Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation Inc. (Sun Life Foundation) recently renewed its disaster relief partnership with ABS-CBN Foundation’s Sagip Kapamilya program with a PHP 10 million donation.

The renewal was marked with a ceremonial turnover of the donation, which will serve as an emergency fund for the swift delivery of relief packages and support to families and communities affected by natural calamities in the next five years. ABS-CBN Foundation Sagip Kapamilya has always been at the forefront of relief operations when catastrophe strikes, providing immediate humanitarian assistance on the ground within 72 hours of a disaster.

We remain committed to continuing this vital work. With the renewed partnership and ongoing support from Sun Life Foundation, we will scale up our operations and extend our reach, helping even more Filipinos in need,” said ABS-CBN Foundation Sagip Kapamilya Program Head Marcel Riñon. 

The Philippines remains one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, with thousands of Filipinos sustaining losses and damages to property and livelihoods each year from various calamities.

We have seen the profound impact our work with the ABS-CBN Foundation has had on disaster-stricken communities. With this renewed partnership, we hope to once again help our fellow Filipinos and show them that they are not alone in facing challenges,” said Sun Life Grepa Financial, Inc. Chief Operating Officer and Sun Life Foundation President Joy Castillo. “We are grateful to ABS-CBN Foundation for helping us further our mission to build a brighter future for Filipinos.”

Also present during the turnover were Sun Life Philippines CEO and Country Head and Sun Life Foundation Chairman Benedict Sison, Sun Life Philippines Chief Strategy and Enablement Officer and Sun Life Foundation Vice President Aleister Cruz, Sun Life Foundation Executive Director Kristine Millete, Sun Life Foundation Treasurer Leo Carl Chin, ABS-CBN Foundation Managing Director Roberta Lopez-Feliciano, Sagip Kapamilya Program Officer Anna Kamille Miranda, and Sagip Kapamilya Senior Resource Mobilization Officer Christine Joy Dabu. 

The renewal is the most recent milestone in a string of collaborations between the two foundations that began in 2009 with an initiative to rehabilitate the Pasig River and build new homes in Calauan, Laguna for families living along the Estero de Paco. Sun Life Foundation and ABS-CBN Foundation likewise joined hands in developing the 700-meter Tumana Linear Park in Marikina, highlighting their shared commitment to environmental welfare. More recently, the two foundations partnered to bolster the conservation of mangrove forests in the provinces of Sorsogon, Samar, and Biliran.

As the philanthropic arm of Sun Life Philippines, the country’s first and longest-standing life insurance company, Sun Life Foundation uplifts the lives of Filipinos through initiatives that champion education, health, and the environment.