Souvenir maker in Negros Oriental helps make face shields, transparent aerosol boxes

The Subida Souvenirs, a company based in Valencia, Negros Oriental, contribute to anti-coronavirus 2019 campaign by making face shields as well as two aerosol boxes used for intubation of patients. | DOST-7 photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines—A Negros Oriental craft company, which is engaged in the manufacture of quality artisanal works and souvenirs, joined many others in the campaign against the coronavirus 2019 outbreak by making face shields and aerosol boxes.

Subida Souvenirs is a startup company based in the municipality of Valencia, Negros Oriental that makes souvenirs and bags, among others.

The firm first joined the efforts of producing personal protective equipment (PPE) on March 23, 2020, when it was tapped by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) provincial science and technology center (PSTC) to make sample acrylic fasteners for a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) face shield using bamboo frame, according to the DOST in Central Visayas.

In a post on its Facebook page, DOST-7 said the company owner, Michael Alano, then presented his own version of DIY acrylic face shield, which could be made faster and cheaper using the laser cutter. 

This was made possible by using its cutting-edge technology, a laser machine acquired by the firm through the DOST Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP).

At the time, the PSTC had started collaborating with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Provincial Office, the Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) Fab Lab, and the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (NOCCI) for the mass production of face shields.

Subida Souvenirs then started making the face shields using the materials and funds for labor cost provided by the DTI, NOCCI and some private donors, which was given through the PSTC.

Alano, his wife January, and six workers, were able to make 4,000 face shields in less than two weeks. These were distributed to various hospitals and government health offices in Negros Oriental, just before the province-wide Enhanced Community Quarantine took effect on April 3.

The firm then took on the challenge of fabricating a transparent aerosol box needed by doctors during the intubation of COVID-19 patients.

Michael improvised a design he found online and using the laser cutter, the Subida team cut out components from the acrylic sheets provided by the government. 

They then assembled the parts to make two aerosol boxes, which were then turned over to the Silliman University Medical Center and the Ace Dumaguete Doctors Hospital, where they were put to good use. /bmjo