Pilipinas Shell donates hazmat suits for Batangas Medical Center frontliners

MANILA: Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC), through its Tabangao Refinery, has successfully donated over 340 Ultitec-4000 Hazmat suits to be utilized as personal protective equipment (PPE) of COVID-19 frontliners of Batangas Medical Center (BatMC) working to fight the pandemic.

The medical facility is designated as one of the hospitals to handle potential COVID-19 patients in the area.  In a statement, Shell Philippines said, "In our effort to protect the people of Batangas and most specially the frontliners who are expose to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pilipinas Shell refinery has (decided) to come up with PPEs for the frontliners of BatMC."

The company's VP for manufacturing JP Groot-Wassink described the suits as "part of Shell’s PPE materials for staff and the suits have an outstanding barrier against biological hazards and are suitable for H1N1 influenza management, Ebola virus, and COVID-19 disease control.”

Dr. Maritess Torio, chief of medical professional staff II of BatMC, received the donation on behalf of the hospital, and described it as a  "a blessing for... frontliners, very timely as well, (as they) were running out of PPEs for medical professionals.”

BatMC is Shell’s partner in its social investment programs, particularly through medical and dental missions done twice a year in the refinery. BatMC is a state hospital that services not only Batangas but also Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, and Quezon.

Shell also donated suits to the Harbor Pilot Association of Batangas as a precaution for COVID-19 when staff are boarding foreign vessels going to Batangas Port. Pilipinas Shell is currently supporting the skeleton manpower of its contractor with free transportation.

In photo from left are: Jan Peter Groot-Wassink (Vice President for Manufacturing), Myra Anico (Health Manager for Operations-Tabangao Refinery), Dr. Maritess Teresita Torio (Chief of Medical Professional Staff II-BatMC), Helen Villena (Supervising Officer Property Officer, BatMC), Josie Manalo (Finance Officer, BatMC), and Darlito Guamos (External Relations Manager-Tabangao Refinery).

Photo from Shell Philippines

Also read: Shell donates N95 face masks to DOH, UP-PGH