ILOILO City – The city government is procuring 3,800 test kits for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using cash donations from the private sector.
According to Mayor Jerry Treñas, the city government is currently finalizing the purchase of an initial 2,500 test kits from South Korea worth P5.5 million.
The said amount was a cumulative donation from businessman Henry Chusuey of the Hennan Group of Resorts (P3.5 million), Iloilo Supermart and Que family (P1 million), and another P1 million from businessman Edgar “Injap” Sia.
“These businessmen were kind enough to donate kag ibulig sa aton,” said a thankful Treñas.
The city government also received pledges totalling P1.6 million from businessmen Manuel Po and Tony Jon and Unitop. These will also be used to procure 1,300 test kits developed by the University of the Philippines.
“May ara na kita standby nga orders,” said Treñas.
COVID-19 testing, then isolation and contact tracing, are the backbones of the response to the pandemic, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Nagapasalamat gid ako sa mga negosyante nga nagabulig,” said Treñas.
The city government also placed an order for 1,000 sets of personal protective equipment (PPEs) to be used by city hall personnel at risk of exposure to COVID-19 such as those assigned to man city government ambulances.
Excess PPEs would be distributed to various hospitals, said Treñas.
“Gusto naton ang tanan nga healthcare personnel naton fully protected,” Treñas said.
According to WHO, people can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person.
Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why it is important to stay more than one meter (three feet) away from a person who is sick.
Treñas confirmed the arrival of two medical technologists from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) to do COVID-19 testing at the Western Visayas Medical Center. They brought with them 300 test kits.
Two local medical technologists were also sent to RITM for on-site training.
On the other hand, the city government has started giving out food assistance to people in barangays adversely affected economically by the ongoing enhanced community quarantine.
As of Sunday, the city government had distributed food packs to 62 barangays.
Iloilo City has 180 barangays.
The city government’s community kitchen in daycare centers have also started cooking meals, said Treñas.
The enhanced community quarantine in the city is scheduled to end on April 15 unless lifted earlier or extended further./PN
why is the city government purchasing the test kit from dononation? wala budget nga sarili ang city hall for times like this?
U distributed food but why you chose which one you only give.in this situation no need to chose give each family Rich or poor. All government officials are no brain I hated you all. I know if one of your family ask food donations you give even they have money to buy food supplies for their family. You Al sucks.