Gretchen Ho (right, front) with the most recent recipients of bikes. Image: Instagram/@gretchenho
Gretchen Ho has finally reached her goal of donating 1,000 bikes to those in need as she handed over the latest batch of bikes last Sunday, Dec. 13.
“Proud to say that after 18 weeks, #DonateABikeSaveAJob has reached the 1000 Bike count! Since this batch is special, we decided to give 100 BIKES to 100 WOMEN,” she stated on Instagram on the said day.
Ho launched the “Donate a Bike, Save a Job” project under her Woman In Action initiative earlier this year to help employees reach their workplaces safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The post came with a video of the day Ho and her team donated the bikes to the all-women batch of recipients,.
“We were able to provide bikes for mothers, nurses, janitresses, security guards, frontliners, caregivers, and some who have just started their own businesses,” Ho said.
“Pati mga naapektuhan ng bagyo, meron din kaming napili at nabigyan (Even among those affected by the typhoon, we were able to choose recipients),” she added.
Ho explained that aside from being a safer form of traveling amid the COVID-19 pandemic, cycling helps people reach their homes faster.
“Mababawasan ang pagod sa paglalakad, at mas madidiskartehan ang pagnenegosyo. Menos gastos din, dahil ang pera na pang-komyut, pwedeng itabi na lang para sa mga gastusin sa bahay,” she said.
(People will be less tired less because they will no longer walk and they will have more options when it comes to their businesses. It also lessens their expenses, because the money they use for commuting can now be saved instead for their expenses at home.)
“Malaking bagay itong bisikleta para magkaroon ng lakas ng loob ang ating mga kababaihan na dumiskarte sa kanilang mga buhay. Pero siyempre, kailangan laging safe ang mga bagong #WomanInAction sa daan kaya nagturo din kami ng iilang safety tips,” Ho added.
(Biking is very important for women to have the courage to be resourceful in their lives. But of course, these new #WomenInAction should always be safe, so we also taught them safety tips.)
In the following post, Ho showed photos of the said 10 female recipients, noting that “[this] batch is special to me.”
Last month, Piolo Pascual donated 200 bikes for Ho’s initiative. He is just one among numerous celebrities who have helped Ho in her project, including couple Catriona Gray and Sam Milby, broadcast journalist Karen Davila and actress-philanthropist Angel Locsin. JB
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