Mining firms Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC), a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC) and Coral Bay Nickel Corporation (CBNC) together with Graymont Philippines Inc. (GPI) have donated 60 beds to the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Bataraza to augment bed capacity requirement in the town's fight against the surge of COVID-19.
The two mining firms, through their joint Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds, have allotted a P4,000 budget for each bed with mattress for a total amount of P240,000.
This after Bataraza – Municipal Health Office (MHO) has determined the need for additional units of bed for the incoming COVID-19 patients in town. As of May 30, the municipality's active cases recorded 110, and contact tracing is still underway.
Report says that some provinces, cities and towns across the Philippines are running out of beds to cater to incoming COVID-19 patients.
MHO midwife Gerona Corpuz expressed sincere thanks to the mining companies and underscored that donated wooded beds are huge aid on MHO’s COVID-19 response program. She also added that wood materials are easy to disinfect.
"Sobrang salamat sa RTNMC at CBNC. Malaking bagay po ang additional wooden beds para sa temporary isolation facility ng Bataraza dahil narin sa tumataas na kaso ng Covid-19. Magiging komportable na para sa mga pasyente. Ang wooden beds ay madali ring madisinfect," said Corpuz
RTNMC ComRel Manager Bong Dela Rosa said the two mining companies recognized the efforts of the LGU in addressing the surge of cases in the municipality, emphasizing that the private sector has to take part and actively participate in containing the spread of the virus.
“Nakita ng RTN and CBNC ang effort at hirap ng LGU at ng MHO sa pagbibigay ng maayos na quarantine facilities. Dito naman agarang nagbigay ng tulong ang dalawang company dahil nakita natin ito ang primary need sa mga quarantine facilities,” Dela Rosa explained.
Dela Rosa also shared that the two mining companies have been one with Bataraza LGU through a private-public partnership in its COVID-19 response programs from health interventions to relief operations.
"Ang RTNMC at CBNC, simula pa no’ng pumutok ang COVID-19 at nagdeclare ng ECQ ay na-tap na ng LGU-Bataraza sa pamamagitan ng public-private partnership. Nakapagbigay na tayo ng ayuda sa buong Bataraza at ngayon naman, patuloy ang ating pakikipagtulungan sa LGU-Bataraza katulad nga nitong wooden beds donation," said Dela Rosa.
