KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya: Despite the nine months of non-operation, a mining company here has earmarked some P6 million of its Social Development Management Program funding to assist communities in Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino provinces respond to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. David Way, OceanaGold Philippines Inc. (OGPI) general manager, said working in coordination with various local government units gave them the opportunity to provide much-needed medicines, personal protective equipment (PPE) and food supplies to 47 barangay (villages) in this upland town and the town of Cabarroguis in Quirino province since March 28. “The aid is expected to benefit almost 19,000 households in Kasibu [Nueva Vizcaya] and Cabarroguis [Quirino] that host the operation of the company’s Didipio Gold-Copper Mine Project,” Way added. He said the OGPI’s team at the Didipio mine packed and distributed relief goods including food and medical supplies to 4,170 households in Didipio and adjacent villages. “The team is currently delivering relief goods to 14,800 households,” according to Way. The OGPI is also distributing medical supplies to key health centers in the Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) provinces of Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino, and neighboring Ifugao province in the Cordillera Administrative Region. Way said this would help Region 2 and the neighboring Ifugao province in boosting their capacity and preparedness for the fight against the coronavirus. To date, the OGPI has donated 4,300 units of N95 or N95-equivalent face masks, 4,000 surgical masks, 80 gallons sanitizing alcohol, as well as PPE like goggles, full-body cover-alls and nitrile disposable gloves in the first and second of three tranches of its aid package. The company will be purchasing additional PPE and relief goods to provide continued support to its partner communities, according to Way.
