Impact Hub Manila CEO’s Message to the Community amid COVID-19 Outbreak

To all of our Hubbers, Partners and Friends,

Greetings from Impact Hub Manila!

With a global presence in over 100 cities and 54 countries across the world, the Impact Hub community has always espoused the commitment to be ‘globally connected, locally rooted.’ This principle has never rang more true than now. Over the past few weeks, we have seen our global community rise to the many challenges posed by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Each Impact Hub community has implemented precautionary measures to address their local needs. Here in Manila, we are executing the following measures:

• Pertinent and updated information regarding COVID-19 is being circulated to our community.
• Remote work is being carried out starting March 13, 2020 until deemed prudent to resume normal work routine.
• All of our community events scheduled for the next 45 days have been postponed.
• While our facilities remain accessible to our Hubbers (through biometrics access), we will adhere to the respective limitations set by the local government per location. Furthermore, in partnership with our space partner KMC Solutions, our locations are being thoroughly sanitized.

On top of all these, we are closely monitoring the health of both our entrepreneurs and their businesses, fully understanding how the situation is impacting all of us.

As someone who has had the pleasure of witnessing first hand how our community’s businesses started and scaled, it is not lost on me how these trying times could potentially hit all of us not only economically, but also psychologically. Still, I remain confident that while the uncertainty of the situation hangs over our heads, our resolve to bring value to our communities through our products and services will be further strengthened.

Now more than ever, the resilience of entrepreneurs is being put to the test. I encourage all of us to find ways to support one another.

Let us follow the news and be updated through official and credible news sources, and always be critical of any information you see and hear, so as not to cause any undue distress and panic. We also ask everyone to follow precautionary measures advised by health professionals, not only for your personal safety but also for everyone we share spaces with.

Beyond our community, I also draw strength from the tireless dedication I see from our front line workers that include our health workers, the police, our transportation operators, and many other men and women who show up each day who quite literally keep our cities running in spite of the crisis.

In light of the government’s recent decision to place Metro Manila under community quarantine that imposes some travel restrictions, our team in Manila is maximizing this time as an opportunity to regroup and strengthen our efforts to bring you much more exciting events and programs that you may look forward to this year.

We will emerge better and stronger as a community.

Stay safe and Hub on!

Ces Rondario

Regional Head, Impact Hub APAC

Founder & CEO, Impact Hub ManilaT