- World Bank pledged $100-million fast-track loan for the Philippines amid the threat of CO
VID-19 - The Department of Finance said the country can receive the amount in a matter of weeks
- The DOF said the loan will allow the Department of Health to procure more CO
VID-19 testing materials and personal protective equipment for health workers
Amid the threat of COVID-19 in the Philippines, the World Bank has pledged $100-million fast-track loan for the country’s , the Department of Finance (DOF) disclosed.
According to the DOF, the country can receive the amount in a matter of weeks and will allow the Department of Health to procure more COVID-19 testing materials, as well as personal protective equipment for health workers. In addition, the country is also eligible for a waiver for the first year of commitment fees.
On March 3, the World Bank said it prepared the $12-billion financial package “COVID-19 Fast Track Facility” to assist countries amid the threat of the aforementioned disease.
Cases in PH
According to the latest data from the Department of Health (DOH), the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 462 as of postng, which includes 33 fatalities and 18 recoveries.
Earlier, the DOH launched the DOH COVID-19 emergency hotlines 02-894-COVID (02-894-26843) and 1555 in partnership with the National Emergency Hotline of the Department of Interior and Local Government, and PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc.
Through the hotlines, callers can ask questions if they suspect they are infected with COVID-19, or request assistance if they have symptoms and/or known exposure to confirmed cases or patients under investigation.
The information collected from emergency calls is transmitted to the COVID-19 Emergency Operations Center and other relevant agencies for immediate facilitation and response.
