MANILA — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported that the Free Mask project has produced and delivered 30,808,518 pieces of free cloth washable face masks for the benefit of the “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino” Program (4Ps) beneficiaries and other marginalized sectors in COVID-19 high-risk areas.
DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said that the consistent efforts of all the agency partners not only to ensure the supply of high-quality face masks to vulnerable sectors but also to generate livelihood to those adversely affected by the pandemic contributed to the impressive completion of 65.48% of the total target of 47 million face masks for the Community Face Mask Project of 2020-2021 implementation.
“With the growing numbers of active cases in the country and its effect on our economy, we continue to give high importance in producing and distributing the much-needed washable masks in the poor communities, while linking as well the production of said masks with the various community-based sewers and MSMEs,” Sec. Lopez said.
The trade chief further said that the Department is expecting an additional one million face masks to be completed this week.
Including 1,242,900 pieces donated from the private sector, a total of 13,699,437 pieces of locally-produced face masks were already distributed to the different cities and municipalities in the National Capital Region and Regions 3, 4A, 6, 7, and 11 through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Mask distribution is ongoing each week.
DTI is the lead implementing and coordinating agency relative to the production and procurement of face masks for the “Libreng Mask Para sa Masa” Project, an initiative of the Office of the President (OP) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This project is being done in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH), OP, Office of Executive Secretary (OES), the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), DSWD, the Office of the Civil Defense of the Department of National Defense (DND-OCD), the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI), the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). The aim of this project is to produce and distribute domestically-manufactured non-medical grade, reusable, and washable face masks to vulnerable sectors. Sec. Lopez said, “With DTI laying down plans for a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) that will push for a calibrated reopening of low-risk, essential sectors, these masks will become integral in our efforts to mitigate the impact of the imposed lockdown. ♦
Date of Release: 19 April 2021