Changi Airport in focus as East Coast GRC Grassroots Organisations and Advisors acknowledge aviation frontliners

Changi Airport Group and Changi General Hospital also ink Memorandum of Understanding

Advisers to East Coast GRC GROs, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, Minister Dr Maliki Osman, Minister of State Tan Kiat How, Ms Jessica Tan and Miss Cheryl Chan showed their appreciation for aviation industry frontliners during a visit to Changi Airport today. The visit saw the Advisers engage with Changi Airport staff and distribute gift packages by OUE Limited. They also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Changi Airport Group (CAG) and Changi General Hospital (CGH) to champion new frontiers in travel wellness and aviation medicine.

East Coast Cares for Frontliners

2 The aviation industry has been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic which saw travel grind nearly to a complete halt. The recovery has also necessitated a major recalibration by the industry. During their visit to Changi Airport, the Advisers heard from staff they met in person as well as virtually via Zoom, the challenges faced and how the airport is positioning for recovery. The staff included those who work in Zone 1 – the highest risk area that requires strict restrictions such as the need to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times.

3 The visit to Changi Airport was part of the East Coast Cares initiative – a pillar of the East Coast Plan which comprises East Coast Cares, Vibrant East Coast and Green East Coast. This follows on from a recent visit to Changi General Hospital to recognise the contributions of healthcare frontliners towards the fight against COVID-19. The visit to Changi Airport also saw the Advisers distribute care packs donated by OUE Limited as part of a total donation of 5,000 gift packs, worth a total of $150,000, which will be distributed over a week to Changi Airport staff. The gift packs comprise limited edition Délifrance 36^th anniversary merchandise – a tote bag and A5 laptop stickers – as well as a $10 Délifrance voucher, a box of Délifrance pastries and a bottle of water.

4 “My East Coast team and I are here today to thank all of you in the aviation community for staying strong, for continuing to adapt and persevere in these difficult circumstances. Not many people know that the East Coast team looks after the Changi area, including Changi Airport. We are here to convey the care and appreciation of East Coast residents and wider Singaporeans, by distributing 5,000 care packs to our aviation workers. This is a small gesture of our appreciation for the aviation community, and our support for those who work in East Coast,” said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies and Adviser to East Coast GRC Grassroots Organisations.

5 “Delifrance is one of the many brands in the OUE Restaurants stable, and we are proud that it has been part of many Singaporeans’ lives for the last 36 years. We are dedicated to continuing to be part of the Singapore story. The donation we are making to recognise the work of our aviation frontliners at Changi Airport is just one of the ways in which we support the community and particularly those out front at this time,” said Mr Brian Riady, Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of OUE Limited.

6 The day’s engagement was capped by the Advisers joining Changi Airport staff in a National Day observance by viewing a video of the East Coast Choir singing a medley of National Day classics.

7 “Changi Airport has not only been key to our transport and aviation sector but it has also been a source of national pride for us. It is important to the East Coast for so many reasons – not the least of which is that many of our residents are employed there. We understand how difficult this period has been for them, particularly with the challenges faced by the aviation sector. We want them to know that we care, and we appreciate all they do. This is why it was important not only to show our appreciation but also to spend time hearing from the staff of Changi Airport,” said Dr Maliki Osman, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Education and Foreign Affairs as well as Adviser to East Coast GRC Grassroots Organisations.

Vibrant East Coast Takes Off With Changi MOU

8 During their visit, the Advisers also witnessed the signing of an MOU between CAG and CGH. The MOU was inked to formalize a framework of cooperation between CAG and CGH to develop an ecosystem promoting health and wellness among the airport community, travellers and visitors over the next few years. The MOU was signed by Mr Jayson Goh, Managing Director (Airport Operations Management), CAG and Prof Ng Wai Hoe, CEO, CGH.

9 “Creating a pleasant and stress-free passenger experience has always been something we strive for at Changi Airport. With the pandemic, we recognise that personal health and wellness is now top-of-mind for many travellers. On top of the health and safety measures we have undertaken in the airport terminals, we believe that by tapping on CGH’s health expertise, our collaboration will bring about great synergies for the communities we serve. I am confident our partnership will bring about innovative developments that will enhance the wellness of travellers and the aviation community,” said Mr Lee Seow Hiang, CEO, CAG.

10 Prof Ng Wai Hoe, CGH’s CEO said, “Vibrant communities are the building blocks for our population to thrive and stay healthy. Innovation occurs at the intersections of disciplines and industries and this new collaboration between CGH and CAG opens up a world of exciting possibilities to co-create new and novel health and wellness initiatives, not only for the large and diverse airport staff community, but also travellers and visitors that pass through Changi Airport. With cross-fertilisation of knowledge and expertise in areas such as health, technology, emergency preparedness and customer service, we believe that we can jointly empower our communities to be well, keep well and stay well during travel, leisure or at work.”

11 The MOU between CAG and CGH is an initiative under the Vibrant East Coast pillar of the East Coast Plan. A Vibrant Workgroup has been formalised to oversee the development of this ecosystem which aims to:

i. Empower: business to innovate and collaborate through strategic partnerships.

ii. Enable: communities to build capabilities to support growth and create opportunities in areas such as employment, education and sustainable living.

iii. Engage: residents through active participation and together, co-create a vibrant East Coast in the place they call home.

12 In line with the Vibrant East Coast pillar, CAG and CGH will partner on a number of fronts including, broadly, enhancing the health and well-being amongst the airport community, travellers and visitors of Changi Airport. CAG and CGH will also jointly develop and implement occupational health and well-being programmes and services for the Changi Airport community, and exchange information on best practices in areas of expertise, such as infection control, work injury prevention and customer experience. Research and innovation initiatives in emerging areas of interest, such as emergency preparedness, travel wellness and technology for productivity enhancement will also be a key area of collaboration.

13 Leading the Vibrant East Coast pillar is Grassroots Adviser Ms Jessica Tan, Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Adviser to East Coast GRC Grassroots Organisations, who added, “Industry and digital transformation is set to change the way we work, live and play. And East Coast stands committed to support and prepare our residents for the road ahead. East Coast seeks to develop a vibrant and sustainable ecosystem where businesses, communities and residents come together collectively to co-create lasting positive impact for the communities we serve. The MOU signed between CAG and CGH today is a step towards achieving this goal.”