Bringing smiles, treats at the MassKara Festival

BingoPlus endorser, Piolo Pascual joins DigiPlus President and BingoPlus Foundation chairman Andy Tsui, DigiPlus Director and AB Leisure Exponent President Jasper Vicencio and DigiPlus Vice President and BingoPlus Foundation COO Celeste Jovenir in announcing the Foundation's beneficiaries across Negros Occidental during BingoPlus Day in Bacolod. —CONTRIBUTED

A hospital in Valladolid, a fourth-class municipality in Negros Occidental, received on Oct. 20 a grant worth P1.5 million to improve its capacity to care for patients.

With the additional funds, Valladolid District Hospital (VDH) will upgrade its hospital beds, IV stands, operating tables, wheelchairs and other medical equipment. It will also support the expenses of select indigent patients availing of services from the institution.

Awarded by DigiPlus and its social development arm, BingoPlus Foundation, the grant would be a significant contribution to the healthcare system in Valladolid and its neighboring towns.

Crucial help

District hospitals are among the facilities that provide crucial help to rural Philippines. In 2020, government data revealed, hospitals nationwide lacked 400,000 beds to meet the needs of the population and half of the population did not have timely access to primary healthcare facilities.

VDH was only one of three beneficiaries announced on Oct. 20., “BingoPlus Day” at the annual MassKara Festival in Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental.

Also receiving their shares of a P3 million donation package were the Cadiz City Public Library (CCPL) and an indigenous community in Kabankalan City.

CCPL received P500,000 to procure robotics and programming kits and provide training to teachers, preparing youth for skills fast becoming necessary worldwide.

The grant will also benefit Grade 12 student Angeline, a National Science and Technology Fair 2024 top finalist for Robotics and Intelligent Machines. A portion of the grant will aid her in developing prototypes for a mini weather system and a breast cancer detection machine.

BingoPlus Day continues initiatives by the Foundation in Negros Occidental, which include disaster response in the wake of the Mt. Kanlaon eruption and supporting mobilization of various medical missions in the province. —CONTRIBUTED

For the IP community

The third beneficiary, receiving P1 million, is a community of indigenous people (IP) known as the Karolanos.

BingoPlus Foundation’s allocation will provide vision screening and lenses to all elders across 12 barangays who do traditional farming and uphold their heritage. It will also give tablets for Karolano youth who study under scholarships but lack access to essential learning tools.

IPs, who are estimated to make up 10 percent of the Philippine population, are historically poor and vulnerable. The Karolanos, a small group residing only in Kabankalan, have the added burden of preserving a critically endangered language, Kinarol-an.

Meaningful festival

The three were announced by BingoPlus endorser Piolo Pascual, together with DigiPlus bosses, at the Bacolod City Government Center during the star-studded MassKara Festival Music Fest.

“While we deliver programs nationwide, the foundation always considers the unique local needs of each community,” said DigiPlus President and BingoPlus Foundation chair Andy Tsui. “Much like the beloved MassKara Festival, we hope to continue serving Filipinos with a smile and making our BingoPlus Day more meaningful to Negrenses.”

In September, the foundation supported the annual “Libre Nga Operasyon” organized by Nikki Cares Foundation. It also supported in June relief efforts for victims of the Mt. Kanlaon eruption and a medical caravan, LAB for ALL, in Bacolod City.

The Negros Occidental initiatives exemplify DigiPlus’ dedication to community upliftment, investing in sustainable growth and empowering individuals, Tsui said.

At VDH, that will be memorialized by “PLUS Center for Accessible Healthcare.”