A safety and health program has been implemented for construction workers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and private contractors deployed to convert state-owned buildings into functional medical facilities for the prevention and control of corona virus (COVID-19) disease.
Private workers of EEI Construction, Vista Land Group, Ayala Corporation, Makati Development Corporation and Razon Group have complied to the construction guidelines/protocols issued by DPWH Task Force on Augmentation of Healthcare Facilities in the on-going projects for modification of Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, World Trade Center (WTC), and Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Forum Tent into temporary hospitals and health care facilities.
Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco T. Duque III together with Presidential Peace Adviser and Chief Implementer of the National Action Plan (NAP) against COVID-19 Carlito G. Galvez Jr., during their project inspection on the on-going works for the temporary patients’ facilities to meet the COVID-19 national health emergency at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, WTC and PICC held April 3, 2020 observed the compliance of both DPWH and private firms, to the construction advisory for safety and health of workers by the DPWH Task Force on Augmentation of Healthcare Facilities formed by Secretary Mark A. Villar which also adhere to the measures implemented to help curb the spread of COVID-19 by the Inter-agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID) headed by DOH.
In addition to the regular occupational safety and health guidelines of the Department of Labor and Employment in the construction industry, the following are among the special requirements and regulations for the protection and prevention against COVID-19 disease: daily monitoring of health conditions of the workers, including but not limited to temperature checks, health checklists, and exposure checklists; issuance of quarantine passes by contractors; physical distancing; discouraged sharing of hand tools and power tools; regular disinfection at work areas; and no deployment of workers with pre-existing health conditions including persons above sixty (60) years old so as not to compromise their immune systems.
Secretary Villar said that the special guidelines for construction workers is much needed in view of the current situation involving COVID-19.
Secretary Villar announced that Ninoy Aquino Stadium supported by Razon Group and augmented by workers of EEI Construction will be operational as DOH COVID-19 Health Facility by next week.
Meanwhile, DPWH with EEI Construction and Vista Land Group have pooled together for the building of health facility at PICC Forum Tent within ten (10) days.
Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, head of DPWH Task Force, said that EEI workers, with design recommendation of Hospital Design Specialist Architect Daniel Lichauco, are constructing the cubicles with exhaust system for 294 patients while DPWH counterparts work on the preparation of six (6) nursing stations for medical personnel and partition wall between storage area and patients hall with construction materials provided by Vista Land Group.
Additionally, DPWH is presently installing six (6) container vans/smart houses that will function as quarters of medical professionals and separate them from the patients’ health facility.
The Ayala Corporation and Makati Development Corporation are also racing against time to finish in 10 days the conversion of WTC with same features that of PICC and Ninoy Aquino Stadium from the design made by Architect Lichauco.