Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 5) – The Philippine Red Cross is eyeing to construct its own emergency oxygen-generating plant in the National Capital Region to accommodate the rising need for medical oxygen among COVID-19 patients and those with other respiratory illnesses.
PRC chairman and Senator Richard Gordon said this Thursday, but added setting one up could take up to eight months.
This is why they are also considering buying mobile oxygen-generating plants which may be moved to areas where these are most needed, the senator said.
“Kung saan ang pandemic lumalakas, doon tayo maglalagay,” Gordon said. “Pag mobile, you can put it sa Paco kung kinakailangan. Paparada mo lang ‘yun doon, gagawa ng isang araw ‘yun 250 kaagad. Lipat ka sa kabila, makakagawa ka.”
[Translation: Where the pandemic threat is stronger, that’s where we’ll put the mobile plant. If it’s mobile, you can put it in Paco, if needed, for instance. It’ll stay there and can generate 250 oxygen cylinders in one day. Then, you can transfer it to another area and make more cylinders.]
A single plant that could produce 250 oxygen cylinders daily is seen to cost around ₱70 million, according to Gordon.
The senator added he has asked the Department of Trade and Industry to probe suppliers’ alleged overpricing of medical oxygen tanks. He said at the height of the COVID-19 surge in the past weeks, there were reports of people being charged ₱13,000 to ₱25,000 per tank, when the usual price stands at ₱7,000.
“I fired up a letter to Secretary (Ramon) Lopez to check ang mga overcharging na ‘yan [these incidents of overcharging]. Nagsasamantala na ang nagtitinda ng oxygen [Oxygen suppliers have been taking advantage of Filipinos], ” he said.
PRC also eyes hospital for non-COVID patients
The humanitarian organization is also looking at putting up a hospital for non-COVID patients to help decongest medical facilities already swamped due to the pandemic.
“Mga emergency, nanganganak, inaatake, kakayanin na ‘yan kung saka-sakaling meron tayong non-COVID na emergency hospital,” Gordon said.
[Translation: Emergency cases, such as those about to give birth or who have suffered from a heart attack, can be accommodated by this non-COVID emergency hospital.]
Gordon added they are considering building only one for now, as it would be costly. Should the plan push through, he said it will be built adjacent to another hospital.
CNN Philippines Correspondent Carolyn Bonquin contributed to this report.
