The bamboo-framed face shield developed by the Department of Science and Technology-Forest Products Research and Development Institute has caught the attention of a lawmaker who is an advocate of using Filipino-made products.
Rep. Ann KHofer of the 2nd District of Zamboanga Sibugay and chairperson of the House committee on foreign affairs used the bamboo-framed face shield during the Working Group Caucus of the 11th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Aug. 14, 2020.
Wearing the bamboo-framed face shield during the meeting, Hofer facilitated the discussion on “Mitigating Risks and Strengthening Economic Resilience in the Period of Pandemic.”
She was joined in the video conference by international delegates from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, thus enabling her to showcase our very own innovation to combat the spread of COVID-19 disease.
“We are thankful to the support given by the members of the House of Representatives to this initiative,” said DOST-FPRDI director Romulo Aggangan.
Aggangan said a number of representatives have either commended or signified interest in adopting the bamboo-framed face shield including Ilocos Sur 1st District Rep. Deogracias Victor Savellano, Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo and Manila 4th District Rep. Edward Maceda.
DOST-FPRDI pioneered the production of bamboo-framed face shield in the country. Bamboo is a perennial, woody-stemmed grass widely used in making handicrafts and furniture.
The bamboo-framed face shield is one of DOST-FPRDI’s initiatives in response to the need for more personal protective equipment amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Since April, the institute has distributed face shields for free to various public and private frontline agencies around the country.
DOST-FPRDI has also provided training and technical assistance to the local government of Cabuyao, Laguna in its mass production of the said face shields.
“With the support of our partners in the Congress, we believe that more Filipinos will be able to use and benefit from DOST-FPRDI technologies. We will continue to find ways to help combat the global pandemic through R&D,” said Aggangan.