“IT IS only in our darkest hours that we may discover the true strength of the brilliant light within ourselves that can never, ever, be dimmed.” – Doe Zantamata In challenging times we must pull together. The government cannot do it all alone.
Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Pogi Lazatin Jr. has infused participative governance in partnership with private individuals and organizations gesturing collective resilience to leapfrog from this devouring pandemic.
Partnering with the private sector could extend livelihood programs and services into poorer or informal communities.
The private sector, being a major contributor to national income and the principal job creator and employer, is a key stakeholder to accelerate business recovery and continuity.
Providing around 90% of employment including formal and informal jobs. Among the distinguished WHIPs (Women in High Intelligence and Power) of Angeles City patted by the city government is leading fashion designer Mich Viray of Casa Moda.
She initiated the “#ProjectMASKlasakit – Free Facemask” to help those who cannot afford. She crafted a child-friendly mask, making sure that every Angeleno kid will be equipped and protected from the deadly COVID19.
She designed U-Mask Casa Moda (Utilitarian Mask) which is medically and environmentally compliant, and affordable yet fashionable.
It goes with a filter, made of microfiber, non-repellent/waterproof, washable, reusable, with disposable filter, with mask holder/lace and the size is adjustable.
With U-Mask Casa Moda you can stay protected while breathing comfortably. You can place your orders now via Page: Casa Moda by Mich Viray, Facebook: Casa Moda, Mich Viray Instagram: @Casamodartw @mich_viray. Colors available: Cherry, Beige, Dove, Royal, Aqua, Black, Pearl, and Canary.
Also available at Fabiano Manila Newpoint Mall. At the peak of the pandemic months ago, Viray has already been actively involved in the creative manufacturing of PPEs starting with gowns.
She has spent weeks researching the appropriate medical textiles to create these gowns and she is proud to provide these much needed items to the doctors and nurses on the front lines of this crisis.
Viray has been committed to helping the most vulnerable people in the affected communities like nurses and healthcare workers who are sacrificing their own health to treat and care for others; the teachers who are continuing to support their classrooms; mothers and children, many of whom are now at home, balancing full-time jobs and home schooling; and the elderly, who are at greatest health risk and unable to go out to shop for themselves. Above all, she stands behind the women who are supporting other women through this challenging time.
Mayor Lazatin has invited local designers to create designs and patterns for the “Face masks and PPEs Livelihood Program” to help with the implementation and coupled with promoting their talents and skills in designing. One of them is Viray and together with other designers, they will be deployed by the city government to orbit all 33 barangays for orientation and training of the “mananahis”. Mayor Lazatin’s “Reusable and Face masks and PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment) Livelihood Program” is manned by the Angeles City Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office, and Public Employment Services Office.
These protective gears will be donated to the frontline workers of Angeles City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (ACDRRMO), City Health Office (CHO) and Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center (RLMMC).
Meanwhile, Lazatin’s Chief Tactician and Adviser IC Calaguas and my No.1 WHIP, elaborates that this sustainable livelihood program has multiple goals. First, it aims to address financial security for home-based sewers amid the health crisis particularly solo parents, persons with disability (PWDs), stay-at-home parents, and women’s groups. Second, it provides protective gears for the frontliners’ vulnerability and third, environmental protection because the finished products are reusable face masks and PPEs. Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel and my No.2 WHIP stressed that under the program, each sewer is required to have his or her own sewing machine, while all the needed materials such as fabric, bands, and threads will be provided by the PESO.
She also added that as part of the qualifying requirements, PESO personnel will conduct ocular inspections to assess the equipment and sanitation status of the applicant’s workplace. Each sewer is required to produce 250 face masks per week, and 20 PPEs per month.
Every 15 days sewers will be paid, PhP 4.00 each for face mask and PhP 300 each for PPE. Meanwhile, aside from the production of facemasks and PPEs, other livelihood programs are in the pipeline such as tinapa-making, basket weaving, eco-bag making, rice retailing, and atchara-making. Humans are wired for resilience in the face of adversity.
Mich Viray’s kindness is contagious. While fear and illness itself can be contagious, so are acts of love and kindness. She focuses her energy on helping those who are most vulnerable in times of crisis, and the positive effects spread and strengthen our collective well-being.
Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected by this disease and to all the doctors and medical staff who have been working heroically non-stop in the past months in the effort to take care of our loved ones.