At CoDev, we’re committed to helping our customers as well as our employees. That’s why when Typhoon Rai hit some parts of the Philippines, we acted quickly to make sure our Philippine-based employees were safe and well.
As you may be aware, we help companies outsource software development talent from the Philippines through our satellite offices located in different metropolitan areas throughout the country. A couple of these areas were badly hit by the super typhoon, which reached wind speeds of up to 160 mph. This caused extensive damage that halted daily life for residents, and operations for businesses in the area.
Those affected had to suffer through weeks of fuel and water shortages, complete power outages, destroyed homes and properties, and interrupted internet and cell services. All this amid another surge in COVID-19 positive cases. To help our affected employees, we immediately took action through the following:
- CoDev Community Information Drive
CoDev stayed in contact with our Philippine offices as much as possible through email and instant messaging. Despite intermittent contact, we were able to gather information on each of our employees’ individual situation, and shared with them vital information, such as local emergency contact numbers; where to access clean water, groceries, battery charging stations, gasoline, and functioning ATMs. We also made sure to share updates on various affected locations and our satellite offices.
- Open Offices
We opened our satellite office doors to all affected employees and their families, allowing them access to much needed food, water, and power for charging their electrical devices. We made sure our office pantries were continuously well-stocked with all the supplies our employees and their families needed.
- Potable Water
Potable water was one of the most sought-after items in typhoon-affected areas. Water refilling stations, which are typically where most residents would source their drinking water, were still closed due to lack of power. And bottled water was already in short supply and sold at incredibly high prices due to skyrocketing demand and supply chain problems. We sought to help our affected employees in this by not only providing 10 liter jugs of drinking water to each employee, but also providing them with water purifiers, which we procured with the help of our generous clients. These water purifiers were distributed and installed in participating employee’s homes, allowing other employees living nearby to have shared access.
- Customer Donations
Many of our customers still remained in contact with our typhoon-affected employees, and/or were aware of their situation, and wanted to help. So we collected donations from our customers, allowing them to donate to a general fund which we later used to provide water and other necessities to employees, or to their CoDev team members directly. We’ve collected a total of $25,000 in donations as of this writing, and are immensely grateful for our customers’ generosity and support.
Today, power and water have already been restored in many of the typhoon-affected areas, and our employees are safely back to work. But more still needs to be done. There are still those that have yet to rebuild and restore their homes. In this area, we hope to help our employees in need.
If you’d like to learn more about our relief efforts, how you can help, or how we outsource software development, get in touch with your client success representative today.
