DFA Partners with UNDP to Facilitate Donation of 500,000 Surgical Masks to the DOH

From left: DFA-UNIO Director Emma Sarne, DOH Undersecretary Mario Villaverde, and Resident Representative of UNDP Titon Mitra during the turn over ceremony on 08 July 2020 (Photo by UNDP)

MANILA 09 July 2020 - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) witnessed the handover of 500,000 surgical masks donated by the Soong Ching Ling Foundation (SCLF) of Beijing, China, through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on 08 July 2020.

The surgical masks, valued at CNY 1.2 million, were turned over by UNDP Country Representative Titon Mitra to Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Mario Villaverde, representing Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque, III in a simple ceremony at the DOH San Lazaro Compound in Manila. Witnessing the donation was Ms. Emma Sarne, Director of the Socio-cultural Division of the Office of the United Nations and International Organizations (UNIO).

UNDP-Philippines Resident Representative Titon Mitra extended appreciation to the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, an NGO based in Beijing that has been helping countries in the region source much-needed medical supplies. He mentioned that the donated surgical masks are in recognition and acknowledgment of the invaluable work done by the DOH frontliners in the fight against COVID-19.

Reading the message of Sec. Duque, Usec. Villaverde lauded the 40-year partnership with UNDP-PH which has been instrumental in developing PH’s and particularly DOH’s capacity in governance, sustainable resource management, disaster risk reduction and resilience, and peace building. He further stated that recent engagements with UNDP include support and capacity building for data warehouse establishment and crisis and procurement management. In formally accepting the donation and expressing the DOH’s appreciation, Usec. Villaverde emphasized that the surgical masks will be committed to protecting the most vulnerable and expressed optimism that we will rise above the current crisis and heal as one.

The DFA, through the Philippine Embassy in Beijing, UNDP-Philippines, and UNDP-China facilitated the transport and clearance of the donation intended for the DOH. The donation comes at an auspicious time as the country is seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases and medical supplies, including surgical masks and PPEs, and equipment are much needed.

The UNDP-PH has been working with the DOH, particularly in the field of data management and the development of an electronic dashboard to track hospital capacities and medical stocks. It is the process of rolling out in the PH an innovative vaccine management system which is currently being used in India and, more recently, in Indonesia. The electronic and web-based system is a way of “getting ahead of the curve” as this would facilitate the monitoring and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, should this be developed, in remote and other areas where these are most needed. END