City puts up own disinfection machine

21 July 2021 – The city government has installed its own disinfectant machine to ensure a steady supply of sanitizing agent to aid the city’s Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) operations.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the machine now housed at the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) will produce and supply the city’s own requirement for hypochlorous acid for the conduct of regular disinfection operations under its anti-COVID-19 drive.

This will help the city cut on the cost of purchasing disinfectants which it used to source out from San Fernando City in La Union at three drums per week.

Apart from cutting on cost, the city will also be able to extend assistance to hospitals by supplying them with sanitizing agents free of charge.

To make it sustainable, the city is studying the possibility of charging fees to private entities that may want to avail of the product.

The mayor tasked the CDRRMO and the General Services Office to determine the schedule of fees, proceeds of which will go to the operation and maintenance of the machine.

Hypochloric acid is said to be 80 times stronger than other chlorine-based disinfectants. – Aileen P. Refuerzo