Hygiene kits at COVID-19 supplies, donasyon ng US sa ‘Pinas

ni Lolet Abania | November 21, 2022

Nagkaloob ng donasyon na mga hygiene kits at COVID-19 supplies ang gobyerno ng Amerika ngayong Lunes sa Gregoria de Jesus Elementary School sa Caloocan City para isulong ang ligtas na pagbabalik ng face-to-face classes sa gitna ng COVID-19 pandemic.

Personal na ibinigay ni US Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, asawa ni US Vice President Kamala Harris, ang mga kahon ng COVID-19 supplies na naglalaman ng isang hygiene kit, N95 face masks, finger oximeter, forehead thermometer, at isang tablet sa nasabing paaralan. Habang tinanggap ito ni Caloocan City Mayor Dale Gonzalo Malapitan.

“I know the last couple years have been very hard. It had been very hard for schools, it had been very hard for teachers, and children and communities. I know schools have been virtual for over two years as the Philippines has fought so hard against this pandemic,” pahayag ni Emhoff.

“It is so good to see children back here in schools and in the classrooms. I love it!” dagdag pa ng US official.

Sa naturang okasyon, inanunsiyo rin ng Second Gentleman na bukod sa mga hygiene kits at COVID-19 supplies, ang US government, sa pamamagitan ng US Agency for International Development (USAID), ay mado-donate din ng karagdagang $5 million na financial assistance sa Pilipinas para sa pagpapatuloy ng vaccine rollout.

Ayon sa USAID, ang naturang assistance na pinondohan sa pamamagitan ng American Rescue Plan ay makatutulong sa anito, “support vaccine distribution for children and adults in line with the Philippine government’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts to intensify and strengthen the country’s wall of immunity.”

Malugod namang tinanggap ni Department of Health (DOH) Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire ang mga donasyon at pinasalamatan ang US government at ang USAID sa suportang ibinigay nito para sa full implementation ng in-person classes at pagsisikap ng pamahalaan na mabakunahan ang mga kabataan.

“Our future lies in the brilliance of today’s children, which is why it is imperative that that same whole-of-society approach is maximized to transform our schools and communities into settings that make the healthy choice the easy choice for every Filipino child,” saad ni Vergeire.

Dahil sa nananatili pa rin ang COVID-19, binanggit ni Emhoff, “we cannot let our guard down [thus vaccination efforts should continue]”.

“We have been working hard to continue getting everyone, not only in the United States, but everyone around the world, vaccinated. I spent the first year plus traveling all around the country encouraging Americans to get vaccinated, and I take that same encouragement here in the Philippines because we need to keep fighting, we need to keep pushing forward on this vaccination,” sabi pa ni Emhoff.

Sa kabuuan, ang US government ay nakapag-provide na ng tinatayang $50 million halaga ng assistance sa Pilipinas para sa kanilang pandemic response, ka-partner ang COVAX.

Umabot naman sa mahigit 33 milyon ng COVID-19 vaccines doses ang ibinigay ng Amerika sa Pilipinas simula pa ng kasagsagan ng pandemya.