MANILA - The government of Canada on Tuesday said it would provide an additional CAD$1.9 million or about P70.2 million in aid for the Philippines' fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

This is on top of the CAD$1.18 million (P44.5 million) aid it announced earlier this month, bringing the total aid to more than CAD$3 million (P114.7 million).

• Canada commits P44 million aid to PH coronavirus fight

Aside from support to two initiatives earlier announced by the Canadian government, the additional aid will go to the existing Enhance Mother/Newborn/Child Health in Remote Areas through the Health Care and Community Engagement (EMBRACE) project implemented by Adventist Development and Relief Agency Canada (ADRA).

The additional funding will support activities such as information dissemination on COVID-19, training of health care frontline workers on clinical management and contact tracing, as well as provision of sexual and reproductive health services.

The fund will also be used to equip temporary health facilities with portable toilets, shower areas and other facilities, as well as the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPEs), testing kits, disinfectants and sanitation tents, among others.

“As the COVID-19 health crisis evolves, we recognize that for many people– particularly women and children—the pandemic may have significant and lasting adverse effects on their health, prosperity and opportunities. We are committed to supporting our partners in the Government of the Philippines in their life-saving work,” Canada’s Ambassador to the Philippines Peter MacArthur said in a statement.

Canada is also supporting southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, by providing personal protective equipment and capacity-building for the Philippines-led ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) BioDiaspora Virtual Center within the ASEAN Emergency Operations Center Network.

The Philippines is also one of the beneficiary countries identified to receive COVID-19 diagnostic equipment, testing kits and laboratory consumables, among others, as part of the CAD$5-million global project Canada is funding through the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The Philippines as of Tuesday recorded 31,825 cases of COVID-19, with 8,442 recoveries and 1,186 deaths.