines. We wouldn’t have been able to respond so efficiently without support from individual donors, private sector contributions, our amazing network of partner organizations and clean water couriers, and our official airline partner Cebu Pacific who has been supporting us since our Rolly/ Ulysses response,” said Waves For Water Philippines Country Director, Jenica Dizon.
Lastly, to date, CEB has flown over two (2) tons (1,447 units) worth of water filters, free-of-charge. As rehabilitation efforts continue, the airline remains committed to pursuing its bayanijuan initiatives whenever needed across its widest domestic network.
