NAKATANGGAP ang Pilipinas ng 442,000 respirator masks mula sa Canadian government.

Ang nasabing dami ng respirator mask ay first tranche mula sa 837,000 respirator face masks na bigay ng Canadian government sa Department of Health (DOH) bilang pagsuporta sa health care workers na nangunguna sa paglaban sa coronavirus pandemic.

Nagkakahalaga ito ng P136 milyong piso.

Nitong Biyernes, pinangunahan ni Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines, Peter MacArthur, ang pag-abot ng first tranche na 442,000 masks sa DOH headquarters sa Maynila.
Noong Setyembre 2020, nag-turnover din ang Canada ng 120,000 N95 masks sa DOH.

“Canada is collaborating closely with the government of the Philippines and regional partners in the fight against COVID-19,” ayon kay MacArthur nang isagawa ang turnover ceremony.
“Our collaboration includes close engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member states to support a coordinated and multilateral effort aimed at limiting and ending the pandemic,” dagdag na pahayag nito.

Ang masks ay ibinigay sa pamamagitan ng pagtutulungan sa pagitan ng Canadian government, ASEAN Secretariat, at ASEAN member states upang pagaanin ang biological threats.
Simula pa 2013, ang mga partidong ito ay nagtutulungan na upang palakasin ang biological security, biological safety, at disease surveillance capabilities sa rehiyon.

“Building on this long standing partnership, Canada has provided additional support to Asean partners to combat the Covid pandemic. This includes donating nine and a half million units of personal protective equipment, non-medical masks to the Asean Secretariat and seven member states, including the 837,000 masks for the Philippines,” ayon kay MacArthur. (CHRISTIAN DALE)