Far Eastern University (Ƶ) has stepped up to help those who are most affected by the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic – the frontliners, the poor and others in need.

 The assistance includes food provisions for the entire RITM workforce, and the use of the Ƶ Alabang gym as resting and sleeping quarters by RITM’s administrative and technical staff as well as outsourced services personnel starting April 3, 2020.

The naturally ventilated gym has been temporarily repurposed to provide a convenient, hygienic, and comfortable area for designated RITM personnel to relax and recharge in. It accommodates 50 beds, separated into male and female sections, and a 12-seater lounge area. Separate shower, toilet, and locker facilities for men and women are also provided.

In addition, the Ƶ Alumni Relations Office (ARO), Nicanor Reyes Memorial Foundation (NRMF), and the  provides food packs consisting of three square meals and snacks for other Ƶ partner hospitals with the help of donations from alumni and student groups.

The Ƶ VSO has also distributed food packs for over a hundred Ƶ students who were stranded in their dormitories.

Former student leader lauches Pantawid Covid Project

A number of former Ƶ student leaders have organized fund and relief drives in their respective areas.

Relying on crowdfunding and donations, Manuel’s program is providing food packs for street vendors, pedicab drivers and jeep drivers that operate near Ƶ.

John Paul Uminga, former President of the Ƶ Tamaraw Volunteers and Founding Executive Director of the , initiated a fund-raising effort for the Dr Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital.

Those who participated in the auction that kicked off last March 30 include volleyball players Kyle Negrito, Heather Guino-o, Celine Domingo, Gyzel Sy, Jude Garcia and Wendell Comboy from basketball. 

Innovation in Action

 With their virtual designing knowledge in prototyping using 3D printers, they were able to produce an out-of-the-box solution and apply it to the PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) shortage crisis that our country is facing right now due to the continuing rise of COVID-19 cases.

Recipients of the face shields, which totaled to over 500 pieces, include Skyline Hospital and Medical Center team in Bulacan, The Philippine Army’s Regional Community Defense Group and the Philippine General Hospital.

Another group of students and alumni from Ƶ Tech are producing 6 drone units carrying an AI powered thermal scanning system to detect possible Coronavirus carriers. Through their start-up company DWARM Technologies, the team has partnered with the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) and UPSCALE Innovation Hub to recalibrate their drone system to help in speeding up and improving the precision of thermal scanning at checkpoints.

DOST-PCIEERD will deploy the units of DWARM along the checkpoints in both the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). This will help drastically reduce queue times as the drones will be able to scan up to 10 persons at a time, immediately flagging anybody with a temperature of 37.5°C to the monitoring staff.

Embodying the university’s values of fortitude and uprightness, the Ƶ community stands as one in braving the challenges of the pandemic.