Rapid test kits, protective equipment to screen arriving OFWs donated

April 22, 2020

Authorities received rapid test kits and other protective equipment to allow medical frontliners to screen arriving overseas Filipino workers  if they show symptoms of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Tuesday.

Arsenio Andolong, Department of National Defense public affairs service chief,  said the rapid test kits  and protective equipment were turned over by Kim Wong of the Oriental Group to defense and security officials, led by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon in Camp Aguinaldo.

"On hand to receive the items were Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana, Office of Civil Defense Chief Ricardo Jalad, Department of Transportation Undersecretary Artemio Tuason, AFP Chief of Staff Felimon Santos Jr., Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Joel Garcia and other officials," Andolong said.

Andolong said donation includes 20,000 test kits and over 200,000 face masks.

"In addition to the RTK, they also received 200,000 surgical face masks, 6,000 N95 masks, 3,000 PPEs, and 1,000 goggles," he said.

During the turnover, Esperon expressed gratitude to Wong as he emphasized the importance of the donations.

"I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to Mr Kim Wong of Oriental Group for donating 20,000 rapid test kits (RTK) that will be used to screen over 45,000 overseas Filipino workers expected to arrive in the coming days," he said.

"His generosity is unprecedented, as this comes on top of his earlier donation of over 75,000 RTKs to different local government units, the AFP, and the PNP," said Esperon, recalling Wong's donation on April 1.

"These will surely further help us fight our battles against COVID-19 and bring our country closer to normalcy," he added.

Andolong said the donated "equipment and kits are expected to shorten the mandatory 14-day quarantine period for returning Filipinos as they can immediately identify, isolate, and treat those who are positive for COVID-19."

"Mr. Kim also committed to donate another 25,000 rapid test kits to cover all inbound seafarers and OFWs," he said. Robina Asido/DMS