by: Sr. Marilyn Salamida –
This COVID-19 pandemic, an outbreak that hit our world, is a tragedy that most of us perhaps never imagined will have a great impact on us personally, locally and internationally. As we all face and battle the consequences brought by this crisis, among the greatly and badly affected are the health and medical workforce, our medical frontliners – the Doctors, the Nurses and the medical assistants who succumb to health threats and risk their lives in the service of the people infected by the disease.
As an expression of support to our medical frontliners, Rev. Msgr. Bobby C. Canlas, Rector of the Shrine of Jesus the Way, the Truth and the Life, would offer prayers and remember them in his Holy Eucharistic celebrations which are streamed online in compliance with the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) guidelines being implemented. Also, in solidarity with them, Msgr. Bobby personally appealed for voluntary financial donations for the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the medical frontliners of three identified hospital-beneficiaries. Initiating the appeal, Msgr. Bobby, his mother, Nanay Pining Canlas and the Shrine of Jesus started off with their personal financial donations, a significant amount which greatly contributed to the realization of the target collection. With God’s grace, the Shrine of Jesus volunteers, their families and friends and some kind individuals and families followed through and responded to the call and the needed amount was raised.
One set of a Standard PPE costs P500.00 and from the total donations garnered, 1,500 sets of PPEs were acquired amounting to a total of P750,000.00 exclusive of the delivery charges. The PPEs were handed over to the designated officials of the three hospitals last April 14, 2020 through the efforts of some Shrine volunteers, Bros. Bing Mendoza, Bobot Dy, Daniel Saporna and Bros. Richard Tia and Ramie Bernardo, Worship and Service Ministry Heads of the Shrine of Jesus, respectively. The hospital-beneficiaries and the number of PPEs delivered per hospital were as follows:
| Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium, Caloocan | 500 sets |
| National Center for Mental Health, Mandaluyong | 500 sets |
| Sta. Ana Hospital, Manila | 500 sets |
One set of PPE is composed of an Isolation Gown (1 pc), a Head Cap (1 pc), Goggles (1 pc), Sterile Gloves (1 pair), Booties (1 pair) and Surgical Masks (3 pcs). On behalf of the intended recipients, the hospital officials conveyed their thanks and appreciation for the PPE donations.
As we continue to combat this COVID-19 pandemic, we hope and pray that we also will never get tired helping and supporting all our frontliners as they struggle hard to help the COVID-19 victims and our brothers and sisters affected by this crisis. Your financial donations are most welcome and well-appreciated but most importantly let us continue to pray for them. Join us in our online prayers and Holy Eucharistic celebrations. Let us be one and united in prayers and the good Lord will hear us and heal us.
To all our donors who generously shared their resources and extended support to our humble endeavor, we THANK YOU VERY MUCH for your generosity. May the good Lord reward you with more blessings.
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