By Warren Elijah E. Valdez DAVAO CITY - The Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Davao has donated different medical equipment to the Southern Philippine Medical Center (SPMC). Eight 40-foot container vans delivered various medical equipment on March 28, and another batch of three deliveries were made on March 29 by BOC-Davao. In a press statement released by BOC-Davao on Tuesday, it said that the donations to SPMC was in response to the needs of the hospital in its fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Recent reports bared that hospitals were also facing medical crisis because of the lack of adequate equipment needed in treating patients, particularly the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for the medical frontliners. "Being the central care unit of Davao Region and the largest government hospital in Mindanao, this donation will boost their patient-care capacity making sure that all patients coming in are properly taken care of and accommodated," BOC-Davao said. The vans, which were delivered on March 29, contained gurneys, wheelchairs, bed-side and operating tables, dialysis chairs, medical trolleys and crutches, pharmaceutical refrigerators, and sterilizers. BOC-Davao said that SPMC Medical Chief, Dr. Leopoldo J. Vega officially received the donations on Monday, March 30, who also expressed his gratitude as these newly donated equipmemt "will add-up to their current medical facilities for their frontline workers and patients." “In the midst of this global pandemic, BOC Davao gives its full commitment to support the efforts of our frontliners, health workers, volunteers, local government leaders and the chair of the Regional COVID-19 Task Force, Mayor Inday Sara Duterte," BOC- Davao District Collector Erastus Sandino Austria said. The BOC-Davao also assured that it will continue to work in full operations "despite being on skeletal work arrangements". The Bureau also said to expedite the release of all PPEs, medical equipment and donations arriving in its ports of entries. “Being frontliners ourselves, we remain committed to the call of duty to ensure that goods are released without undue delay in this time of crisis.” Atty. Austria said. BOC-Davao also bared that there were "zero pending shipments of emergency/relief goods in the Port."