04/09/2026
BB INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION EARMARKS ₱4.5 MILLION FOR HABAGAT-AFFECTED FAMILIES IN PAMPANGA, BATAAN
CLARK FREEPORT — BB International Leisure and Resort Development Inc., through its Bridges of Benevolence Initiative Foundation Inc. (BBIFI), has earmarked ₱4.5 million in relief assistance for families recently affected by severe flooding brought about by the enhanced southwest monsoon or Habagat in Pampanga and Bataan.
BBI is the company that owns and operates the Midori Clark Hotel and Casino and Aqua Planet in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga.
The assistance will primarily provide rice to families in communities that have endured prolonged flooding, displacement and disruption of livelihoods following weeks of continuous rains.
In Pampanga, the extent of the flooding prompted the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to place the entire province under a State of Calamity on August 12, 2026, upon the recommendation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Among the hardest-hit areas are the municipalities of San Simon and Santo Tomas, where floodwaters reached waist- to neck-deep levels in some communities, leaving residents isolated and affecting livelihoods, particularly those dependent on agriculture.
Based on the situational report of the Pampanga Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the agriculture sector sustained approximately ₱505.36 million in crop losses and another ₱3.4 million in livestock damage, affecting 3,787 farmers and fisherfolk. More than 8,100 individuals were also displaced by the flooding.
BBI President Alvin Wu said the company, through its foundation, immediately recognized the need to extend assistance to communities still struggling with the effects of the calamity.
“This is why BBIFI proposed the allocation of ₱4.5 million from its Emergency Disposable Fund for the purchase, packing and distribution of rice to beneficiaries in Pampanga and Bataan. It is our way of reaching out and providing help where it is most needed,” Wu said.
He added that while the assistance addresses one of the most basic needs of affected families, BBI hopes it can also help ease some of the difficulties they face as communities recover and residents gradually rebuild their livelihoods.
The relief operation is being undertaken by BBIFI in coordination with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). A Technical Working Group will oversee the implementation of the project and coordinate with concerned stakeholders to help ensure the timely and orderly distribution of assistance to identified beneficiaries.
For BB International and BBIFI, the initiative is part of a continuing commitment to stand with communities during difficult times—not only by providing immediate relief, but by helping families as they begin the difficult process of recovering and rebuilding after a calamity.
