To augment the supply of facemasks here, the city government, with the cooperation of the City Cooperative and Livelihood Development Office (CCLDO), has tapped the services of home-based sewers.
This city aims to come up with 50,000 pieces of masks, but the volume might increase to 100,000 if more sewers will participate.
CCLDO chief Brenda Burdeos on April 1 said that around 100 to 150 sewers here have already applied for accreditation.
Among them are from the barangays of Singcang-Airport, Handumanan, Bata, Banago, Estefania, Granada, Vista Alegre, and Cabug.
The CCLDO will provide the materials for the sewers, including the pre-cut fabric based on the Department of Health-approved face mask design. The sewers will get P10 for each face mask they finish.
“We expect each sewer to produce at least 50 masks. Once they are done, we will go to their homes and we will pick up the finished products,” Burdeos said.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia, for his part, ordered the CCLDO to implement a livelihood program that will allow accredited home-based sewers to make washable/reusable facial masks.
Although the said face masks above will not be medical-grade ones, the production will increase the supply of the commercially-sold face masks, which is now running out since replacement stocks cannot be quickly sourced from the usual suppliers.
The City Health Office (CHO) will deploy sanitation inspectors to check the home workplace sites of the sewers allowed to participate in the program.
Then, the finished products will be brought to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) for centralized disinfection and packing and will eventually be distributed to the frontliners all around the city as identified by the CHO and the CDRRMO.
On Tuesday, Leonardia issued Executive Order No. 27, series of 2020, requiring the mandatory use of face masks in all public places here.(With a report from PNA/PN)
