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ILOILO City --- The Lopez Group of Companies through the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) fulfilled its commitment to help the City of Iloilo in its fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as it officially inked the deal and delivered the state-of-the-art Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) machine, RNA extractor, and test kits that it donated to the city’s Uswag Molecular Laboratory in San Pedro, Molo district here on January 21.

Federico “Piki” R. Lopez, Chairman and CEO of First Philippine Holdings Corporation (FPH), said providing the necessary support to put up the Uswag Molecular Laboratory for the City of Iloilo and its people is part of the new mission of the Lopez Group of building a regenerative future through collaborative pathways. 

“Being regenerative is all about elevating everything we touch -- from our employees, our customers, suppliers, and contractors, our environment, our communities, as well as our shareholders. This is why we’ve committed to providing our country with only clean sources of energy such geothermal, wind, solar, hydro, and natural gas. But our mission goes beyond energy and anticipates in dealing with the many adaptive challenges needed to redesign how we live, work, and do business in a changed world,” Lopez said. 

Lopez, whose roots traces in Iloilo, added that it exemplifies a city and a province that are taking concrete steps to develop not just sustainability but also regeneratively, thus, progress and prosperity that benefits the people and planet can be achieved in collaboration between like-minded individuals and institutions. 

To recall, in November last year, the Lopez family together with its Group of Companies, spearheaded by Lopez himself, sent a letter to Iloilo City Mayor Geronimo “Jerry” Treñas signifying their intent to help the city in its fight against COVID-19 through a donation of a RT-PCR machine and other laboratory equipment to deliver timely and accurate testing services to fellow Ilonggos. 

The letter, signed by Lopez, First Gen President and COO Francis Giles B. Puno, and EDC President and COO Richard B. Tantoco, laid out the proposed donation of the conglomerate which will cover the cost of the equipment, test kits, and consumables  worth over P5.5 million. 

“As part of our continuous support to the city, the Lopez Family and its Group of Companies would like to signify our desire and commitment to be part of your foregoing initiative… We believe this will augment your capacity to deliver timely and accurate testing services to our fellow Ilonggos,” the letter read. 

Treñas, for his part, thanked the Lopezes, its family and companies, for its unwavering support to the city especially in these extremely challenging times caused by the COVID-19 pandemic since the first quarter of 2020. “This day is a recognition of a selfless contribution, philanthropy and social responsibility.This is also a celebration of successful collaboration and partnership with the private sector. On behalf of the city government of iloilo and my fellow Ilonggos. And we humbly recognize that we can not gain leverage and perform effectively without the assistance and support and essential contributions coming from the private sector like EDC,” said Treñas in his acceptance speech at the Deed of Donation signing held via Zoom yesterday.  He, likewise, showcased the RT-PCR machine and RNA extractor that was delivered straight to his office in Iloilo City in time for the signing ceremony. 

Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases against COVID-19 Deputy Chief Implementer and Bases and Conversion and Development Authority President and CEO Vince Dizon graced the event and expressed his appreciation for the Lopez group’s continuous efforts and collaboration with Iloilo City and various local government units to help them combat COVID-19 and become resilient amid the pandemic.

“You know since last year the tremendous assistance of the Energy Development Corporation has been a major factor in our battle against COVID-19. From the beginning when our president called for everyone all throughout the country to help in this once in a generation challenge that we all face, EDC was one of the private sector companies that responded to this call of the president in his whole nation approach. We want to thank Chairman Piki again for this partnership with the national government that has not wavered since the very beginning,” said Dizon. 

FPH is a pioneering holding company with principal interests in clean and renewable energy, premium real estate, manufacturing, construction, healthcare, and education. Since 1961, FPH's businesses are leaders and trailblazers in key industries in the Philippines, powering the diverse needs of a rapidly growing economy

First Gen Corporation (First Gen) is the primary holding company for FPH’s power generation and energy-related businesses. It is the pioneer and leader in the natural gas industry, producing 2,959 megawatts (MW) of electricity from indigenous energy sources. First Gen accounts for 23 percent of the country’s gross generation and operates Energy Development Corporation (EDC), the world’s largest integrated geothermal power producer.

EDC is the Lopez Group’s global and diversified renewable energy company. With over 40 years of pioneering sustainable practices, it is the Philippines’ leading 100% renewable energy producer with an installed capacity of 1,499.14 MW that accounts for 20% of the country’s total installed RE capacity. With geothermal as its primary source of power, EDC’s 1,200 MW provides 62% of the country’s total installed geothermal capacity.