The Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI), a lead partner of A-PAD Philippines in the Bicol region, launched the MNCCI Hot Kitchen Project in Naga City to provide free meals for frontline workers in the battle against COVID-19.

The MNCCI Hot Kitchen chefs and volunteers started preparing and delivering 1,200 lunch and dinner meals to hospitals and checkpoints every day since April 1, 2020.

The project spearheaded by MNCCI is a close collaboration among partners, namely, the St. Joseph Alumni Association Batch ’95, Grow Negosyo, UPLBAA-CamSur Chapter, BISCAST, A-PAD Bicol, and the Naga City Government.

Mr. Ferdinand Sia, President of MNCCI said, “Although, these efforts may not be enough because we do not know when this crisis will end, we in the business sector here in Naga will never cease in doing our part as true chamber workers and good citizens of the world.” As lead convener of the multi-sectoral A-PAD Bicol Regional Platform, Mr. Sia appealed to the local business community, civil society groups, and individual donors to work together and share resources to support this initiative.

On January 30, 2020, the Philippine Health Department reported the first case of COVID-19 in the country with a 38-year-old female Chinese national. On March 7, 2020, the first local transmission of COVID-19 was confirmed. To address the growing COVID-19 cases, President Duterte declared a State of Calamity throughout the Philippines. Community quarantine is enforced in the entire Luzon from March 15 until April 30, 2020.  As of April 6, 2020, there are 3,660 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 163 deaths from the confirmed cases.

(Photo credit: Eleanor Zuniga-Montemayor)