COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill. With the end of the pandemic still unseen, industries have come together to devise initiatives to help one another cope and rise above the crisis.

Here are some campaigns that stepped up to the challenge here in the country:

Sakay.ph COVID-19 Response

When lockdowns were implemented, so were the suspension of public transportation. Sakay.ph, an app that provides route directions for public transportation around Metro Manila, suddenly finds their app data outdated.

To keep up with public need, they tweaked their data and started to present routes for shuttle services for frontliners. They coordinated with public offices such as the Office of the Vice President, the Department of Transportation, and the Pasig City Government to encode their shuttle routes into the app and make it available for users.

They also launched the Live Location feature so frontliners can track the real-time location of shuttles to help them plan their journey.

“These have been trying times,” Sakay.ph said in their blog. “But our response to difficulty has always been to reach out, and find other ways to help.”

Lockdown Cinema Club

The film industry is one of the most affected by the COVID-19 crisis. With lockdowns and physical distancing measures still in place, most had to cancel their shoots, screenings, and other projects.

To support film workers, a group of filmmakers and film organizations organized the Lockdown Cinema Club. The initiative released a series of films from the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia for public viewing online, with donations of any amount in exchange. The film catalog featured the works of Lav Diaz, Jerrold Tarog, Erik Matti, and more.

By June 18, the campaign had raised over 4 million pesos for 1,549 beneficiaries.

As filmmaker and Lockdown Cinema Club founder Carl Chavez, in a statement, said, “Cinema has always been about story and images. It is so powerful that it can wake, shake and stir. In this time of pandemic, it is a great time to utilize and go beyond that—to reach out, to help, and to take action.”

Shelter Fund

Another campaign to protect workers’ welfare is the Shelter Fund. Jason Quibilan, along with Shutterspace Studios and its printing arm Silver, came up with the initiative to help photographers sell their photos online.

The initiative even extended to Shelter Fund Art – as a way to lend a hand as well to artists and illustrators looking to sell their artwork.

“Through your purchase, you help keep us safe in our homes, able to continue and contribute, and more importantly, we have all committed to contributing part of our individual sales to a communal fund, making sure everyone is benefitted by your generosity,” the Shelter Fund said.

The campaign has ended as of June 30, but it has continued to encourage their audience to reach out directly to local photographers and artists for orders.

Move Food Initiative

The recurring lockdowns have also affected farmers – from their production to distribution of crops. This has led them to dump tons of edible food.

Agrea, a social enterprise who has been working with the farmer community, therefore set up the Move Food Initiative. Founder Cherrie Atilano leveraged her network and tapped private truck owners to help deliver farmers’ goods to towns and cities, including Metro Manila.

This led to community farmer’s markets set up in public parks and closed restaurants. The project has also donated fresh food to community kitchens that are feeding medical frontliners.

By April 26, Move Food Initiative had delivered 138,000 kilograms of fruits and vegetables from almost 4,000 farmers to around 30,000 families.

Project Lifeline

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) also bear the brunt of the economic aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. After the long periods of lockdown, how can they bounce back?

In response, Mosveldtt Law Offices launched Project Lifeline, an online helpline providing pro bono services to MSMEs. Pro bono lawyers are on call to respond to legal queries from business owners and offer their expertise in commercial and corporate law. The service also provides copies of important government circulars and template forms for MSMEs.

Collaborating with Mosveldtt Law Offices are Bounceback PH, an MSME association providing the link to MSME owners and their needs; Unionbank GlobalLinker, with their platform serving as the project’s channel and financial solutions provider; and Rappler as their online media partner.