CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The public need not worry about the availability of N95 and N88 surgical masks in the market, as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) assured its constant supply.
This is amid the sudden surge in the demand of the product as protection from the health risks of ashfall brought about by the eruption of Taal volcano may cause.
DTI Secretary and Board of Investments (BOI) chairman Ramon M. Lopez stressed the commitment of the sole local manufacturer of medical masks, Medtecs International Corporation Limited, in addressing the demand for face masks.
"The public should not worry as DTI is working to ensure the supply of reasonably-priced N95 face masks will be made available to the public to protect them from the ashfall generated by the Taal Volcano eruption," said Lopez.
Lopez and DTI Undersecretary and BOI managing head Ceferino S. Rodolfo met with Medtecs after the company gave 2,000 pieces of FFP2-N95 face masks and 100,000 pieces of N88 surgical face masks for donation to affected areas in Calabarzon through the DTI regional offices.
Medtecs confirmed it will be supplied with 400,000 more pieces of FFP2-N95 face masks from its mother company abroad by next week, Lopez said.
Lopez added that the company also have two million pieces of N88 surgical masks available and ready for disposal. These masks are being produced from Medtecs' plant in Bataan.
Medtecs has reportedly already donated a total of 12,000 FFP2-N95 face masks and 500,000 N88 surgical masks for those affected by the volcano eruption.
Lopez also assured that the agency is constantly monitoring the prices of face mask to ensure that consumers will not be taken advantage during this crisis situation.
"While we are conducting price monitoring operations to certify that there is no overpricing of medical face masks, we are safeguarding the production of critical products needed to address the calamity through a program of incentives in the 2020 Investments Priorities Plan as well," Lopez said.
Medtecs Chief Financial Officer and Director Wilfrido C. Rodriguez, meanwhile, gave their commitment to supply the needed medical masks in the wake of the recent Taal Volcano eruption and said they can produce bulk orders.
They also said they have not increased their prices with the FFP2-N95 face masks still available for purchase at the Suggested Retail Price (SRP) of P60 via their hotline number (632) 8817-9000.