Beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) from the Province of Rizal received medical grade face masks and hygiene kits from the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), and the Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) as part of government efforts to protect citizens from the threat of COVID-19.

SAP beneficiaries, who are also members of the DSWD Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) from Barangay San Roque, Antipolo City, received the masks and hygiene kits during the project launching and dialogue conducted by the members of anti-COVID 19 task groups with the municipal mayors of the province at the Ynares Activity Center on August 12.

A total of 20,000 masks were initially turned over to Rizal for distribution to poor families in the province.

The government targets to distribute 20 to 30 million domestically-manufactured face masks to the members of the vulnerable sectors in the country as part of the directive of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to strictly enforce minimum health standards in communities.

The distribution of the masks, called “Mask BIDA Laban sa COVID-19,” is part of the DOH’s BIDA Solusyon sa COVID-19 Campaign. It is also an inter-agency cooperation which aims to support Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) affected by the pandemic. The reusable masks will be sourced from women cooperatives and MSMEs that have been provided with shared service facilities by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as well as from the networks of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

The priority areas for the distribution of the masks include those that are under the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), including the National Capital Region (NCR) and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.

IATF member-agency heads, including DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista, led the conduct of the activity. Present during the event were DOH Secretary Francisco Duque, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año, and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III, as well as the local government officials of the province of Rizal. Secretary Bautista was joined by DSWD Undersecretary Rene Glen O. Paje.

The team also conducted a community distribution of the face masks and BIDA Solusyon campaign materials to the residents of Sitio Milagrosa, Barangay San Roque, Antipolo City.

DSWD, as a member of the IATF, continues to support all efforts that would help promote and protect the welfare of the poor and vulnerable amid the COVID-19 pandemic. ###