Ilonggo designers unite for medical frontliners

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

Ilonggo designers are joining the bayanihan spirit in Iloilo City by helping produce personal protective equipment (PPE) suits for medical frontliners against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In his Facebook post, Ilonggo designer DJohn Clement shared the medical suit he created using donations from generous Ilonggos.

“Thank you so much to the generous people who are donating fabrics and financial aids to create PPE’s for our frontliners. Our frontliners can’t protect us without proper gears,” Clement said.

His friend and fellow designer Bo Parcon helped produce PPEs with help from Amanda Treñas, Xandrix Monares, and Junriz Henderin.

“We will donate the fabrics that we have on hand, pattern and minimal financial assistance for the labor to create as many PPE’s as we can,” he said.

Another Ilonggo designer, Binky Pitogo also shared her improvised PPE suit which she plans to mass produce and distribute to different hospitals in the metro.

In her Facebook post, Pitogo thanked her batchmates and friends for funding the project.

“After a series of confusions and consultations, I finally got someone to try our improvised PPE suit sample. PPE suits are not for sale. These will be donated to different hospitals in Iloilo and is funded by my batchmates and friends,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ilonggo designer Adrian Pe who also works as a nurse at The Medical City Iloilo, also joined the call of producing fashionable PPE suits for Ilonggo medical frontliners.

He shared his colorful creations that were inspired by the popular television show, Teletubbies, in his Facebook post.

“Teletubbies will soon invade different hospitals in the city of love,” he said.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas has called for fabric and textile shops in the metro to open as the city government will produce its own PPEs for medical personnel due to limited supply worldwide.

Recently, the mayor shared in his page the improvised PPE suit which will be distributed to the medical staff of hospitals in the metro.

“If we can’t buy them, we make them. Kaya ta guid ini kay gabinuligay kita tanan,” he said.