DOH To Give ₱1.5 Million Worth Of N95 Face Masks Affected By Taal Volcano’s Ashfall

The Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday, January 13, protection kits such as N95 masks, eye drops, and water disinfectants will be provided to residents of areas that will be affected by Taal Volcano’s phreatic eruptions,

According to Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo that the DOH will supply protection kits worth ₱1.5 million in CALABARZON Region.

“₱1.5 million worth of supplies in total will be provided,” he said in a text message to GMA News Online.

Domingo said the DOH will coordinate with the municipal and city health officers in high-risk areas for the distribution of the items.

The Health Undersecretary further said that the department will prioritize the CALABARAZON Region because it is a high-risk area.

“Pina-prioroitize talaga natin ‘yung mga lugar na high risk, katulad po ng Region 4A. Magdadala na po kami doon, pati lalagyan ng tubig, mga eye drop, at water disinfectant para magamit,” he said.

On Monday, people lined up at stores on Bambang Street in Sta. Cruz, Manila to buy N95 masks to protect themselves from the harmful particles in the air amid ashfall.

Bambang is a known destination for medical supplies and equipment, but stores there reportedly were running low on supply of N95 masks and only have ordinary face masks.

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Meanwhile, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez warned sellers of N95 masks that they will be charged for profiteering if they jack up prices of the said masks.

Secretary Lopez told GMA News that DTI price monitoring teams have been deployed to check the supply and prices of N95 masks after reports that consumers have been buying boxes of the mask.

“I have asked our price monitoring teams to go out and check the supply and prices and be ready to charge profiteering for erring traders,” he said.

To ensure that consumers will have enough supply of N95 masks, Lopez said that they will suggest to retailers to ration or limit purchase per customer.

Source: GMA News