Months after a powerful earthquake shook communities in Mindanao, many families continue to live with its aftermath. Beyond damaged homes and disrupted livelihoods are families working to regain a sense of normalcy and communities working day by day to rebuild what was lost.
For employees of Allianz PNB Life (Allianz), the distance from Mindanao did not make those struggles feel any less urgent. Many were moved by stories of families striving to regain stability after the disaster, particularly young children and mothers facing some of the greatest challenges during recovery.
What began as a voluntary fundraising drive among employees became a collective effort to help affected families move forward. Allianz matched the amount contributed by its employees, bringing the total donation to ₱350,000.
The funds will be coursed through the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) for its Child and Maternal Support Program, supporting earthquake-affected families in selected communities in Sarangani Province and General Santos City.
“Behind every recovery effort are families doing their best to rebuild their lives one day at a time. The support from Allianz PNB Life employees and the company’s matching contribution will help provide essential care for mothers, newborns, and young children in communities still recovering from the earthquake. We are deeply grateful for this partnership, which shows how collective action can bring comfort, hope, and practical assistance to those who need it most.” said Rene ‘Butch’ Meily, President of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation.
The program will provide emergency nutrition assistance, newborn care packages, and hygiene and sanitation kits, particularly for children under five years of age, lactating mothers and their newborns, and other families still dealing with the effects of the disaster.
Behind every nutrition package, hygiene kit, and newborn care set is a family trying to move forward. For Allianz employees who contributed to the initiative, the drive was a reminder that recovery takes time, and that even small acts of support can help ease the burdens families face as they rebuild their lives.
Ryanne Balintec, IT Portfolio and Business Relationship Manager, said contributing to the drive was a simple way of letting affected families know that they had not been forgotten.
“The earthquake may no longer be in the headlines every day, but we know that many families are still rebuilding their lives. We wanted to do our part, however small, to help them get back on their feet and move forward.”
For another Allianz employee, the fundraising drive showed how individual acts of generosity become more meaningful when people act together.
Pionna Arenas, Service Excellence Lead, said: “What moved me was seeing colleagues willingly come together to help people we may never personally meet. Individually, our contributions may seem small, but together, they can help a family take another step toward rebuilding.”
Allianz amplified the employee-led effort by matching the contributions raised. The resulting ₱350,000 will help PDRF deliver assistance in coordination with local government units and communities.
“At Allianz, creating security and peace of mind goes beyond the protection we provide through our products. It is also about standing with communities during difficult moments and helping families regain a sense of stability as they recover and rebuild,” said Rozanne Magararu, Chief Marketing Officer of Allianz PNB Life.
“We are grateful to our employees for coming together to support families facing difficult circumstances and to our partners at PDRF for delivering much-needed assistance on the ground,” she added.
The initiative reflects a broader idea of resilience: recovery does not end when the immediate emergency is over. For families affected by disasters, it can mean months of rebuilding homes, restoring livelihoods, caring for children and gradually finding their footing again.
For Allianz employees, helping these communities rise again is an extension of the company’s purpose of securing the future — not only through the work they do every day, but also through the willingness of its people to reach beyond the workplace when others need help.
Long after relief operations end, recovery continues in the everyday moments of family life: a child receiving proper nourishment, a mother caring for her newborn with greater peace of mind, or a community taking another step toward normalcy. Through the generosity of its employees and the support of its partners, Allianz PNB Life hopes to help make more of those moments possible.
