Published
By Raymund Antonio
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has crippled Metro Manila, but amid the public fear and health crisis, the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine has had some uplifting consequences: it has brought out the best in Filipinos.
(Photo via Raymund Antonio/MANILA BULLETIN)
True enough, a good samaritan walked through the door of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in Quezon City to donate much-needed equipment to protect health workers and frontliners in the fight against COVID-19.
Florante Sunga Jr. responded to the OVP’s call for donations even as leaving his home put him and his family at the life-threatening risk of being exposed to the viral infection.
To show her appreciation, Vice President Leni Robredo personally received the boxes filled with protective personal equipment (PPEs) from Sunga and shared his story on social media.
The turnover was captured in a photo Robredo uploaded on her personal Facebook page. She was seen observing social distancing while speaking with Sunga.
“I was at the office last night and this young, very unassuming man arrived telling us that he wants to donate,” Robredo said in a post.
“When he opened the boxes, lo and behold, they were filled with N95 masks, suits, and goggles — the most sought-after commodities needed by our frontliners right now!!!”
Robredo said her office received a call from Sunga’s wife, but the OVP staff thought it was only a “scam” due to the dwindling supply of these items amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
The vice president thanked Sunga and LSG Industrial and Office Products for their good deeds.
Robredo said Sunga was a “hulog na langit (blessing from heaven)” for his donations.
Medical professionals and health workers have been working tirelessly to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
But the shortage of PPEs that will protect them from the deadly virus has put their lives at risk.
Apart from the PPEs, the OVP also received 5,000 balut eggs from Nemencio Gonzales that were distributed to uniformed men manning the checkpoints in Metro Manila.
As of of this posting Saturday afternoon, the Philippines has recorded 77 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 307, with 19 casualties and 13 recoveries.
