Photo courtesy of Board of Investments
MANILA – As the country now produces 60 million face masks and 3.2 million pieces of medical-grade coveralls, the government has called on institutions and organizations to buy personal protective equipment (PPE) and other items from Filipino manufacturers.
In a statement Monday, Trade Undersecretary and Board of Investments (BOI) managing head Ceferino Rodolfo reiterated that local production of PPE and critical products in the country’s fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has been increasing.
Aside from face masks and medical-grade coveralls, the country now manufactures 6,050 pieces of ventilators and 60,000 pieces of infrared thermometers per month.
“I urge all organizations to ‘buy local’ and source their PPE from factories based in the Philippines, wherever it’s possible. Every time someone buys an item of PPE made here, they not only help protect people, they help save thousands of jobs and keep food on the table of families across our nation,” Rodolfo said.
At the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak in the Philippines, only the Bataan-based Medtecs International Corp. Ltd., produces medical-grade face masks while coveralls and PPEs, among others, are being imported.
The BOI then initiated the repurposing of manufacturing facilities to produce critical Covid-19 products domestically.
“The upsurge in PPE now being produced in the Philippines is great news for the health and economic wellbeing of the country,” Rodolfo said. “BOI will keep doing everything we can to support more manufacturers to contribute their production lines to this effort.”
Medical institutions and other organizations may source PPE from the following Philippine-based manufacturers: Medtecs, Yokosaida, EMS Group of Companies, and Distinctive Blinds and Office Supply for face masks. Aside from masks, New Kinpo Group also supplies ventilators and Everwin Philippines for infrared thermometers.
Alcohol and spirit manufacturer Destileria Limtuaco now also produces ethyl alcohol.
Other firms will soon be joining in face masks manufacturing. These include Integrated Micro-electronics, Inc. (IMI), Bioteq, Tacca Group, and Hyundai.
IMI also plans to locally produce continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) ventilators. (PNA)
