MARIVELES, Bataan — A company at the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) in this town is set to supply and sell to the Philippine government two million face masks every month because of the 2019 novel coronavirus.
This was revealed Wednesday by Hazel Keith, information officer at the FAB corporate affairs department.
She said Medtex Corp.used to produce 80,000 face masks daily but because of the great demand for the items, the company will be increasing its production capacity and has begun ordering for additional machines.
“Nag-commit ang Medtex kay Trade Sec. Ramon Lopez ng two million masks monthly for the Philippine government,” Keith said. She disclosed that Lopez came to know of Medtex after the company donated N95 face masks and surgical masks during the eruption of Taal Volcano.
Asked until when the order will last, Keith said “Two million monthly ng face masks hanggang kailangan ng bansa. Dahi sa pagdagdag ng demand, nagdagdag din ng manpower at ang operation hours dinagdagan.”
Duanmu Jianlang, a Chinese national and Medtex general manager, said they have been producing face masks for 30 years and that once-in-a-while they donated masks to the Department of Trade and Industry and the Red Cross.
He could not say their daily or monthly production of face masks, the work being under their marketing department, but he said that they have ordered new machines to augment their production capacity.
“New machines continue coming. Checking new machine now, another to arrive tomorrow, Thursday. Have received order because of coronavirus,” Duanmu said, adding: “Production 24 hours, very rush. Rushing orders 24 hours.”
He said they do local sales with Medtex as brand for their face masks.
Medtex Corp. is engaged in the manufacturing of bandage, elastic plaster, and face masks. It is one of the four subsidiary companies under the Medtecs Group of Companies, a group of Filipino-American-Taiwanese-British enterprises.
Another company is Medtecs Materials Technology Corp. that produces protective clothing and uniforms, and medical specialty garments.
Their export markets include the USA.
