SCG and Mariwasa donate Mobile Isolation Rooms to 2 hospitals

As part of its commitment to give back to the community, Mariwasa Siam Ceramics, Inc., the leading tile manufacturing company in the Philippines, donated two (2) units of Negative Pressure Mobile Isolation Rooms to the Veterans Medical Memorial Center on September 25, 2020 and another one (1) unit to the Lung Center of the Philippines on September 30, 2020.

 The SCG Mobile Isolation Rooms, which use a controlled air pressure system that can protect medical professionals from the risk of contracting the coronavirus disease, were turned over last Friday by H.E. Vasin Ruangprateepsaeng, Ambassador of Royal Thai Embassy, and Ms. Emilie Maramag, SCG Philippines Asst. Country Director, to VMMC Medical Director Dr. Dominador M. Chiong, Jr., in simple ceremonies also attended by Secretary of National Defense, Mr. Delfin Negrillo Lorenzana.

Turnover ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (left to right): Veterans Memorial Medical Center Medical Director, Dr. Dominador M. Chiong, Jr., Secretary of National Defense, Mr. Delfin Lorenzana, H.E. Vasin Ruangprateepsaeng, Ambassador of Royal Thai Embassy, and Ms. Emilie Maramag, SCG Philippines Asst. Country Director.

Thai Ambassador Ruangprateepsaeng and Ms. Maramag also led the donation drive at the Lung Center of the Philippines on Wednesday, with Dr. Sullian Sy Naval, LCP Deputy Executive Director for Medical Services and Dr. Antonio Ramos, LCP Administrative Services Department Manager, receiving another unit of the Mobile Isolation Room.

 Continuing efforts

The donation to the LCP was Mariwasa’s second to the hospital, with the first one turned over last June as part of the company’s continuing efforts to help in the fight against the dreaded coronavirus. In the same month, Mariwasa also donated one (1) unit each of Negative Pressure Mobile Isolation Room to the Sta. Ana Hospital and Dr. Fabella Memorial Hospital, both in Manila.

On August 10, Mariwasa turned over a Positive Pressure Mobile Isolation Room to the City Government of Sto. Tomas in Batangas, represented by City Mayor Edna Sanchez and City Administrator Salvador Geling.

Shown here during the SCG-Mariwasa donation of Mobile Isolation Rooms to the Lung Center of the Philippines are (from left) H.E. Vasin Ruangprateepsaeng, Ambassador of Royal Thai Embassy; Ms. Emilie Maramag, SCG Philippines Asst. Country Director; Dr. Sullian Sy Naval, LCP Deputy Executive Director for Medical Services; and Dr. Antonio Ramos, LCP Administrative Services Department Manager.

Humble contribution

“The pandemic has brought the world to its knees, but humanity will eventually prevail, thanks to the joint efforts of everyone. This donation is SCG and Mariwasa’s humble contribution to that cause,” said Mr. Jakkrit Suwansilp, SCG Philippines Country Director and Mariwasa President.

The Mobile Isolation Rooms are expected to serve as a decontamination area to ease the spread of COVID-19 virus in hospital facilities and are suitable for use in emergency rooms (COVID ICUs or PUI wards).

Catering to medical needs similar to permanent structures, the innovative equipment from Thailand can be installed quickly, equipped with a filter system that can effectively prevent the spread of viruses.

“I know that Thailand is not as badly stricken by the COVID-19 pandemic as we are and the gesture of donating the two negative pressure isolations rooms is really a classic example of that phrase “no one left behind.” Thank you so much on behalf of the Lung Center [of the Philippines] to the Thailand Government and Mariwasa Siam Ceramics, Inc.” said Dr. Naval.

 Coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei, China, and has resulted in an ongoing pandemic. As of this writing, more than 32 million cases have been reported across 188 countries and territories with more than 986,000 deaths. Mariwasa’s parent company SCG (Siam Cement Group) is the largest and oldest cement and building material company in Southeast Asia and Thailand, which has managed to contain the spread of the disease effectively.

Shown here during the SCG-Mariwasa donation of Mobile Isolation Rooms to the Lung Center of the Philippines are (from left) Mr. Evans Frivaldo, Mariwasa Engineering Department Senior Manager; Ms. Emilie Maramag, SCG Philippines Asst. Country Director; Dr. Antonio Ramos, LCP Administrative Services Department Manager; Mr. Danilo Bagay, Mariwasa AVP for Energy & Engineering, Technical, and Operations Division; and Ms. Evelyn Torio, Mariwasa Admin Senior Manager.