Personal protective equipment (PPE) and other necessary supplies that are part of the P17 million fund the provincial government allotted to support medical professionals and health volunteers serving the hospital frontlines have arrived.
They were transported to Palawan beginning April 5 by Governor Jose Alvarez’s personal Kodiak plane from Manila with medicines and additional medical supplies from the Department of Health (DOH).
Governor Alvarez posted photos of the unloaded supplies being disinfected by health personnel wearing protective gear before they will be distributed.
He said the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) headed by Jeremias Alili will facilitate the distribution.
“Tuloy-tuloy na ‘yan. Bukas mayroon ding load namin sa sweeper flight ng PAL,” Alvarez said Monday to Palawan News.
“From Hainan may assistance din. Also from my investor friends and masks from BYD Shenzhen, China. Ang dami niyan,” he told Palawan News.
He said a flight will leave Tuesday for Cuyo and Coron to also deliver P200,000 for each barangay in the two municipalities.
“Bukas lilipad to Cuyo and Coron for the barangay aid na P200,000 per barangay,” Alvarez said.
The barangay aid is provided under Provincial Ordinance No. 2238 or “Amending Section 4 of Provincial Ordinance 2221, series of 2020 Under Guidelines for Availment of Financial Assistance (Aid to Barangay), to Include Another Provision for Utilization of Funds for COVID-19-Related Undertakings”.
The amount released is for 2019 and 2020, which the barangays may use in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, provincial information officer Winston Arzaga also said Monday that they are part of the P17 million worth of PPE and other necessary equipment procured by the provincial government to fight against COVID-19.
He said they will be inventoried before they are distributed to various hospitals in the province.
“Hindi pa kumpleto ‘yong dumating, hindi lang ‘yan PPE kundi pati mga disinfectant, alcohol, at lahat ng mga kailangan. Idi-distribute natin ‘yan sa mga hospitals kasi sila ang mahigit na nangangailangan,” he said.
Arzaga said the provincial government is also set to transport around 30,000 high-end face masks from Hainan, Chaina, its sister province.
The face masks were donated to the provincial government in March.
“Yong dinonate ng Hainan ay marami din ‘yon. Hinahanapan nalang ng masasakyan papunta dito,” Arzaga added. (with a report from Aira Genesa Magdayao)
