The Armed Forces of the Philippines, through the Philippine Air Force, on Sunday has successfully transported PHP30-million worth of medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) sets donated by Senator Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian and his family.
The items were acquired from Fujian, China, and transported to the Philippines via Air Force 130 Lockheed C-130 “Hercules” cargo aircraft.
Navy Captain Jonathan Zata, AFP Public Affairs Office chief, said the aircraft carrying the medical supplies and PPEs arrived at Villamor Air Base, Pasay City at around 4 p.m.
Zata said the donated items are for the use of medical front-liners involved in containing the spread coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
These consists of 20,000 PPEs, 3,000 face shields, 3,000 goggles, 100,000 gloves, 42,000 KN-95 masks, and 500,000 surgical face masks.
“The donations were turned over by Senator Gatchalian and Valenzuela First District Representative Wes Gatchalian to the National Task Force COVID-19 headed by Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana and NTF COVID-19 Chief Implementer and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Reconciliation and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. Also present were AFP Chief-of-Staff, General Felimon Santos Jr. and Philippine Air Force Commanding General, (Lt.) Gen. Allen Paredes,” Zata said.
The donation, he added, is part of the Gatchalian family’s ongoing humanitarian efforts.
“The AFP through the Philippine Air Force is continuously conducting air operations in support of the national efforts on Covid-19. As of April 24, a total of 552,808.27 lbs (pounds) of cargoes were transported through various aircraft,” he said.
The air assets being utilized to carry out transport and importation missions are the C-130, C-295, N-22, N-C212i, UH-1H/1D, SF260, and F-28 aircraft.
A total of 253 sorties have been conducted since the AFP started its support operations in March.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Navy (PN) on Sunday announced that the BRP Bacolod City (LS-550), one of its logistics support vessels, has arrived in Xiamen, China Saturday night for its mission to pick-up 23,385 boxes of personal protective equipment (PPE) needed for the government’s Covid-19 containment measures.
Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas, PN Public Affairs Office chief, said the ship arrived a day ahead of schedule due to the prevailing good weather.
BRP Bacolod City’s arrival was supposed to be the early morning of Sunday, she added.
Roxas said the PN ship was escorted by a People’s Liberation Army Navy vessel to its designated berthing area at Zhangzhou Harbor.
BRP Bacolod City is loaded with 33 container vans that will serve as the storage rooms of the PPE sets procured by the Department of Budget and Management last month.
“The vessel shall immediately sail home upon completion of the hauling and is expected to arrive this May,” she said.
BRP Bacolod City left Sangley Point, Cavite City on April 21 following the government’s call to use PN ships to transport the PPE sets.
“The arrival of the PN vessel in China highlights the crucial capability of the PN to provide much needed logistical support and another manifestation of its full support to the government by devoting personnel, assets, and resources to the resolve of defeating this pandemic,” Roxas added. (PNA)
Photo Source: Facebook/armedforcesofthephilippines
