(Eagle News)–The Department of Transportation is slated to distribute around 100,000 face masks to frontliners as the enhanced community quarantine continues.
In a statement, the DOTr said the masks were donated by a “good samaritan,” and would be distributed to hospitals, those involved in port and airport operations, enforcers, drivers, persons involved in the DOTr Free Ride program, and health workers, among others.
“To the one who donated these hundred thousand face masks, I, on behalf of the DOTr and the entire country, express our sincerest gratitude,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.
According to Transportation Undersecretary for Administrative Service and DOTr representative to the IATF Artemio Tuazon, Jr. the face masks that will be used by frontline employees, especially those in port and airport operations, enforcers, drivers, health workers and those involved in the DOTr’s Free Ride program, were set to be delivered last week.
Those that will be given to the skeletal workforce of the DOTr Central Office and its attached agencies, and public hospitals will be distributed starting Monday, Tuazon said.
He said to be provided with face masks are health workers assigned at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa, San Lazaro Hospital, Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila, and the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City, among others.
“We’re currently facing a battle against something that we can’t see — and that distress taught us that it is high time for Filipinos to show the world that we still have that indomitable bayanihan spirit,” Tugade said.