In observance of the Holy Week, the Philippine News Agency’s online news service will be off on March 29, Good Friday, and March 30, Black Saturday. Normal operations will resume on March 31, Easter Sunday.

— The Editors

Army unit produces face shields for front-liners

By Ercel Maandig

April 12, 2020, 1:35 pm

<p><strong>FACE SHIELDS.</strong> Soldiers under the 10th Forward Service Support Unit (10FSSU) of the Army Support Command of the 4th Infantry Division work to finish the remaining pieces of face shields to be donated to different front-liners in the communities. This is part of their efforts to help contain the spread of Covid-19. <em>(Photo courtesy 10FSSU)</em></p>

FACE SHIELDS. Soldiers under the 10th Forward Service Support Unit (10FSSU) of the Army Support Command of the 4th Infantry Division work to finish the remaining pieces of face shields to be donated to different front-liners in the communities. This is part of their efforts to help contain the spread of Covid-19. (Photo courtesy 10FSSU)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Due to lack of personal protection equipment (PPE) gear for public health front-liners, the 10th Forward Service Support Unit (10FSSU) of the Army Support Command (Ascom) of the 4th Infantry Division (4thID) has sped up its production of PPE such as improvised face shields to help Northern Mindanao in its fight against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Lt. Col. Lawrence Aninag, commanding officer of 10FSSU, on Saturday said they were able to manufacture 3,070 face shields as of Thursday (April 9) which were distributed to different communities and organizations in Cagayan de Oro City and its neighboring municipalities.

Among the recipients of the face shields were Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs), Oro Banker Association in Cagayan de Oro, various police units and offices, the Philippine Ports Authority, Philippine Coast Guard-Northern Mindanao District, Camp Evangelista Station Hospital, and various units of 4ID.

Aninag said aside from this, they also plan to distribute around 1,300 additional face shields to front-liners in different areas particularly health workers and security forces.

Soldiers were also working double time to fast track another batch of 1,500 shields to cater to the needs of Army units and civilian health facilities in the 4ID's area of responsibility, which include the Caraga region.

The 10FSSU, which is headquartered in Camp Evangelista in the village of Patag in this city, also produced 200 face masks that were distributed to troops manning quarantine checkpoints.

Maj. Gen. Franco Nemesio Gacal, commander of 4ID, lauded 10FSSU for its initiative.

“What 10FSSU is doing is another proof of the Filipino soldiers' ingenuity, dedication, and intense desire to help our countrymen especially in times of crisis. I hope this will inspire other groups and sectors of our society to contribute whatever they can to our fight against a common enemy, the Covid-19," Gacal said.

Elsewhere in the region, 4ID units are actively assisting local government units and national and local government agencies in the distribution of food packs, implementation of quarantine measures, and information dissemination among others.

Gacal serves as co- chairman of Northern Mindanao Regional Task Force on Covid-19.

He also commended health workers, volunteers, and other front-liners for their selfless services as the nation scrambles to stop the spread of the pandemic. (PNA)

Comments