SM Group has announced it will provide Php 100 million for personal protective equipment (PPEs) and medical supplies to assist healthcare workers at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), two of the country’s leading institutions in the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PPEs such as face masks, gowns, visors, hoods, gloves, and shoe covers as well as test kits, alcohol, and other medical supplies would be provided to the government hospitals PGH and (RITM), and other hospitals.

“As there is a local shortage of personal protective equipment – face masks, gowns, visors, hoods, gloves, and shoe covers, SM is bringing these PPEs in for government hospitals who badly need them,” the SM announcement said, adding it was working with the UP Medical Foundation Inc. for the distribution of the supplies.

SM is also working with PGH and RITM to see how to improve their laboratory testing capacity.

SM is collaborating with Manila Healthtek, Inc., manufacturers of the COVID-19 rapid diagnostic test kits developed by the team of Dr. Raul Destura from the University of the Philippines National Institutes of Health (UP NIH), to distribute 20,000 test kits for free to government hospitals once approval is given for local use.

As the Philippines’ healthcare workers combat the coronavirus disease or COVID-19, the country’s top three universities, University of the Philippines, La Salle, and Ateneo have initiated providing assistance to the frontliners.

Another group of University of the Philippines Diliman (UP Diliman) students is developing a sanitation tent that anyone can use to help stop the spread of the coronavirus disease or COVID-19.

As the Luzon Island was declared under quarantine on Tuesday, March 16, netizens organized a simultaneous action to applaud the health workers in the frontlines int he battle against the virus.

SEND CHEERS to SM Group for their initiative to assist the country’s healthcare workers!