Investing.com - Financial Markets Worldwide
June's AI-picked stock updates now live. See what's new in Tech Titans, up 28.5% year to date.Unlock Stocks

Philippine grandma sews face masks for Taal volcano evacuees

Published 01/16/2020, 09:11 PM
Updated 01/16/2020, 09:16 PM
Philippine grandma sews face masks for Taal volcano evacuees

By Adrian Portugal
LIPA, Philippines, Jan 16 (Reuters) - When demand and prices
of face masks shot up after a small yet destructive volcano
south of the Philippine capital suddenly spewed volcanic ash, a
61-year-old seamstress sprang into action to help her
neighbours.
Rosalina Mantuano, a seamstress for 45 years, began sewing
dozens of colourful masks using scrap fabric in her atelier and
gave it away for free to her neighbours in Lipa city, just 20 km
(12 miles) from the Taal volcano.
"As a seamstress, I thought what if I made my own masks and
give it away for free to those affected. That is what I did,"
said Mantuano, who makes 100 face masks a day.
Many residents and tourists were caught off guard after Taal
shot giant clouds of ash high into the air on Sunday.
Shortly after the eruption, supply of face masks dropped and
prices increased to as much as five times the usual price. The
Philippine trade ministry has threatened to sue businessmen and
shutter their shops for raising prices to unreasonable levels.
Cloth donations poured in when people heard of Manuano's
efforts, she said. She has since received cloth donations,
allowing her to produce around 400 more checkered, flowery and
striped face masks.
"A lot of people here needed face masks, supplies were sold
out and others were very expensive," said neighbour Remedios
Guevarra.
Mantuano's son-in-law, a member of a motorcycle riders'
group, delivers food and the home-made masks to evacuation
centres.
Taal volcano is now on its fifth day of continuously spewing
ash and steam, with authorities banning evacuees from returning
to their homes located in the danger zone.

Latest comments

Install Our App
Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.