VP laments PPE shortage, seeks local manufacturers
Published Mar 24, 2020 12:00 am
By Raymund Antonio
In the wake of the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) in hospitals, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) is looking for other suppliers of PPEs needed by frontline health workers.
Vice President Leni Robredo
(Charlie Villegas, OVP / MANILA BULLETIN) Robredo noted the lack of PPE sets despite the available funds sourced through her office's donation drive to purchase them. “Dapat sana 46,000 na PPEs ang puwede naming ma-deliver. Pero as of now, ang nade-deliver pa lang namin ay 20,000. Kaya ang nade-deliver namin 20,000 pa lang kasi paiyakan iyong pagbili,” she said on her weekly radio show. (We should have delivered 46,000 PPEs. But as of now, we were able to deliver 20,000. We have only delivered 20,000 because of the difficulties in buying them.) “Talagang kami pumipila para makakuha ng kaunti para may maibigay tayo sa mga ospital. Kaya iyong pagpadala namin paunti-unti,” Robredo added. (We really line up to get a few supplies so we have something to give to hospitals. This is why we send in small amount.) Medical professionals and health workers on the frontlines have been working tirelessly to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country. But the dwindling supply of PPEs that will protect them from the deadly virus has put their lives at risk. As of Sunday, 38 hospitals and community centers in Metro Manila, Tarlac, Batangas, Camarines Sur and Quezon province have received 17,100 PPEs from the OVP and its private partner. A full set of PPE includes goggles, N95 mask, surgical mask, gown, coverall suit, footwear protection, gloves and head cap. As supplies ran short nationwide, Robredo said local manufacturing of PPEs should be considered to address the shortage of protective gears. “Kasi lahat na suppliers na napupuntahan namin, galing China, Malaysia, Korea, India. Sabi ko, wala bang local manufacturer,” she said. (Because all of the suppliers we go to, the PPEs came from China, Malaysia, Korea, India. I said, don’t we have a local manufacturer,” she said. “Hindi ba tayo puwedeng magbigay ng incentives sa mga manufacturers locally, na bigyan ng incentive na locally produced na? (Can we provide incentives to manufacturers locally so the PPEs will be locally produced?),” Robredo asked. The vice president urged the administration to immediately distribute the coronavirus test kits, PPEs, and other medical supplies that arrived in the Philippines from China. The donated supplies for health personnel include 100,000 test kits, 100,000 surgical masks, 10,000 N95 masks and 10,000 sets of personal protective equipment.
Vice President Leni Robredo(Charlie Villegas, OVP / MANILA BULLETIN) Robredo noted the lack of PPE sets despite the available funds sourced through her office's donation drive to purchase them. “Dapat sana 46,000 na PPEs ang puwede naming ma-deliver. Pero as of now, ang nade-deliver pa lang namin ay 20,000. Kaya ang nade-deliver namin 20,000 pa lang kasi paiyakan iyong pagbili,” she said on her weekly radio show. (We should have delivered 46,000 PPEs. But as of now, we were able to deliver 20,000. We have only delivered 20,000 because of the difficulties in buying them.) “Talagang kami pumipila para makakuha ng kaunti para may maibigay tayo sa mga ospital. Kaya iyong pagpadala namin paunti-unti,” Robredo added. (We really line up to get a few supplies so we have something to give to hospitals. This is why we send in small amount.) Medical professionals and health workers on the frontlines have been working tirelessly to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country. But the dwindling supply of PPEs that will protect them from the deadly virus has put their lives at risk. As of Sunday, 38 hospitals and community centers in Metro Manila, Tarlac, Batangas, Camarines Sur and Quezon province have received 17,100 PPEs from the OVP and its private partner. A full set of PPE includes goggles, N95 mask, surgical mask, gown, coverall suit, footwear protection, gloves and head cap. As supplies ran short nationwide, Robredo said local manufacturing of PPEs should be considered to address the shortage of protective gears. “Kasi lahat na suppliers na napupuntahan namin, galing China, Malaysia, Korea, India. Sabi ko, wala bang local manufacturer,” she said. (Because all of the suppliers we go to, the PPEs came from China, Malaysia, Korea, India. I said, don’t we have a local manufacturer,” she said. “Hindi ba tayo puwedeng magbigay ng incentives sa mga manufacturers locally, na bigyan ng incentive na locally produced na? (Can we provide incentives to manufacturers locally so the PPEs will be locally produced?),” Robredo asked. The vice president urged the administration to immediately distribute the coronavirus test kits, PPEs, and other medical supplies that arrived in the Philippines from China. The donated supplies for health personnel include 100,000 test kits, 100,000 surgical masks, 10,000 N95 masks and 10,000 sets of personal protective equipment.