The Manila City government is hiring sewers and master cutters who will make a million washable face masks that will be distributed to the city residents.
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said they aim to provide around 670,000 families in the city washable face masks to protect them from the coronavirus.
It would also provide an opportunity for some residents, particularly displaced workers, to earn a living amid the crisis, Domagoso said.
“Hindi lang siya job opportunity para makapagbigay kami ng trabaho, at the same time, job opportunity para labanan natin ang COVID-19,” he said in his city address Tuesday night.
“Kung loloobin ng Panginoong Diyos, pipilitin nating gumawa ng isang milyon na washable face mask,” he added.
In a Facebook post, the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) said around 100 sewers and 20 master cutters who are residents of Manila and aged 21 to 59 years old will be hired. Each sewer and master cutter can earn up to P2,000 per day.
The Manila mayor said they bought 50 sewing machines that will be used by those who will be hired to create the face masks.
The machines were bought using monetary donations to the city government that has reached around P20 million.
The machines are temporarily placed at the Unibersidad de Manila (UDM).
To ensure that physical distancing protocols will be observed, the machines were distributed to five rooms. (Minka Tiangco)
