‘Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko’ movement brings merriment to Quezon City jeepney drivers

MANILA, Philippines — Enabling disadvantaged Filipinos to celebrate a happier Christmas this year and ensuring that it’s Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko despite life’s challenges, the PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF) teamed up with Smart Communications, PLDT Home, PayMaya and Fiberhome Philippines to provide noche buena packs, vitamins and t-shirts to jeepney drivers and operators of Barangays Payatas and Bagong Silangan in Quezon City.

At the Quezon City Pamaskong Handog 2021 event, PLDT and Smart, in partnership with the office of Quezon City District 2 Councilor Mikey Belmonte, also set up a booth where residents may register for the Quezon City ID. Smart SIM cards were likewise distributed to the residents for free. During the event, a brand new mobile phone from Smart was raffled off to the drivers. PayMaya also gave outcare packs for the drivers, while Maynilad provided bottles of water.

“As one of the most adversely affected sectors of the current pandemic, the jeepney drivers deserve a breather, especially this Christmas season,” said PSF president Ma. Esther Santos. “Aligned with the PLDT Group’s core value of malasakit, we’re bringing these noche buena packs, vitamins and t-shirts to them so they can celebrate with their families and it will be Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko for everyone,” she noted. Santos led other MVP Group executives during the distribution held at the MRB Covered Court in Brgy. Commonwealth, including: Smart Communications’ regional customer development-NCR 1st vice president Gia Palafox and senior manager Erick Castro; PLDT Home’s Daphne Gale Gripal; Paymaya’s LGU segment head Tisha Quinitio and Fiberhome Philippines Inc.’s Maan Sulit.

PSF, with the help of PLDT Home and other partners, hopes to reach at least 7,000 families for Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko 2021.

Imbued with the bayanihan spirit, the Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko movement started as a donation drive last year, initiated by the companies and foundations under the leadership of PSF chairman Manuel V Pangilinan. It aimed to reach out to communities affected by the pandemic and other calamities and provide them noche buena food and other essential items so they can celebrate a joyful Christmas.

Now on its second year, a bigger, better and brighter Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko campaign has been launched by the MVP Group of companies and foundations in the hope of sustaining and surpassing the efforts and achievements of 2020.

The activities this year include providing education tools and materials to underprivileged students; providing noche buena food items to COVID-19 affected families; distribution of meals and gifts to medical frontliners; sharing of gifts to charity institutions and providing livelihood assistance to various sectors of society.