Shell foundation donates 3.5K test kits to Rizal

PR March 28, 2021 ANTIGEN TESTS. Rizal province recently receives 3,500 antigen t...

PR
March 28, 2021

ANTIGEN TESTS. Rizal province recently receives 3,500 antigen test kits from Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. As Cabinet Officer for Rizal, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi coordinated the donation that would boost the province’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. (Contributed photo)

ANTIPOLO – The Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. has turned over 3,500 antigen test kits to the province of Rizal.

The company said on Wednesday that the simple donation ceremony was attended by its Executive Director Sebastian Quiniones, Logistics Officer Athon Cabugayan, Shell Philippines Exploration (SPEX) Vice President for External Relations Serge Bernal, and External Relations Manager Paulo Gavino.



Rizal Vice Governor Dr. Reynaldo San Juan Jr., Provincial Health Officer Dr. Iluminado A. Victoria, and Provincial Administrator Joseph G. Cenidoza received the antigen test kits that would boost the province’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa Shell at of course kay Secretary Cusi dahil may dagdag tulong na naman sa ating lalawigan. Malaking bagay itong pagbibigay nyo ng antigen test kits upang talagang malabanan at masugpo ang pandemic na ito. Number one ang testing upang ma-isolate natin ang nagpositive, kaya’t taos-puso po ang aming pasasalamat. Rest assured hindi po masasayang ang ipinagkatiwala nyo po sa amin (We thanked Shell and of course [Energy] Secretary [Alfonso] Cusi for this additional assistance to our province. These antigen tests will really boost our fight against this pandemic. We are so thankful. Rest assured that these will be used properly),” said San Juan, who represented Governor Nini Ynares.



Cusi, the assigned Cabinet Officer (CORDS) for Rizal, lauded the donation by Pilipinas Shell Foundation.

“Pasalamatan natin ang Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. sa kanilang pamamahagi ng antigen test kits para sa lalawigan ng Rizal. Patunay ito na sa pagtutulungan nating mga mamamayan at ng inyong pamahalaan ay sama-sama nating malalagpasan ang krisis na ito (Let us thank Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. for the antigen tests it donated for Rizal province. It is another proof that through collaboration of the people and your province, we will survive this [health] crisis),” Cusi said.



Cusi spearheaded the coordination efforts for the donation with the Pilipinas Shell Foundation and the Rizal provincial government.

He earlier also turned over face shields and conducted a feeding program with the Malasakit ng Duterte’s Kitchen in the province.

Quiniones expressed optimism that the donation will go a long way in helping the health front-liners.

“Una po sa lahat, nagpapasalamat po kami sa ating mga health workers, at sa lalawigan ng Rizal at tayo po ay nakaraos ng isang taon na (First, we would like to thank our health workers and the province of Rizal that we survived this past year that is) very difficult. The Shell Philippines Exploration thru Pilipinas Shell Foundation is very, very pleased to donate 3,500 antigen test kits. Hopefully magagamit po ito ng ating mga health workers para masugpo ang Covid (these will be used by our health workers to combat Covid-19),” Quiniones said.

Rizal is one of the four provinces placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) along with the National Capital Region (NCR) or the so-called NCR Plus bubble to contain the Covid-19 cases surge.

The province also reported that all its medical front-liners in all public hospitals have all been vaccinated under the government’s vaccination program.

The Philippines have so far received a total of 1.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, including 1 million donated by China. The country also got the first 520,600 doses of AstraZeneca jabs through World Health Organization-led COVAX Facility.