AFTER alcohol, now comes Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
San Miguel Corporation (SMC) steps up its drive as the country continues to battle the crippling effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this time setting aside P500 million for the purchase of PPEs to be used by frontline health workers.
The giant conglomerate is tapping its global network of suppliers to purchase the half a billion worth of PPEs.
“It’s very crucial that we get more PPE – protective masks, gloves, surgical gowns, among others – out there as fast as we can. We are hoping to fill the gap and continue supporting our government in whatever way we can,” said SMC president and COO Ramon S. Ang on Monday.
“Our health care workers and government responders are risking their own lives to save ours but they are running out of equipment to protect themselves.”
Earlier, the firm which owns three PBA ballclubs, began to produce alcohol by using the facilities of Ginebra San Miguel Inc. – its liquor production unit – to make 70 percent ethyl alcohol which it distributed to hospitals and local government units for free.
To date, SMC has donated over 100,000 liters of ethyl alcohol to various frontliners in the national and local government level as well as public and private hospitals in Luzon.
Other than that, it also started producing nutribun-inspired breads it continuously donates to poor communities severely affected by the quarantine.
The company has also donated over half a million kilos of rice, along with canned goods, biscuits, and coffee as food donations have thus far reached over P100 million.
At the same time, Ang also urged domestic manufacturers to retool their facilities, if they can, to produce these equipment and ramp up production to secure the supply chain.
SMC is currently mapping out available PPE capacity from its own suppliers even as it continues to look for domestic suppliers to help increase production of the protective equipment if they can as the battle against the virus continues.
“We are committed to growing this fund for PPEs and continue allocating resources to purchase much-needed protective items. We also invite other businesses to join us in this initiative and work together to support our selfless health care workers on the front lines of this crisis. We are all in this together,” said Ang.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
