IN A bid to help the government fight against the coronavirus disease pandemic, BioPower Group and ThomasLloyd, a European-based firm, donated a mobile swabbing unit to the Negros Occidental Provincial Government through Governor Eugenio Jose V. Lacson.
The said swab mobile was blessed and turned over to the province Wednesday, July 8, 2020, and was received by the governor, board member Agustin Ernesto "Tinto" Bascon and lawyer Rayfrando Diaz II, Provincial Administrator from BioPower Stakeholders Senior Manager Jack Celdran along with some of his colleagues.
The said unit was the second swab mobile that their company has donated. The first one was donated to the Bacolod City Government through Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia.
BioPower firm remains committed to supporting communities and the government as they already contributed P5 million to Covid-19 response initiatives in the form of personal protective equipment (PPEs), medical supplies and the Mobile Swabbing Units, which will enable to protect medical workers and enhance response time when they are deployed to areas across the province where swab collection is needed.
Arthur N. Aguilar, president of BioPower Group, said the company will continue to support the Provincial Government and its partner local government units in managing this crisis. They believed that the mobile swab units would aid them as the Covid-19 transmission persists.
ThomasLloyd was instrumental in donating PPEs and medical equipment to Queen of Mercy, Corazon Locsin Montelibano Regional Hospital and isolation centers in Bacolod City, E.B.Magalona, Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital and Cadiz District Hospital.
They also provided PPEs and food provisions to the LGUs of San Carlos City, La Carlota City and to the town of Manapla during the onset of the community quarantine.
Michael G. Sorry, managing director and chief executive officer for Asia Pacific of ThomasLloyd Group ltd., affirmed that ThomasLloyd is proud to stand side by side with their local partners and the people of Negros Occidental, as they face the challenge of the pandemic.
"Together, we will come through this successfully," he said.
On the other hand, Lacson expressed his gratitude to BioPower and ThomasLloyd for the donation, which is very timely as the fight against Covid-19 continues to be an uphill battle citing the return of the overseas Filipino workers and locally stranded individuals (LSIs).
"This is the fourth month of the pandemic and it is more challenging," he said.
The mobile swabbing unit speeds up the delivery of specimens to the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital for the processing of specimens.
"They are here not to make an income but help us in the campaign versus Covid-19," he said.
Diaz, for his part, said that the mobile swabbing unit is a beautiful gift given to the province in this time of the pandemic.
"We truly appreciate your generosity to the people of Negros," he said.