Robredo’s office ups PPE distribution to NCR hospitals amid spike in virus cases

Vice President Leni Robredo’s office has started to increase its distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) to various hospitals and institutions in Metro Manila, following the surge of COVID-19 cases in the capital region. From March 11, 2021, the OVP has been able to distribute a total of 13,350 daily sets of PPEs and 1,200 reusable protective suits, initially to major hospitals and institutions in Quezon City. Aside from PPEs, VP Leni’s office also sent out medical supplies, including 1,100 pieces of surgical masks, 1,100 pieces of face shields, 550 pieces of head covers, 110 pieces of medical gowns, and 44 gallons of disinfectants, to several health institutions. OVP PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo’s office has increased its allocation of personal protective equipment (PPEs) to Metro Manila hospitals amid the latest surge of COVID-19 cases.

According to the Office of the Vice President (OVP), they have sent out PPE sets and other equipment daily since March 11, totaling 13,350 PPE sets and 1,200 reusable protective suits, to hospitals in the nation’s capital region.  It added that most of the items were initially given to hospitals and healthcare institutions in Quezon City.

Other medical supplies were also distributed by OVP to various health institutions, including 1,100 pieces of surgical masks, 1,100 pieces of face shields, 550 pieces of head covers, 110 pieces of medical gowns, and 44 gallons of disinfectant, based on its statement issued Wednesday.

Robredo stressed that her office’s response was due to prevailing urgency amid rapidly rising cases of the potentially deadly respiratory ailment COVID-19, which is caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

As of March 17, an additional 4,378 COVID-19 infections pushed the number of active cases to 61,733.

“Ngayon na may surge, mas naging urgent siya (vaccines and equipment), kasi nakita naman natin iyong numbers sa Manila. Nakita natin iyong numbers sa Manila. Medyo alarming siya,” Robredo told reporters during her visit to Iloilo on Tuesday.

(Now that there is a surge, vaccines, and equipment have become more urgent because we saw how high the numbers are in Metro Manila. We saw the numbers from Metro Manila. They are quite alarming.)

“So ganoon kahalaga iyong vaccines ngayon, kasi iyon talaga iyong isa sa malalaking dahilan—hindi siya iyong only chance natin, pero siya iyong isang malaking dahilan para mabago natin iyong trajectory,” she added.

(So the vaccines are extremely valuable today because that is one of the biggest factors — not the only chance, but one of the biggest possible reasons to change our COVID-19 trajectory.)

Amid increasing new coronavirus cases, the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 decided to suspend travel of foreigners and non-overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) into the Philippines from March 20 to April 19.

Vice President Leni Robredo’s office has started to increase its distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) to various hospitals and institutions in Metro Manila, following the surge of COVID-19 cases in the capital region. From March 11, 2021, the OVP has been able to distribute a total of 13,350 daily sets of PPEs and 1,200 reusable protective suits, initially to major hospitals and institutions in Quezon City. Aside from PPEs, VP Leni’s office also sent out medical supplies, including 1,100 pieces of surgical masks, 1,100 pieces of face shields, 550 pieces of head covers, 110 pieces of medical gowns, and 44 gallons of disinfectants, to several health institutions. OVP PHOTO

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said last Monday that the recent surge is nearing the August 2020 level, and which has prompted the reimposition of strict lockdown protocols in Metro Manila and other areas.

Analytics group OCTA Research initially warned that this new COVID-19 spike is spreading faster than initially predicted, which may result in 4,000 new daily cases for Metro Manila by the end of March.

However, the latest predictions from the same group showed that higher reproduction rates may translate to 11,000 cases per day when the month ends. Aside from this, OCTA Research and other observers then warned that the current surge may be due to variants of concern spreading undetected in the country.

As of now, the Department of Health said the country has already registered at least one case each for the three variants of concern listed by global health authorities: the B.1.1.7 variant from the United Kingdom, the B.1.135 strain which traces to South Africa, and the P.1 from Brazil.

READ: OCTA Research: Rise of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila faster than predicted 

READ: OCTA Research warns of 11,000 daily COVID-19 cases by end-March 

This is not the first time OVP gave medical equipment to hospitals. At the onset of the lockdown periods, Robredo’s office offered various forms of aid, from PPE sets to hospitals to free shuttles for health workers, and dormitories for frontliners who needed to live near their workplaces.

READ: 2020: A year OVP kept itself busy despite lack of funds, brickbats from Malacañang 

OVP said that since March 2020, OVP has distributed 351,375 PPE sets for 23,425 frontliners, as well as 17,271 food and care packages across the country.

KGA