THE Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has received over 2,400,000 medical supplies needed in the government’s continued campaign against the COVID-19 from foreign and local donors over the past several months.
The OCD, the operating arm of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), said the donated items included surgical masks numbering 1,753,925; followed by surgical gloves at 173,000; and KN95 face masks at 139,000.
NDRRMC spokesman Mark Timbal said the figures were as of June 11, and that most of the donations have already been dispatched or distributed to the frontlines.
“We forwarded them immediately to COVID hospitals and agencies. Not many of them are left in our warehouses when it comes to the donations. As much as possible, we distribute them as soon as we received them,” said Timbal.
The donated supplies also included protective suits, personnel protective equipment, cover-alls, goggles, gloves, shoe covers, rain coats, bottles of alcohol, and test kits, among others.
NDRRMC executive director and OCD administrator Ricardo Jalad said the OCD-received supplies exclude the items donated by the United Nations Children’s Fund and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
“They’re not passing through us. They have beneficiaries, they go direct to the beneficiaries,” said Jalad of the UNICEF and USAID donations, adding that some local donors have also decided to go straight to beneficiaries.
President Duterte, under Administrative Order No. 27 dated March 31, has ordered that all donated medicines and medical supplies be coordinated and transmitted to the OCD for consolidation.
Among the recent supplies received by the OCD, Jalad said, were 45 units of AIRVO 2 high flow nasal cannula or non-invasive ventilators from the San Miguel Corporation on June 8.
The equipment is used for supplemental oxygen therapy to people having respiratory distress.
Likewise, Peiyung Hsu of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines said it has donated 500,000 pieces of surgical masks; 50,000 pieces of N95 masks; 20,000 isolation gowns; and 5,000 PPE gowns to the Philippines.
Taiwan’s donation was received by representatives from the Manila Economic and Cultural Office and the Department of Health at the International Cargo Terminal last June 11.
The PPEs will be distributed to the DOH and other government agencies and medical institutions to protect frontline health workers battling the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is Taiwan’s second wave of humanitarian assistance following a previous donation of 300,000 medical masks.
Meanwhile, the Pondo ng Pinoy (PNP) in its social media page said it has provided different forms of assistance to families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic amounting to P4.4 million.
In its Facebook page, the PNP reported that it has already shelled out P4,436,114 from its funds in a bid to provide relief assistance to 8,687 families in 43 provinces and cities.
“Take a glimpse on the accomplishment of our community foundation this fiscal year in line with the celebration of our 16th anniversary,” said PNP, who was founded by then Manila Archbishop Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales in June 2004.
Included in the assistance are food aid, hygiene kits, medical supplies, and cash.
“The Pondo ng Pinoy assistance to the poor to combat this pandemic continues until now,” said PNP. — With Gerard Naval
