The business community promptly and generously came to the rescue of thousands left grieving, hungry,  and homeless by tropical storm Sendong with its own downpour of humanitarian assistance to the victims.

Businessmen and industrialists behind the country’s blue-chip companies virtually declared a Day of Compassion to ease the pain of survivors with  bruised and broken limbs and lost loved ones.  

Cash donation flowed profusely as planes, ships, and trucks carried food, water,  beverage, and clothes while telecommunications companies offered free calls to frantic families wanting to know the whereabouts and safety of their loved ones.

The Philippine Business for Social Progress, the largest corporate-led social development organization in the country, donated an initial P300,000.

National flag carrier Philippine Airlines offered to transport relief goods to Cagayan de Oro and other affected areas for free.

PAL said it would prioritize the delivery of small items such as medicines and food items.

“As in past natural disasters, PAL is taking the initiative to bring donations as quick as possible to affected areas. PAL will fly relief goods up to January next year until those affected by typhoon Sendong in Cagayan de Oro and other parts of Mindanao are able to rebuild their lives,” said  Carmen Sarmiento, PAL Foundation executive director

Shipping industry leader Negros Navigation also offered the free delivery of supplies to Mindanao and  set up collection centers around the country.

San Miguel Corp. pitched in with P5 million worth of canned goods and water while Jollibee Foods Corp. donated sacks of rice.

Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines distributed three truckloads of Wilkins Distilled Drinking Water and over 200 cases of Viva Mineral Water to typhoon victims.

Jollibee Foundation executive director Gisela Tiongson said the company’s franchisee in Iloilo, Alrose Foods Corp., distributed cooked rice on Saturday to various evacuation centers.

Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Smart Communications on Monday said they had sent up to 2,000 units of bottled water and 300 five-gallon containers of potable water to the flood victims in Cagayan de Oro City with more supplies to  follow in the next few days, the two companies said.

Maynilad said it was also sending portable equipment to Cagayan de Oro to produce potable water on site for the evacuees.

Manila Water, the other Metro Maila concessionaire , set up a mobile treatment plant capable of making even floodwater at 3,000 liters per hoursafe for drinking  in Cagayan de Oro on  Saturday.

Manila North Tollways Corp. said it was donating P100,000 to the victims.

Samsung Electronics Philippines Corp. donated P2 million to the relief effort, while Metrobank Foundation  gave P2 million through the local government units and the Philippine Red Cross.

Aside from accepting relief goods, Globe Telecom said it had set up nine libreng tawag centers in the cities of Iligan, Cagayan de Oro and Dumaguete.   

Smart Communications also opened its own libreng tawag and phone recharging centers at evacuation centers and barangay halls in the affected areas in Cagayan de Oro as well as Camanjac and Batinguel in Dumaguete. Some of the stations also offered free Internet connections.