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DTI: Local face mask manufacturer vowed to prioritize local demand
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is working with various manufacturers and suppliers of face masks to ensure availability amid the surge in global demand caused by the novel coronavirus outbreak.
"Nagpa-inquire na kami last week pa lang para matulungan 'yung mga drug store na makahanap ng supplier," DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV on Tuesday.
He said the DTI has come across a local manufacturer who pledged to prioritize local demands.
"Dito ho sa atin, may kaisa-isang supplier at manufacturer niyan na exporter talaga 'yan, 41 years na. Ang maganda ho, yung may-ari dahil pina-prioritize niya ang Pilipinas at gusto niya tulungan ang Pilipinas, nag-commit siya sa atin na mag-aallocate siya ng 400,000 a week ng kanilang produksyon," Lopez said.
Half of the said weekly bulk of supplies will be allocated for the frontline workers in the Department of Health while the other half will be offered to local pharmacies, many of which had ran out of stocks already amid the hysteria over the novel coronavirus.
Lopez did not specify the name of the local manufacturer but said its owner offered to sell the face masks at P8 each — lower than the current cost of P25 to P50 per piece.
Further, he said that the DTI is looking into the possibility of tapping other suppliers in Thailand to meet the demands in the country.
Lopez acknowledged that the demand for face masks in many countries really spiked due to the novel coronavirus which can be transmitted through droplets in the air from sneezing or coughing.
Surgical masks and N95 masks are already out of stock in many stores at Bambang, a known destination in Manila for medical supplies.
Lopez said the DTI also apprehended 18 retailers for overpricing and assured the public that monitoring mechanisms are in place to protect the consumers. —Dona Magsino/KBK, GMA News
