RESPONDING to the call of frontliners for personal protective equipment (PPE), a group of young Cebuanos created Cebu Backliners to support those who are in the frontlines in the fight against Covid-19.
A core group composed of Michael Abello, Jolu Escaño and Claire Codilla of ARCHcon Cebu (a yearly convention with a cause for the hobbyist community), Barry Blanco of Zaku Cebu (Gunpla enthusiasts focused on Sieg Zeon culture) and their partner abroad Dhani Leadley formed Cebu Backliners.
Codilla told SunStar Cebu: “The term ‘Backliners’ came from the need to support our Frontliners. It was our way of saying ‘We have your back.’ Anyone can be a backliner—someone who donates and supports the campaign or create any effort to help our frontliners in his own way.”
The group said they wanted to help frontliners as they are the ones risking their lives every day amid the Covid-19 pandemic to serve and save others.
“We couldn’t just sit down comfortably in our houses under quarantine when we knew there were and still are many dying every day,” she said.
In the Philippines, more than 6,000 people have been infected with the virus with a death toll of more than 400, making it one of the Asean countries with the highest mortality rate for Covid-19.
The idea for the fundraising program is, with Cebu’s population of 922,611, if 2,642 Cebuanos can chip in P246, the group can provide frontliners with 10,000 surgical masks, 5,000 face shields, 1,500 body suits and 100 authentic test kits.
Through the the backliners’ support and donations, they have given PPE’s to 14 beneficiary groups.
They have 14 more pending beneficiaries and counting to support. (JOB)