Over 7,000 face shields — and counting — have been distributed to frontliners, thanks to the initiative of the Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, along with the Technological University of the Philippines-Visayas.
The collaboration between the two gave birth to Tapna Covid19, an initiative that aims to support frontliners by providing them with protective gear, or specifically face shields for medical frontliners and border control officers, a press release from the NWTF said.
The anti-COVID initative was started 24 March by NWTF, a micro-finance organization, along with the TUP-Visayas team composed of professors from the state-run university and its Mechatronics Engineering Technology department, ECE department, other faculty and staff and their family members headed by TUP-Visayas Campus Director Eric Malooy.
“One necessary thing for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,” Aljo Habaradas, ECE faculty member, volunteer, quoted Edmund Burke when asked why he opted to involve himself in this endeavour.
Habaradas, according to the press release, is one of the initiative’s volunteers tasked with the technical side of the operations, from the setting up of the 3D-printer, to the maintenance, repairs, and troubleshooting.
It takes about two hours to produce two frames for the face shields; as of present the team can now produce around 250-300 face shields a day. These protective face shields are designed to be reusable with proper disinfecting.
They are then turned over to the target recipients.
When asked about the goal of the initiative Malooy said that it is simply answering the question of how we can be of help to the community, especially in this crisis.
Malooy also expressed his thanks and said that he is proud of where the team has gotten that even with all the dangers, the volunteers are doing everything they can to help.
Asst. Director for Administration and Strategic Projects Raymond Serios, meanwhile, said, “Like what NWTF believes in, there is always hope in light or in face of tragedy, and it is that hope which keeps us going, and I believe we will survive this, we will triumph over this.”
The foundation, in its press release, also dedicated 1 May, Labor Day, to the frontliners who they said “have gone beyond their call of duty”.
“We at Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, together with our families and friends would like to honor your contributions to the cause of protecting and saving lives. This labor day in the Philippines is a day of hope, and you, our beloved frontliners, are the bearers of hope. Thank you, frontliners,” the foundation added.
