PR
In view of the current medical crisis caused by COVID-19, the Bureau of Customs Davao responded to the call of the Presidential Son and donated various medical equipment to Southern Philippines Medical Center.
Through the initiative of Davao City First District Representative Paolo Z. Duterte, the immediate delivery and distribution of the medical equipment was made possible.
“As we are now facing this crisis, we have to come up with immediate but effective measures so we can deliver services to our constituents. Rest assured that we are focusing our efforts into this. As such, we are coordinating with other stakeholders so we can provide the needs of our health workers. It is our job to make sure that they are fully equipped as our frontliners. We are doing a holistic approach and we need to make sure that our resources are efficiently distributed”, Duterte said.
“These are abandoned shipments and it normally takes a long time to have these cleared for release. Fortunately, BOC Davao responded to my call by having these donated to SPMC”, he added.
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.
Led by District Collector, Atty. Erastus Sandino B. Austria, the Port of Davao Collection District XII delivered a total of eight 40-foot container vans delivered in three batches: three vans on March 28, another three on the 29th and the remaining vans on the following day containing gurneys, wheelchairs, bed-side and operating tables, dialysis chairs, medical trolleys and crutches, pharmaceutical refrigerators and sterilizers.
SPMC Medical Chief, Dr. Leopoldo J. Vega officially received the donations on March 30, expressing his gratitude as these 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.” Atty. Austria said.
Customs Davao also assures the public of full operations despite being on skeletal work arrangements and the expeditious release of all commodities especially Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), 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.
In counting, there are zero pending shipments of emergency/relief goods in the Port.
