In Pampanga resort, curtains, linen turn into COVID-19 masks

BAMBAN, Tarlac– A nature park and resort at Clark Freeport in Pampanga province has been making face masks using new and used but clean curtains and linens as materials.

Paradise Ranch said it would make 10,000 face masks that will be distrubuted to quarantined communities in Tarlac and Pampanga, according to Erik Gomez, resort owner.

Gomez said the company has partnered with the Philippine Empowerment for the Poor (PEP), a US based charity, for the project.

The resort has tapped 20 people to sew face masks at home.

Four Aetas from Barangay Sto. Nino here and Barangay Calumpang in Mabalacat, Pampanga are among the tailors who are paid P5 per mask.

Each tailor can make 100 face masks and earn P500 daily.

Arnel Recidoro, PEP president, has collected funds to pay the tailors who lost their jobs due to the Luzon-wide lockdown.

The group started sewing on March 20 and distributed 5,000 masks on Wednesday (April 8).

Aside from curtains and linens, the group also used pillow cases.

Paradise Ranch, a nature park and resort in Pampanga province, has tapped local tailors to turn curtains and linens into face masks for quarantined communities in Tarlac and Pampanga. PHOTOS FROM NEIL CHRISTIAN SUPAN

Neil Christian Supan, PEP country representative, said Gomez came up with the idea because many fabric stores have temporarily closed shops.

Supan said the company also wanted to provide livelihood to some members of the communities.

According to Supan, 10 sutana or cassocks of Fr. Eddie “Among Ed” Panlilio, former Pampanga governor, were sewn by the group and will also be repurposed as face masks.

Panlilio had asked for some face masks sewn out of his cassocks since these have a sentimental value to him.

The group is open to donations, such as garments or curtains from the other hotels.

Edited by TSB