Gov’t studying how to distribute face masks to Filipinos in HK, Macau

MANILA, Philippines — The government is looking into the possibility of providing cheap face masks for Filipinos in Hong Kong and Macau as the novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease outbreak reached other countries.

“We will send face masks to Hong Kong and Macau,” Sen. Richard Gordon, speaking in Filipino, said in an interview with AM radio station DWIZ. “I have already written to the Chinese Red Cross.”

According to Gordon, the government could send 300,000 face masks daily.

“How will we distribute that? We are still studying that,” he said.

Gordon added that he had already consulted Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on the matter.

He said the government was also eyeing to provide face masks for frontliners in the Philippines including Customs and Immigration agents, who are implementing safety measures to stop the spread of the virus.

“All those who are working at airports should be wearing masks,” he said.

Recent reports showed that more than 9,800 people were infected by the virus, which originated in Wuhan City in China. As of this posting, China has already 9,692 confirmed cases in its mainland, while 12 cases were confirmed in Hong Kong and five in Macau.

In the Philippines, a 38-year-old Chinese tourist, who traveled to Cebu City and Dumaguete City, tested positive for the virus. She is currently under treatment at San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.

/atm