Angel Locsin, left, and Anne Curtis (Images: Instagram/@therealangellocsin, @annecurtissmith)
Angel Locsin and Anne Curtis have relaunched their “Shop and Share” project to raise funds for testing kits amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
They started the initiative back in 2009 to help those affected by Typhoon Ondoy, Locsin explained in her Instagram post yesterday, May 18.
At the time, the two actresses invited their fellow celebrities to donate personal items such as designer bags and clothes, which they auctioned off on eBay. All the money gained from selling the items were then donated to the Philippine Red Cross.
Locsin and Curtis decided to revive the initiative in light of the ongoing health crisis. While many have already helped others during these unprecedented times, Locsin stressed that those in need “will remain in need as [COVID-19] remains the invisible enemy amongst us changing our lives and sadly disrupting livelihoods.”
In light of this, Locsin explained that they would “like to revisit the idea of artists coming together and helping those who need it the most.”
The money raised from their initiative will be used “to purchase test kits and allow testing opportunities for the poorer sectors in the hopes of helping out in the efforts to provide mass testing in the country.”
“Yes, in support of mass testing,” Locsin reiterated. “Because in this way we can make a higher impact, by pushing the TEST-TRACE-ISOLATE/TREAT formula that is the only proven way to defeat the virus.”
Meanwhile, Curtis also announced the revival of their initiative on her own Instagram page.
“To our fellow artists and colleagues, if you would like to be part of this, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us,” she said. “We do hope you can join us as we all work together to help flatten the curve in the Philippines in our own little way.”
Dimples Romana is also joining the two actresses in their effort. The “Kadenang Ginto” star shared their announcement on her Instagram page, encouraging others to help flatten the curve in the Philippines.
The relaunch of the initiative comes after a Malacañang televised briefing yesterday in which Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the government had no plans to conduct mass testing. However, Roque later clarified to CNN Philippines’ “The Source” that the government aims to test 1.5 to 2% of the country’s population and is eyeing to conduct 30,000 daily tests by the end of May. /ra
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