THE Metrobank Foundation Inc. (MBFI) has allocated P1 million to aid the local art community that suffered loss of income due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Through its program called Metrobank Art & Design Excellence-Community Aid and Relief for Emergency Situations or Made Cares, MBFI aims to support 200 visual artists with a cash assistance worth P5,000 each.

Made Cares is part of MBFI's initiatives in reaching out to its stakeholders during this current health crisis.

Eligible beneficiaries

Beneficiaries who are qualified for the cash assistance include past awardees of the annual Made Painting and Sculpture recognition programs, as well as non-awardees who are Filipino painters and sculptors aged 18 years old and above.

MBFI will also prioritize practicing visual artists whose income-generating art projects or livelihood were affected by the pandemic.

Painters and sculptors who receive regular salary from a public or private institution; are recipients of pension and other cash assistance from art and cultural institutions; or are currently involved in any income-generating projects are not eligible for the grant.

Call for grant application

A total amount of P115,000 was given last August 6, 2020 to the first batch of beneficiaries, composed of 23 members of the Made-Network of winners, the alumni organization of past Made awardees.

The grant application for the remaining 177 slots is now open for both awardees and non-awardees of Made. To register, applicants must fill out the application form which can be accessed through bit.ly/MADECARES_application.

The deadline for submission of application is on August 23, 2020.

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Metrobank and GT Capital Holdings, through MBFI, donated P220 million to fund and support efforts to combat the health crisis and help those in need.

The amount was allocated for the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) to benefit healthcare and security frontliners; support for the production of RT-PCR testing kits through the Manila HealthTek; "Project Ugnayan" led by the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation; distribution of meals and food packs to underprivileged families; construction and equipping of molecular laboratories for the testing of cases in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Red Cross, and Ayala Group; and Go Negosyo's Project ARK (Antibody Rapid test Kits) of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship Foundation.

Just recently, Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation donated 30 VIOS units for the mobility of healthcare frontliners of DOH and local government hospitals.

For further details, interested participants may contact Ms. Badet Macaraig through bsm.mbfi@gmail.com; or visit MADE Facebook page @MADECompetition. (PR)