Robredo makes courtesy call on AFP chief Gapay

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo made a courtesy call on Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay on Tuesday, as she was unable to attend the change of command ceremony last August.

Robredo said that during her meeting with Gapay, at the AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, she thanked the military institution for helping in their COVID-19 response, as some of the services that the Office of the Vice President (OVP) offered were done in partnership with AFP.

The Vice President mentioned, in particular, the temporary shelter project for health workers placed at the Lung Center of the Philippines and at the Quirino Medical Center, and the triage and quarantine areas at the Chinese General Hospital and the Manila Doctors Hospital — all done with the help of the Philippine Army’s 51st Engineer Brigade.

“I also took the opportunity to thank the AFP for being a dependable partner in our various initiatives, especially those in line with its COVID-19 response,” Robredo said in a Facebook post.

“Various units of the AFP have also been helping the OVP as it brings assistance, such as PPE sets, locally produced protective suits, and medical supplies, to different parts of the Philippines, especially to far-flung communities,” she added.

https://www.facebook.com/1003057789/posts/10220301578661940/?extid=BlpviMVdybyMZK2r&d=n

OVP and their partner-agencies both from the government and the private sector have been launching various initiatives to aid the COVID-19 response.  When the pandemic forced the country into lockdown last March, Robredo’s office launched free shuttles for frontliners as public transportation was suspended.

Her office also opened dormitories near hospitals for health workers not to worry about getting to and from their workplaces, all while launching a donation drive to fund the production of personal protective equipment (PPEs). [ac]