Alagang Kapatid Foundation Inc. is Rising Up to the Challenge

While the Philippines is famous for its hospitable people and 7,107 beautiful islands, it is also known for being the fourth most disaster-prone area in the world. With a vision and commitment to promote humanitarian causes, the MVP Group of Companies established Alagang Kapatid Foundation, Inc. (AKFI) in 2011, which became a fully-operational non-stock, non-profit organization in May 2012.

AKFI aims to provide a helping hand to least-served families during times when disasters beyond their control make things difficult for them.

AKFI steps in when floods, landslides, and armed conflict displace people and render them beyond help. It focuses on 4 main areas: disaster preparedness, disaster response, recovery and medical assistance/relief. Since 2012, 161,893 families and 45,120 individuals have been provided assistance through relief efforts, soup kitchens, and psycho-social and stress debriefing programs by the organization, including the victims of Yolanda, Pablo, the Bohol quake, and the Zamboanga conflict.

The foundation also runs several medical missions aimed at street dwellers, people who have no proper documentation that makes it hard for them to ask for government medical assistance, as well as other disaster response and preparedness programs and several rehabilitation programs, especially in schools inside conflict- and disaster-stricken areas, including in Zamboanga, Surigao, Samar and Leyte.

AFKI’s programs are planned and conceptualized to be engaging both to the beneficiaries and to the network that AFKI uses: the Tulong Kapatid group, which is the MVP CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Council composed of PLDT Smart Foundation, One Meralco Foundation, Maynilad, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), Smart Communications, De Los Santos Medical Center, Makati Medical Center, Asian Hospital, and Cardinal Santos Medical Center, among others. The program makes use of best practices in its efforts like responding within 24-36 hours of the calamity, integration of the efforts of the different partner companies with one streamlined and efficient direction, minimal use of plastic and maintaining partnerships with several government agencies to aid in relief efforts.

This coming 2017, AKFI plans to continue its focus on disaster response, recovery, and rehabilitation and deliver help where it is needed the most. As a way to encourage more partners to join in the organization’s humanitarian efforts, these programs will be featured on a television program “Alagang Kapatid”, an extension of the AFKI, on the MVP group’s flagship television station TV5.

“I am inviting everyone – corporations, groups, and individuals – to be a part of AKFI’s drive to make a difference in the country,” said TV5’s President and CEO, Vincent “Coach Chot” Reyes.

Aside from the regular support from Tulong Kapatid, AKFI has also partnered with other businesses such as SL Agritech, Unilever, RiteMed, civic organizations such as The Latter Day Saints Charities, and National Bookstore Foundation. With this, AKFI is hoping to have more corporations and groups help them provide help that is fast and effective where it is needed the most

In the recent AKFI event held in Pasug City last December 9, 2016 3.5million worth of rice was pledged in by SL Agritech for 2017. Foton pledged to donate a disaster relief truck, Unilever came up 5 million worth of hygiene products while PHAP Cares promised 1 million worth of medicines to support AKFI's noble undertakings.

You may send in your pledges to alagangkapatidfoundation@tv5.com.ph or call 68931000 local 45191 / 45192 to know more how you can partner up with Alagang Kapatid Foundation, Inc.