MANILA–Pizza Hut and Taco Bell Philippines have raised PhP7.7 million, which they will be donating to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support their hunger-fighting activities in Mindanao.
The funds were collected through the Yum! Brands World Hunger Relief 2012 campaign, and will support the Philippine Government’s on-going Typhoon Pablo operations, as well as WFP’s school meals program for children affected by conflict.
“Pizza Hut and Taco Bell would like to thank its guests for wholeheartedly participating in the World Hunger Relief 2012. It is through their generosity that Pizza Hut and Taco Bell are able to make this contribution to the United Nations World Food Programme,” said Pizza Hut and Taco Bell Philippines Chief Operating Officer, Lars Peterson.
A total of 150 Pizza Hut and four Taco Bell branches nationwide participated in the 2012 World Hunger Relief campaign, which ran from November to December. Customers supported the initiative in several ways: by purchasing any of the three limited-edition Christmas postcards signed by World Hunger Relief 2012 Volunteer, Shamcey Supsup; adding PhP5, 10 or 20 to their total bill; or donating through coinbanks placed at all Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurants and satellite locations nationwide.
Taco Bell customers who ordered the Taco Bell-WFP Combo Meal, from which PhP10 was donated to the campaign, also contributed.
“WFP is very grateful to the customers and management team of Pizza Hut and Taco Bell Philippines for their unwavering support to WFP through the World Hunger Relief campaign,” said WFP Philippines Deputy Country Director Asaka Nyangara. “This year’s contribution will help provide more than 700,000 school meals to the 180,000 school children that WFP is supporting in both conflict-affected and Typhoon Pablo-affected areas.”
This latest World Hunger Relief donation was 26 percent higher than 2011. Since Pizza Hut and Taco Bell Philippines began their World Hunger Relief activities in the country in 2007, over Php82 million has been raised to help feed school children in conflict-affected areas of Mindanao, including those affected by Tropical Storm Washi (Sendong) in December 2011.
The Yum! Brands World Hunger Relief campaign is currently in its eighth year, and has raised US$148 million for hunger-fighting organizations, including over US$57.9 million through 2011 for WFP alone. With support from World Hunger Relief, WFP has reached 7.5 million people in 44 countries, including the Philippines.
Funds raised through the global World Hunger Relief campaign support WFP’s food assistance programs around the world, including the provision of school meals. School meals encourage children to attend school and help them to learn better when they get there. By providing children with the food they need to develop their physical and intellectual potential, school meals act as an important investment in the next generation and help to break the cycle of poverty and hunger.
About the UN World Food Programme (WFP)
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. Each year, on average, WFP feeds more than 90 million people in more than 70 countries.
Twitter: @wfp_asia and @wfp_philippines and @wfp_media
Facebook: WFP Philippines
For more information, please contact:
World Food Programme - Philippines (Email: charlene.tordesillas@wfp.org):
Charlene Tordesillas, WFP/Manila, Tel: +63 2 7502561 Mobile: +639178809368
Pizza Hut/Taco Bell Philippines (Email: vlopez@pizzahut.com.ph):
Vanessa Lopez, Philippine Pizza, Inc., Tel: 9121921 local 6240