Philippine manufacturers are now producing 60 million face masks every month compared to only six million in January. This is a 900 percent increase—and the numbers are expected to reach 66.4 million by year end due to soaring demand. By supporting the domestic production of personal protective equipment (PPE), local manufacturers are kept afloat during this crisis all the while securing jobs of thousands of Filipinos.
After the Philippine Board of Investments (BOI) encouraged local manufacturers to repurpose their manufacturing lines to produce PPEs, the country is now making 3.2 million medical overalls monthly when previously there weren’t even any. Every month, 6,050 ventilators (which used to be imported) and 60,000 IR thermometers are being produced.
Electronic manufacturers such as EMS and Everwin repurposed their factories to produce face masks and thermometers while spirits manufacturer Destileria Limtuaco produced ethyl alcohol. Even major automotive factory Hyundai participated in the initiative by creating face masks.
“I urge all organizations to ‘buy local’ and source their PPE from factories based in the Philippines, wherever it’s possible. Every time someone buys an item of PPE made here, they not only help protect people, but they also help save thousands of jobs and keep food on the table of families in our nation,” says BOI managing head and Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo.
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