Vice President Leni Robredo said she is willing to work with the administration to address the urgent needs of frontline health workers to protect them from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
(OVP / MANILA BULLETIN)
Robredo, a leader of the opposition, said her office has received a lot of requests for personal protective equipment (PPE) sets from various hospitals and communities across the country.
“Kaya kami’y nananawagan sa pambansang pamahalaan: Tugunan natin ang pangangailangan na ito. Punan natin ang mga pagkukulang. Magtulungan tayong tulungan ang mga frontliners,” she said in a statement.
(“This is why we are calling on the national government: Let us respond to this need. Let us address the shortage. Let us help each other to help the frontliners.”)
The vice president is willing to share with the government the list of requests and other data regarding the protective gear for COVID-19 frontliners.
“Inatasan ko na rin ang aking staff na makipag-ugnayan sa mga kinauukulang ahensya. Handa kaming gawin ang lahat ng dapat gawin upang masigurong ligtas at may sapat na pagkalingang naipapaabot sa ating mga frontliners,” she said.
(I tasked my staff to coordinate with the appropriate agencies. We are ready to do everything to ensure the safety and well-being of our frontliners.’)
Robredo made the call as she noted that given its limited resources, her office is “challenged” by the increasing demand for PPEs.
Among the government offices, the Office of the Vice President has the smallest budget and relying on donations from the public to buy PPEs.
Each PPE set is consist of one N95 mask, a gown, a pair of gloves, shoe covers, goggles, and head cover.
Robredo’s office has so far donated P11.2 million worth of COVID-19 extraction kits and protective gear in various hospitals in and outside Metro Manila.
“Tuloy-tuloy ang aming pagsisikap na matugunan ang lahat ng mga requests na ito. Sa abot ng aming makakaya, at sa pamamagitan ng kabutihang loob ng mga pribadong mamamayan, kumikilos kami para magawan ng paraan na mabigyan ang nangangailangan,” she said.
(“We continue to exert efforts to respond to all of these requests. To the best of our ability and through the kindness of our private citizens, we are doing what we can to find ways to help those who are in need.”)
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