Ramirez stated that “supposedly the ethanol is being used for animal preservation or yung specimen preservation,” but believed that in a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, “mas mahalaga ang preservation ng human lives kesa preservation of animal specimen.”

The expected initial 35 liters of ethyl alcohol that can be produced from the ten-2.5 liters ethanol, will be “distributed primarily sa mga Capitol employees na usually naga-accommodate ng mga tao, especially dun sa mga health workers, providers and mga personnel natin sa hospital.”

“Naaawa tayo sa kanila kasi everyday susceptible sila or vulnerable sila doon sa disease na yan. So yung tulong natin sa kanila, is just first line of defense which is yung disinfection para sa kanila,” he said.

The formulation, as Ramirez disclosed, is 96% ethanol, combined with distilled water, and 87% glycerol as moisturizer, to produce a 70% ethyl alcohol solution.

“It’s very simple. The product is just the same with the commercial alcohol that could disinfect a certain virus,” he added.

But Ramirez clarified that the alcohol produced by the local government unit (LGU) of Sarangani “will not be distributed like the commercial alcohol, because commercial production is regulated. So mag-produce tayo for our own consumption lang.”

Yet, Ramirez said he has already told Engr. Gerald Faciol, the assistant provincial administrator, of his future plans to make it large-scale and suggested “na magbili tayo ng raw materials, then gagawin natin dito sa laboratory, i-formulate natin dito, then i-distribute natin.”

“So far yung ginawa namin presently na ten bottles, makakagawa tayo ng 35 liters, but that is very minimal. As much as possible we could buy yung raw materials para makagawa tayo ng marami. Walang limit as long as we have the raw materials,” he added.

On the other hand, ALSONS Group of Companies, through its Agribusiness Unit, donated ten five-gallons of disinfectant BKC-50ppm and four one-gallon Benzalkonium Chloride BKC-80%, to the provincial government on March 19.

This is said to be their way of saying thank you to all government employees for the continued service to the public in the fight against coronavirus disease. (Jori Mae Samillano/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)