LIBRENG FACE MASKS ISUSUPLAY NG DTI-ASSISTED MSMEs

MAGSUSUPLAY ang micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) na tinulungan ng shared service facility (SSF) program ng ahensiya ng reusable face masks na ipamamahagi sa vulnerable sectors sa bansa, ayon sa Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Sa pagsisimula ng community distribution ng face masks sa lalawigan ng Rizal kahapon, sinabi ni DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez na ang mga  face mask na ito ay sumusunod sa high standards upang masiguro na mabibigyan ng proteksiyon ang vulnerable sectors mula sa coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“The reusable masks will be produced by our women cooperatives, MSMEs that received shared service facilities like sewing machines from DTI, and all our networks with CONWEP (Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines), TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) and DTI,” wika ni Lopez.

Ang inisyatibo ay bilang tugon sa direktiba ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na magkaloob ng libreng face masks sa mga kabahayan na may senior citizens, buntis, may special health conditions, at mga benepisyaryo ng social amelioration program.

Ang bawat pamilya mula sa vulnerable sectors ay tatanggap ng  50 pirasong face masks mula sa gobyerno.

Isa sa kagyat na tugon ng DTI sa pakikipaglaban sa COVID-19 ay ang repurposing ng manufacturing facilities upang makapagprodyus ng critical products tulad ng personal protection equipment (PPE), kabilang ang  face masks at coveralls, gayundin ang face shields, alcohol at ventilators.

Sa report ng DTI sa Office of the President noong nakaraang buwan, ang SSF fabrication laboratories (FabLabs) ng DTI ay nakapagprodyus at nakapamahagi na ng mahigit sa 59,026 face masks, halos 79,789 face shields, 1,872 medical gowns at 3,996 litro ng ethyl alcohol.

“Similar to situations in war, the DTI and the Board of Investments (BOI) encouraged local manufacturers to repurpose some of their manufacturing capacity into the production of critical weapons to fight the war against Covid-19, such as PPE and face masks, so the country can lessen its reliance from imports. At the start of the pandemic, sourcing even from other countries became difficult as other countries prioritized their internal needs for masks and PPE. Thus, it became necessary to produce at least for our country’s internal requirements and be self-reliant on strategic and critical medical products,” sabi pa ni Lopez.

Dagdag pa niya, maraming manufacturers ang nagsimula nang palawakin ang kanilang production capacities, tulad ng Reliance, MedTecs, EMS, at Tacca at bumuo sila ng isang alliance na tinawag na Confederation of Philippine Manufacturers on PPE (CPMP).

Noon lamang nakaraang linggo, sinabi ng BOI na inanunsiyo ng Australian firm Tacca ang plano nitong dagdagan ang kanilang PPE production.

Sa kasalukuyan ay nagha-hire ito ng 100 bagong personnel para sa planta nito sa Laguna. PNA