SMC readies transition into new normal

MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Corp., the country’s diversified conglomerate, is preparing to transition into a new normal and is working closely with the government to be able to certify who is clear to return to work amid the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are committed to getting the economy back and running without risking a second wave of COVID-19 cases,” SMC president and chief executive officer Ramon S. Ang said.

SMC has prepared for a gradual back-to-work scenario with a wide-ranging plan that includes, among others, testing for its over 30,000 frontliners within the organization.

It is also strictly implementing regulations on good hygiene, social distancing, and mass gatherings.

Most of SMC’s facilities have remained open throughout the quarantine period to make sure that essential goods and services are available.

These include food, beverages, power, fuel, expressways, among others.

The company has also repurposed its liquor plants to be able to produce ethyl alcohol for donation to medical health workers and other government frontliners.

SMC has so far donated P1.147 billion worth of goods, ethyl alcohol, fuel, protective gear, free toll among others, to frontliners and hardest hit communities in Luzon and other provinces nationwide.

It recently donated five sets of testing machines and test kits to critical government centers in the country, through the Department of Health (DOH), to help boost capacity and efficiency to mass test for COVID-19.

The machines will allow government to conduct additional 11,000 tests per day.  It will also allow beneficiary laboratories to test faster, using less time and human intervention.