China grid corporation donates 500,000 surgical masks to PH Red Cross

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – The State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), through State Grid International Development Co. Limited, a shareholder of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), has donated 500,000 surgical masks to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) for distribution to the frontliners as protection against COVID- 19.

“During these challenging times, it is important that friends (China and Philippines) will join together to stop the spread COVID-19,”SGCC Philippine Office Chief Representative Shan Shewu said

In a press statement, Shan said that as the world continues the fight against COVID-19, medical supplies and equipment were becoming essential tools in the fight to slow and stop the spread of the virus.

Around the Philippines, doctors, nurses and other health workers rely on personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect themselves from contacting the virus from the patients they care for. Similarly, the sick, elderly, and the immunocompromised are also more vulnerable to the disease if they do not have the right protective equipment.

In support of the government’s efforts to fight COVID-19, NGCP earlier also committed a donation of P1 billion in food packages and medical equipment to the government.

NGCP President and Chief Executive Office Anthony Almeda said “NGCP will continue to look for opportunities to support the government in battling this pandemic.”

“We recognize that the only way to defeat this global health threat is through our collective efforts.” Distribution of grocery items and medical equipment in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are ongoing,” he added.

On May 8, the SGCC Philippine team, together with its partners at NGCP, delivered on its commitment and turned over 500,000 surgical face masks shipped from manufacturers

in China to the PRC National Headquarters.

The PRC will be distributing these PPEs to its front liners, including blood and rapid testing facilities staff, ambulance crew, hotline volunteers, and other staff in the health services sectors to combat the spread of COVID-19.

PRC Secretary General Elizabeth S. Zavalla accepted the donation of the SGCC on behalf of PRC.

“On behalf of the Philippine Red Cross, I would like to thank SGCC for this timely donation. These masks will be given to facilities which are in need of PPEs and will also be used by our PRC frontliners especially now that we have our own COVID-19 testing centers,” Zavalla said.

The boxes containing the donated masks bore the old Filipino saying, “Angtunaynakaibigan, hindi nag- iiwanan (Real friends never leave you),” a message that shows the friendship between the Chinese and the Filipino people.

Also present in the turnover site were Economic & Commercial Counsellor Jiang Jianjun of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Philippines, PRC officers as well as officers of SGCC Philippine office and NGCP.