Palawan received 10 electronic intensive care unit (ICU) beds and five vaccine cold storage facilities provided by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, which were part of the larger donation to support medical facilities in COVID-19 high-risk areas in the country.
The equipment were transported aboard BRP Gabriela Silang from Manila to Puerto Princesa and were received by the Provincial Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) and respective provincial government officials.
The donation were granted upon the request of the Palawan provincial government. In a statement, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Head Jeremias Alili said that donated equipment arrived at a perfect time due to the surge of COVID-19 and to strengthen the healthcare capacity of the province.
“For over a year, the provincial government of Palawan has been making efforts to strengthen our healthcare capacity to fight against COVID-19,” Alili stated.
“This donation will help the people of Palawan a lot by upgrading our ability to fight against the pandemic. It comes at the perfect time due to the surge of new cases and will help us face this new challenge,” he added
The donation also symbolizes 75 years of bilateral relations between the U.S. and Philippines.
“We are here to provide directly support for the medical facilities here in Palawan in relation to the celebration of the Mutual Defense Treaty,” Cpt. Travis Burleson of Indo-Pacific Command’s Civil Military Support Element
The donation costs P758,750.