Just a few days before Christmas, Filipinos were hit with one of the strongest storms to enter the country in 2021. Thousands of residents were displaced, hundreds of tourists were stranded, and almost 400 people have lost their lives.

Relief operations from all over the country, as well as international aid, quickly poured in to help communities in need, and just in time for Christmas.

SM Foundation, Inc. through its Operation Tulong Express program, the relief operations program that gives immediate assistance in the form of basic needs in times of disasters, provided tens of thousands of Kalinga (care and relief packs) consisting of rice, bottled water, and other essentials to over 5,000 families in Butuan (Agusan del Norte), Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, and Iloilo.

Moreover, SM's retail stores and malls remained open when Typhoon Odette struck to provide essential needs.

SM malls in Cebu, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, and Puerto Princesa provided temporary shelter to customers and nearby residents, and offered free Wi-Fi, charging stations, drinking water, light snacks, and free overnight parking. There were also help desks ready to serve customers affected by the typhoon.

''Our malls always serve as a temporary shelter during critical times to serve our communities' needs. We are always ready to help those most vulnerable in the affected disaster areas and deploy our Operation Tulong Express outreach program immediately,'' SM Supermalls President Steven Tan said.

Donations for the communities affected by Typhoon Odette will be accepted in 86 SM malls nationwide, including 8 SMDC malls.

There are three ways to give – through cash donation boxes located at the SM Cares Bears of Joy booths and mall entrances, through direct deposit to the Philippine Red Cross (Account Name: PHILIPPINE RED CROSS; Banco De Oro – EDSA, Mandaluyong Branch; Account number: 012928001854; SWIFT CODE: BNORPHMM), and through scanning the QR codes below. All proceeds will go directly to the Philippine Red Cross, a partner of SM Cares and the SM Foundation, Inc.

To know more about how you can help, visit SM Foundation's website or follow @smsupermalls on all social media accounts.