Gov’t buying more face masks amid shortage – Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — The shortage in face masks will not last long, according to President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Yes, we are procuring and we have supplies coming in,” Duterte said in a press briefing in Malacañang on the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

“But if you will ask, is the government doing something to buy more? To protect more [people]? Yes, we are doing it. We are not just sitting down here,” he added.

The confirmation of the first nCoV case in the country has prompted the public to rush to drug and medical stores to buy face masks, sanitizers, and other disinfectants.

Many, however, were disappointed to learn that some drug stores had run out of face masks while others were selling them at higher prices.

READ: Shortage of masks, surplus of fear

“The supply is depleted because there is an emergency and there is a need for it. So everybody is buying, that is a reason why there is a scarce supply in the market,” Duterte said. “Without the virus, the masks are not being sold by the thousands. There’s a virus and that virus is making them expensive.”

Earlier, Malacañang warned people against taking advantage of the emergency and hoarding the masks.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo also appealed to face mask manufacturers to produce more in the face of the increasing demand.

READ: Palace warns vs hoarding of face masks; asks makers to produce more

/atm