Foundations led by Jack Ma, founder of the giant Alibaba Group, will donate to the Philippines “thousands” of face shields as well as medical-grade, full-body protective suits to help the country fight the new coronavirus, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez announced on Sunday.

In a press statement, Dominguez said the fresh pledges from the Alibaba Foundation and the Jack Ma Foundation would be in addition to Ma’s earlier commitment to give the Philippines 50,000 coronavirus test kits and 500,000 face masks, expected to be delivered this week.

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The Department of Finance (DOF) said the protective suits would “support the work of front-line health care workers.”

The DOF thanked Ma for his generosity.

Last week, the department said Ma gave Dominguez a downloadable electronic handbook that the Alibaba chief claimed “could help Philippine doctors, nurses and other health workers remain safe while treating coronavirus patients.

Published by the Jack Ma Foundation, the handbook draws from the lessons China has learned in fighting the coronavirus, the DOF said. It is coauthored by several health experts who served on the front lines as China worked to contain the virus, it added.

Chickens for ‘tinola’

In Lucban, Quezon province, a former migrant worker who has become a successful poultry raiser is giving chickens to residents of his town to help them through the monthlong quarantine of Luzon.

Patricia Cabawatan said her father, Ernesto, accompanied by Lucban Mayor Olivier Dator, gave away more than 400 chickens on Saturday. “[W]e intend to distribute more chickens and [other] food to help [people] in need,” she said.

Her father has a 10-hectare poultry farm in Barangay Atolinao.

In Biñan City, Laguna province, the local government is giving organic chickens and vegetables to poor families in Barangay De la Paz. A chicken is shared by two families that live next to each other.

The local government has given away 200 chickens since Saturday. The chicken comes with chayote—for making “tinola.”

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Roman Carencia, the city’s information officer, said the chickens and chayotes came from the local government’s three-hectare organic farm in De la Paz.

The city government also distributes relief packages containing rice and disinfectants to residents.

It has also tapped the city’s garment makers to make washable face masks for distribution to residents. It pays the garment makers P10 per mask.—Reports from Ben O. De Vera, Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Michael Jaucian and Maricar Cinco

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What you need to know about Coronavirus.

For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.

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