Perennial Real Estate Holdings has teamed up with Hong Kong-based Shun Tak Hold-ings to donate five million surgical masks to the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) in an effort to support vulnerable groups during the Covid-19 outbreak.
This is the largest donation of surgical masks in Singapore to date.
The masks were delivered during a handover ceremony at ST Logistics on Wednesday which was attended by Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee and Community Chest chairman Phillip Tan.
In a joint statement, the companies said that the donation was made through the Community Chest, and that NCSS will distribute the masks to various social service agencies and homes in Singapore, including senior group homes, welfare homes, disability homes, children and young persons' homes, as well as shelters for rough sleepers.
Perennial and Shun Tak, which have joint collaborations in Singapore and China, contributed three million and two million masks, respectively, secured through the companies' combined network in China.
Perennial, which operates the Perennial International Health and Medical Hub in Chengdu, had already been procuring surgical masks directly from certified manufacturers in China for use in its hospital there.
The procurement, quality certification, Customs clearance and logistics were jointly managed by both companies to ensure the masks' smooth shipment from China to Singapore.
Mr Pua Seck Guan, chief executive of Perennial, said the company hopes to inspire others to "similarly tap their overseas network" to secure much-needed healthcare and medical-related supplies for Singapore to overcome the pandemic.
Perennial's Singapore portfolio includes Chijmes, Capitol Singapore, AXA Tower and Chinatown Point.
Shun Tak, which made its donation through its Singapore entity Shun Tak Residential Development, entered the Singapore market in 2016 and has a portfolio of properties that includes 111 Somerset, 14 Nassim Road and 9 Cuscaden Road.
Said Ms Pansy Ho, executive chairman and managing director of Shun Tak: "Despite being a new entrant to Singapore, we have always shared close bonds with this community and are pledging to stand united through rain or shine.
"We are glad that our donation can bring immediate relief to the most vulnerable groups in need. The spirit of collaboration has always been a central part of our business philosophy, and now we are upholding this same spirit, joined by our corporate partners and local authorities, as we come together and stand as one amid this global pandemic."
