It has been 3 months since the world stopped from ‘business as usual” to this transition to the “new normal”. Many would say they could have actually achieved or finished a lot of things withing three months of being locked down.
PANDEMIC REALITIES
A college student may finish an academic term based on the curriculum designed by the University; a businessman may be able to scale up his business and even achieve 25-30% of his year to date target or maybe; a couple would be able to fulfill their first planned trip abroad. But the reality is that, all these ideal scenarios may not be easily achieved for now, because, as many people say, “the plan will remain a plan until the vaccine is available”.
For most Filipinos coping with this very trying situation, this is not an ideal scenario. For them, it is about having a stable job, providing for the needs of their family, and just sleeping at night, peacefully. This pandemic actually brought a nightmare for millions of Filipinos. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) had recorded a 17.7% unemployment rate in the country or merely equivalent to 7.3 million of the total workforce since April 2020. (Lopez, 2020) With more than half of the Micro and Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which stopped operating due to the virus outbreak, causing business losses, how can we bounce back? (Mercado, 2020)
In the recent SWS survey, “8 out of 10 Filipinos believe their quality of life got worse in the past 12 months, reflecting the worst trend in the survey's nearly 4-decade history”. (Rappler.com, 2020) With all these realities, how can we now achieve our commitment to nation-building as a company that values inclusivity and sustainability?
MINDANAO'S BEAUTY
It has been more than a year already since I was assigned to lead the consumer marketing programs for Mindanao, and all I can say is that Mindanaoans are the most creative, resilient, and brave-hearted people I know. Instead of being pessimistic in these trying times, we instead challenged ourselves to become more so that we can do more. The pandemic gave us many opportunities to pivot our programs into more adaptive, relevant, and inclusive opportunities.
“Mang G” eco-friendly mobile store in General Santos City
Our South Mindanao FSO recently launched “Mang G”, an eco-friendly mobile store which brings the “kilig and need” for OneGlobe. The program is in partnership with the City Govt of General Santos which aims to provide livelihood opportunities to some folks who have lost their jobs. They have become telco, essential vendors, using a bike that also contributes to the goal of the LGU to reduce carbon footprint in the City. Generals (as what people are being called in GenSan) will now be able to buy their telco needs from their doorstep once they hear the “TM FunPinoy” jingle. Aside from this, it promotes cashless transactions through GCash QR code payment.
TM Pinoy Jeep in CDO
The Northern Mindanao FSO celebrated the Philippine Independence day by partnering with the Cagayan De Oro City-Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (CDO-JODA) in ensuring their readiness to go back to their transportation business in a safer way.
Plastic dividers with sanitation and social distancing reminders were installed in the Public Utility Jeepney (PUJs). These PUJs were now called “TM Pinoy Jeeps” that actually offer free rides to all frontliners working in the City. This is also our way of recognizing the efforts of our frontliners who are protecting us against COVID-19.
Mr. Jose Salva Pulgo Jr., Vice President of the CDO-JODA, expresses his gratitude on this partnership: “Salamat sa TM, hindi na kami kailangan gumastos pa sa mga plastic dividers at siguradong safe na ang aming mga jeep para sa mga sasakay dito.” A total of fifteen (15) PUJs have benefited from this program.
Zamboanga City’s Barangay Mobile Pasada
With unemployment becoming a problem in the country, our FSO team also created a program to offer retail loading business to the people of Zamboanga City through its “Barangay Mobile Pasada”, in partnership with Brgy. Tumaga LGU. Aside from this, the mobile store aims to cater to the needs of the people from their doorstep, including GCash, as well as Broadband, Mobile Postpaid, and SG inquiries through leads generation.
The team is also piloting paperless SIM and loading sales monitoring through QR code. This best practice is being replicated in other parts of the region.
“We are very happy to be the partner-beneficiary of this program of Globe and its Territory Distributor Tres Alas as this will help provide livelihood opportunities to our constituents and will contribute to the City Government program in encouraging more people to just stay home”, says Brgy Captain Jacky Lim.
Inclusivity and Sustainability
Our Mindanao Field Sales Operations team, in partnership with the Territory Distributor (TD) partners and Mindanao Trade Marketing and Consumer Mobile Business have proven to us that there is beauty despite the pandemic and these programs, which are being championed in different areas, are the best testament to this.
As Simon Sinek said, “people have different views on the pandemic situation,” and I think our Mindanaon team took this trying situation not only as a challenge but also as an opportunity towards creating new business opportunities which benefit our consumers, our partners in the business, and the government. These inclusive and sustainable programs have actually balanced the triple bottom line approach namely, people, planet, and profit.
“The old has gone, the new has come,” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Let us embrace the new normal, empathize, engage, and empower one another!
Sources:
Lopez, M. L. (2020, June 5). 7.3 million Filipinos jobless in April amid COVID-19 pandemic – PSA. CNN Philippines .
Mercado, N. A. (2020, May 1). DTI: Over half of MSMEs in PH fully stopped operations due to virus outbreak. Inquirer.net.
Rappler.com. (2020, June 11). 'Worst trend' in decades: Most Filipinos say quality of life got worse in past year.
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