The Department of Public Works and Highways has disclosed that the 110 completed evacuation centers nationwide can be used as health facilities for suspected victims of COVID-19 virus.
Secretary Mark A. Villar said that based on the updated report of Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, head of DPWH Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of Local and National Health Facilities, there are 110 available completed Evacuation Centers in various locations in the country.
Considering the 12-square meter per patient latest safety measure of the DOH, the 110 evacuation centers converted into health facilities can accommodate an estimated number of 4,620 patients, said Secretary Villar.
According to Secretary Villar, these centers which were constructed as one of the mitigating measures in the disaster risk reduction are located in low risk areas, far from faults and not within the no build zones in accordance with the specifications of the National Building Code of the Philippines.
Secretary Villar has earlier directed Undersecretary Sadain and the members of his created DPWH Task Force to study the possibility of converting evacuation centers for the purpose of augmenting the capacity of healthcare facilities.
Caraga Region (Region 13) has started to counter the high transmissibility of COVID-19 with the conversion of evacuation center into health facility already with beds at Brgy. Baan Km 3, in Butuan City initiated by the city government and Butuan City Medical Center.
The newest evacuation center at Fairview, Quezon City is now also being used as Emergency Operation Center (EOC) by the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office in National Capital Region.
Four (4) evacuation centers are being considered by DOH for conversion into health facilities for a potential surge of ill patients from Central Luzon. These are located at Brgy. San Roque, Mexico and Brgy. Santa Catalina, Lubao in Pampanga; Botolan, Zambales; and Talavera, Nueva Ecija.
In Cagayan Valley Region, the DPWH Regional Office 2 conducted a joint inspection with DOH and LGUs at the identified evacuation centers in San Gabriel, Tuguegarao City while another facility at San Pablo is being considered by the City Government of Cauayan City, Isabela.
The evacuation center at Dalaguete, Cebu is now being used as health facility for persons under investigation/monitoring while eight (8) other units in Central Visayas are used as EOC.
The DPWH-completed buildings in Cagayan de Oro City, Northern Mindanao and Tabuk, Kalinga in Cordillera Administrative Region are also being considered by DOH for conversion. Four (4) other evacuation centers in the Cordilleras are being utilized as food hubs by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Undersecretary Sadain also reported that 15 other units which can accomodate 630 patients will be added to the 110 available evacuation centers nationwide; with 13 of them only in need of water/power connections by concerned local government units and two (2) others need some minor corrections by DPWH.
The DPWH Task Force with its technical working group composed of Bureau of Maintenance Director Ernesto S. Gregorio Jr. and Assistant Director Maria Visna M. Manio, and Bureau of Design OIC-Director Aristarco M. Doroy are closely coordinating with the 16 DPWH Regional Directors nationwide and their counterpart regional officials from DOH, DILG, and DSWD; concerned local government unit/s; and Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, added Undersecretary Sadain.