ORGANIQUE: STRONG IMMUNITY COMPLEMENTS DOH’S BIDA GUIDELINES

Founded on its mission to inspire a deeper level of care for everyone in the community during this pandemic, especially the immuno-compromised, Organique joins the Department of Health’s (DOH) BidaSolusyon Campaign that calls on the public to comply with health protocols in order to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. The launch event took place via Zoom and was hosted by celebrity wellness advocate Regine Tolentino.

Organique’s premium health products have been founded on the vision that a strong immune system can make the people susceptible to illnesses and other medical conditions. Boosting one’s health becomes more than self-empowerment, and can also become a means to extend that protection to family, friends, and even the community. A healthy physiological system makes for a formidable complement with the DOH BIDA practices such as the wearing of face masks and face shields in public spaces, regular and proper handwashing, and social distancing by at least one meter.

“This well-rounded approach to health is essential, now more than ever, as we face a threat with no known cure yet,” said Cathy Salimbangon, CEO and President of Organique, Inc. during the partnership launch last Sept. 29. As numerous medical experts including the World Health Organization (WHO) have iterated, maintaining a healthy immune system is one of the best defenses against COVID-19, since it acts as a barrier against disease. While there are currently no COVID-19  medications that can completely eliminate the virus, there are steps that one can take to ensure one’s physiological and immunological defenses are as strong as possible.

Echoing Salimbangon’s statements, Integrative Medicine Specialist and Wellness Expert Dr. Sonny Villoria shared, “As a medical practitioner, I know the importance of boosting your immune system. So health supplements like Organique can help provide some form of internal protection, while BIDA can provide external protection. By practicing minimum health standards, we are doing something for ourselves.”

The success of the campaign relies a great deal on the collaboration between the private and public sectors. Dr. Beverly Ho, Director IV of Health Promotion and Communication Service of the DOH’s Public Health Services Team, explained, “We welcome Organique’s energy to make BIDA’s message live and breathe in every Filipino. We shouldn’t be fearful about COVID because the solutions are within us. However, we recognize that some countrymen need more, and so we have our partners to help spread our message. We need to go beyond communication and advertisements to reach different communities.”

During the launch, Organique pledged to help build consumer confidence through the mass implementation of the BIDA Solusyon campaign’s objectives. “Not only will we be applying the BIDA guidelines in our own lives. We will also be sharing the pillars of the BIDA campaign in our various platforms online and in person, so that our teams, their families, and the people they may come in contact with, will learn about these simple but important practices against COVID-19,” Salimbangon elaborated.

In addition, Organique Inc.  Immuno Care Kits will be distributed to the vulnerable sectors of the community. They contain the brand’s immunity-boosting Acai Premium Blend, bottles of alcohol, masks, face shields, and BIDA posters and flyers.

Salimbangon also shared how their company is coping in the new normal. She said, “As a brand, we are in a position to do more to curb the spread of COVID. Thanks to the BIDA guidelines, our teams were able to adapt and demonstrate resilience that puts the safety of our team and customers first.”

Meanwhile, Communications Technical Advisor to DOH Amor Maclang emphasized the important role that each individual plays as the economy begins its road to recovery. “BIDA Solusyon encourages all of us to be the hero—the ‘BIDA’ of this pandemic. We are all realizing that in order to beat the virus, we need to learn how to live with it. Transmission is inevitable, but we have some of the lowest fatality rates in the world. This happened because all of us in civil society work together and are integrated into our actions through the BIDA campaign.”

Similarly, television host and wellness advocate Cory Quirino reiterated the significance of accountability in encouraging bravery. “When we talk about flattening the curve, we also need to flatten the fear. BIDA is a timely reminder that the hero is in all of us.”

The DOH’s BIDA Solusyon campaign is supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development through the Breakthrough Action Program, which has advocated the implementation of a variety of social and behavior change communications in different developing countries to push enhanced and tailor-fit public health education.

Salimbangon concluded, “We’re proud to be partnering with a government agency that helps in curbing this pandemic. It’s truly a challenging year, but it never ceases to amaze me what the human spirit can do.