Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio revealed on Monday that there is shortage of oxygen supply in Davao City due to the surge of cases of Covid-19.
The mayor also bared that buying oxygen kit now requires doctor’s prescription.
“Duna nata’y kakulangan sa oxygen supply in Davao City and ang pagpalit karon ug oxygen kinahanglan na ug doctor’s prescription kung duna pa man mo’y mapalit,” the mayor said on Monday via Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR).
The mayor said the Food and Drugs Administration 11 (FDA) disclosed that one ingredient in manufacturing of oxygen has been exhausted, which may also cause the delay of manufacturers to supply oxygen.
“Adunay isa ka ingredient sa oxygen nga nahurot ug kinahanglan sila maghulat nga maka-manufacture ug usab and mao na inyuhang nakita na mga announcements of some hospitals in Davao Region nga duna sila’y mga announcement because tungod sa nagamit na ang tanan tanke tungod sa dili maka-supply dayon ang mga oxygen manufacturers,” Mayor Sara said.
Last week, Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) and Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC) raised the alarm of the shortage of oxygen supply via social media.
Mayor Sara said so far the city is not receiving concerns of oxygen supply shortage from the private hospitals.
Mayor Sara said she regularly meets the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH-Davao Region), SPMC, city government of Davao, PhilHealth, private hospitals and FDA.
“Mao ni ang six groups na nagaistorya didto and we regularly meet. FDA is there because they are the regulatory office for oxygen plants and oxygen suppliers and manufacturers,” she said.
Shortage of oxygen supply in the city is the primary reason why the city government of Davao will be establishing its own oxygen generation plant.
Mayor Sara already announced that an P11 million budget was already allocated for the oxygen plant with accessories and warehouse. The city has also ordered for the purchase of 1,000 units of oxygen tanks with regulators worth P12 million.
“Lain-lain na sila na project. Kini siya is part of the use of our disaster funds and kani sila tanan is our priority right now,” she said.
The mayor added that the city already requested the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force to provide the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) resolution requesting for emergency purchase or other forms of procurement to expedite the implementation of the project.
“Pero in reality sa government procurement medyo dugay-dugay gyud na and duna siya’y time period na taas. Makita na ninyo sa biyahe sa atong Covid-19 response ang crematorium took us almost a year. Ang atoang laboratory took us almost 14 months. Basta government procurement tungod sa documentary requirement and procedural requirements medyo naay taas na period of time. But allowed sa law na pwede siya papaspason mao na atong ginabuhat sa pagkakaron,” Mayor Sara said.
The mayor said the city is looking at a government-owned property in Ma-a near the slaughterhouse for the establishment of the planned oxygen plant.
“Ang unang ginatan-aw nato na area is duol sa atong slaughterhouse, naay property dira government duol sa Maa road slaughterhouse. Mao na atong una ginatan-aw para diri sa oxygen plant,” she said.
Mayor Sara, however, refused to give timeline for the implementation of the project due to the complicated procurement process in the government.
“Knowing that the procurement process and the delays by experience nato sa government. Dili ko gusto muhatag ug target kay dili ko gusto i-extend ug i-extend siya when the target comes and wala pa siya. But as I said, tanan na pwedeng procedure na himuon siyang mapapaspas mao nana atong ginabuhat nato karon,” she said.
The mayor added that there are suppliers who already presented their cost estimates as basis for the project design.
“Ang suppliers they come when they see naay projects for bidding. Pero kung cost estimate atong istoryahan, dunay mga suppliers nagpakita sa ilang cost estimate para basehan nato para sa pagbuhat sa project design para sa procurement,” she said.
