By Fernan Angeles
PHILATHROPIST Ramon Ang of San Miguel Corporation shrugged off rumors on his alleged plans to run for public office come national elections in 2022.
At the press conference, following the virtual launch of the BMW 7-Series last August 19, Ang was asked if he wants to run for President.
A stunned Ang momentarily paused and said no.
“I prefer serving the public in the best way I can, which is to channel my resources and help the poor. It is not in my best interest to run for office,” Ang explained. “Why expose myself and my loved ones?”
The tycoon said he prefers to offer public service for free in his own terms.
Ang has lately been a prominent subject of discussions on the social media for his efforts to help Filipino families adversely affected by the global pandemic through outreach missions.
On top of the outreach missions, Ang has also been providing livelihood to displaced workers.
Recently, SMC has started procuring ovens for the bread kiosks that will be set up at identified service stations. The feeding centers are expected to become available to targeted communities soon. The kiosks will also eventually offer rice porridge and other meals to go with the bread.
Initially, targeted areas include Payatas, Caloocan, Malolos, and Tondo, among others. The project will be done in partnership with local governments units (LGUs). SMC’s version of the nutribun, which it earlier distributed to poor communities in and outside Metro Manila, is packed with nutrients, with high content of dietary fiber as well as iron and iodine.
He also said that the pandemic and the crisis that it had brought to this country and the rest of the world will not end in 2020. The crisis could extend for another year or two. Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced government to implement lockdowns nationwide in mid-March to stem the transmission of the virus, SMC has led private sector efforts to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the public, and has sustained its efforts to help the medical community.
SMC’s total response to the pandemic has reached over P13 billion. Its food donation drive had reached P516 million as of the end of June, the largest ever in the company’s history, and most likely, the country’s.
Apart from donating rice and its own food products such as canned goods, fresh and processed meats and poultry, biscuits, dairy products, coffee, and bread, San Miguel has also donated flour to various LGUs, for distribution to community bakers, who then made them into affordable or free bread.
On top of donating food, SMC, together with the Department of Agriculture, has also taken significant steps to ensure food security and help farmers in the countryside whose produce would have otherwise gone to waste due to issues with reaching markets and the disruption of transportation and food businesses.