National Action Plan against COVID-19 Chief Implementer Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. clarified that the allotted budget of PhP 20 billion is for purchasing 11 million Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) sets. To date, the Philippines has bought around 3 million PPEs that are expected to arrive next week.
“Ito po ay dahil sa ating pronouncement ng ating mahal na Presidente na kailangan mag stockpile na po tayo dahil alam naman po natin na ang COVID ay magstay ng matagal hanggang wala pa po tinatawag na vaccine. (This is in accordance with the pronouncement of our beloved President that we need to stockpile [on PPEs] for the long haul since COVID will stay until a vaccine is found.)”
Every PPE set bought by the government costs around PhP 1, 8000 to PhP 2, 000 and provides high quality protection.
“Kung bibilhin po natin ang sinasabi ng iba na halagang apat na daan hanggang anim na daang pisong PPEs, binibigyan po natin ang mga healthcare workers ng maling sense of protection. (If we purchase, upon the suggestion of others, [PPEs] that costs PhP 400 to PhP 600, we are giving our healthcare workers a false sense of protection.)”
More than 400, 000 PPEs will be distributed to health workers and personnel nationwide.
Meanwhile, Sec. Galvez also announced that the country continues to strengthen its testing capacity.
Report from Bea Bernardo
