Muntinlupa residents, frontliners get free masks

MANILA, Philippines — More than 90,000 pieces of face masks made by displaced sewers hired by the local government would be distributed free to residents and front-liners in Muntinlupa.

The face masks were turned over to the city government on Wednesday by Muntinlupa gender and development office head Trina Biazon.

These were made by over 100 unemployed sewers hired by the local government under the Tulong Pangkabuhayan Para sa mga Displaced Workers (Tupad) program.

Tupad beneficiaries worked for 15 days and received a daily minimum wage of P537. As early as April, the city government has been hiring sewers who lost their jobs because of the monthslong lockdown in Metro Manila.

Aside from face masks, they also made personal protective equipment suits for medical front-liners.

As of Aug. 11, Muntinlupa had recorded 2,102 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 90 deaths and 1,277 recoveries. For their own protection against the coronavirus, all residents are required to wear face masks every time they step out of their houses.

—Dexter Cabalza