Frontliners in 42 gov’t hospitals get 144K face shields from Rotarians in Japan

Director Maria Soledad Antonio (left), of the Bureau of International Health Cooperation, receives from Johnny Yu (center), District Governor, Rotary International District 3780, Quezon City, and Dr. Takeo Okada (right), First Secretary & Health Attache, Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, the 144,000 face shields valued at $180,000 during a ceremonial turnover at DOH main office in Manila City on December 7, 2020. The face shields are distributed to frontliners in 42 government hospitals in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Central Visayas. (Photo from Rotary International District 3780-Quezon City)

Pushing further the protection of the country’s frontliners against COVID-19, Rotary International districts in the Philippines and Japan have teamed up to raise and donate 144,000 face shields to 42 government hospitals in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Central Visayas.

Rotary International Districts (RID) 2760, 2530, 2560, 2710, 2840, 2650 and 2500 in Japan provided the funds for the procurement of the face shields valued at $180,000 via a global grant application with The Rotary Foundation dubbed “Rotary Face Shield Project Against COVID-19” with RID 3780, Quezon City, as host district and Rotary Club Nagoya Wago as host club-international.

“We would like to thank the Rotary Districts in Japan and the Japanese Embassy here in the Philippines for their untiring support to the Filipino People. Truly, we as Rotarians, live by our Rotary’s motto: Service Above Self,” said Johnny Yu, District Governor, Rotary International  District 3780, Quezon City.

The Department of Health, through Director Maria Soledad Antonio, of the Bureau of International Health Cooperation, received the face shields during a ceremonial turnover on December 7 from Yu and Dr. Takeo Okada, First Secretary & Health Attache, Embassy of Japan in the Philippines.

“Prevention is better than Cure,” Yu added.

As of December 14, the Philippines recorded more than 450,000 new coronavirus infections, including over 23,000 active cases, more than 418,500 recoveries, and at least 8,750 deaths.

Worldwide, total COVID-19 cases have so far reached more than 73.1 million as over 51.3 million managed to recover from the ailment. Global death toll, meanwhile, was at 1.6 million.

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.

KGA