Robredo’s office mulls producing PPEs for frontliners

March 29, 2020

Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday said her office is planning to locally produce personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers due to limited supplies available in the market right now.

In a radio interview, Robredo said they were able to raise P37,373,738.84 from their fundraising drive for the purchase of PPE for health workers who are in the front line as the country fight the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“The spread of the virus is very worrisome… our problem in the hospitals now is number one, not only the space but the lack of protective gears for health personnel. Our fundraising is for that (PPE). The P37 million we have raised can be used to buy around 83,000 protective gears but the problem is there is no supply,” she said.

Robredo said they have already distributed 32,325 PPEs and they are still waiting for their other orders such as protective gowns to be delivered.

“This is the problem, we are dependent on the importers… we are competing with other countries but sometimes Western countries are willing to pay more. If they will pay more, they will get the supply instead of us,” she said.

“So we think, the other day… we release a call to local (manufacturers), let’s produce this and we are shock when we posted it on Facebook, less than an hour, we have received a lot of intentions that they are willing to help, like designers,” she added.

The vice president said a famous designer became their convener to other designers and volunteers.

“They made the design, they already created prototype and we already have doctors to check on it, even the fabric that will be used,” Robredo said.

According to Robredo, they are already looking for a kind of fabric called “Toray”, a nylon taffeta, as this is the one recommended by doctors as an alternative to a fabric called “Tyvek” which is originally used on PPEs.

“(Tyvek) is hard to find here so we are looking for a fabric that will have the same effect. Same effect, so that when the health personnel use it they are still protected on the virus. The doctors choose toray… we already find some yesterday but we still need more,” she said.

Robredo said the PPEs they will produce will be washable and health workers will be given instruction on how to disinfect it.

She also appealed to suppliers who have the fabric to come forward.

She said they did not want to be dependent to importers.

The vice president said that they will tap home-based mothers to make the PPEs.

“Hopefully within the week we will have the delivery. The gowns we ordered, that will be the last. Then after (that), everything will be from local,” she added.

A total of 5,414 frontliners initially received PPE sets from the Office of the Vice President.

Aside from the equipment, the OVP also provided free shuttle, and free dormitories and food for health workers who have been battling the pandemic. Ella Dionisio/DMS