Caraga State U chemists produce disinfectant to fight Covid-19
By Alexander Lopez
CHEMISTS JOIN HANDS. Chemists and chemical engineers from the Caraga State University and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) produce four tons of disinfectants to be used to disinfect public places in Butuan City on Wednesday (March 25, 2020). The Butuan City-based state university says it is also in the process of developing locally-made thermal scanners. (Photo courtesy of Butuan City Information Office)
BUTUAN CITY – Chemists and chemical engineers from the Caraga State University and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) have joined hands with the city government to produce at least four tons of disinfectants that will be used to clean public places here.
City Information Officer May Diez said the volunteer chemists heeded the call of the local government to help contain the spread of the 2019 coronavirus disease here.
“Members of the Incident Management Team (IMT) will do the disinfection of the public place today,” Diez told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Wednesday.
She said the disinfectant will be available on public plazas, bus terminal, public markets, and the city’s main thoroughfares.
Chemists from CSU who joined the team in the production of the disinfectant include Dr. Felmer Latayada, Diana Juliet Anduyan, Margarito Caadan, Kenneth Ciudad, Brigette Orog, Benhur Medija, and Mark Anthony Lavapiez.
The DOST volunteers, meanwhile, are Jovelyn Sumagang, Laura Cril Famor, and Lyka de La Rosa while the chemical engineers include Mary Jane Jumawan, Christine Buyan, Emman Lliam Prisco, and Jonathan Agbayani.
“The city government of Butuan expresses its heartfelt gratitude to these chemists and engineers for sharing their time and expertise,” Diez said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Penaso, CSU president, vowed the state university’s support in the continuing fight against Covid-19 in Butuan City and the rest of the Caraga Region.
Aside from helping produce disinfectants, Penaso said CSU is also involved in the production of face shields and nanocellulose films for facial and surgical masks.
In addition, Penaso said CSU is also providing mental health and psychological support services and the provision of relief goods to students from far-flung areas who were stranded after the declaration of community quarantine in the city.
Last week, the CSU personnel also distributed hundreds of packed lunch, food items, face masks, and bottled alcohol to 100 frontliners at the Butuan Medical Center, as well as the government personnel manning the checkpoints in the towns of Carmen and Remedios T. Romualdez in Agusan del Norte.
Penaso said that CSU in Cabadbaran City in Agusan del Norte is also in the process of developing locally-made thermal scanners. (PNA)
