The PH Archipelago

Airbnb recently launched its global Frontline Stays initiative in order to help house 100,000 healthcare professionals, relief workers, and first responders around the world. Thay are now even prepping to expand their program to assist COVID-19 frontliners in the Phillipines through a partnership with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), the country’s major private sector vehicle and coordinators for disaster risk reduction and management.

Aside from that, Airbnb is also exploring working with local civil society and non-profit organizations to garner support for this initiavtive. With that, they have offered 100,000 places to stay for people responding to the pandemic while continuing to waive all fees for the first 100,000 stays booked through this program. Hosts can also opt into the program and have the option of opening their homes for free through Airbnb’s Open Homes platform which was created in 2012 inorder to meet the needs of the people requiring emergency housing.

To help power even more stays for relief workers while they do their critical work, Airbnb has also launched a donation tool, with 100% proceeds to go directly to non-profits helping with COVID-19 relief efforts. To donate, go to airbnb.com/openhomes/covid19relief?donate. Hospitals and organizations can also use Airbnb to find accommodations for healthcare professionals, relief workers, and first responders on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response by signing up here.

The Philippines is the latest country to roll out a local program in Asia-Pacific, following local Frontline Stays launches in Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. Airbnb’s Frontline Stays initiative has been launched with the support of medical organizations around the world such as the National Health Service in the UK, Sutter Health in California, the Ministry of Housing in France and Barcelona Official Doctors Association.

Frontline Stays has also been expanded so that individual responders can book directly on the Airbnb platform, allowing hosts to help even more people who are in immediate need. Airbnb will be working with businesses, nonprofits and government and emergency management agencies supporting these healthcare staff and first responders.