The Alonte Sports Arena located in Biñan, Laguna has been turned into COVID-19 treatment facility or ‘We Heal As One Center’ by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Task Force for Augmentation of Health Facilities.
Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon, deputy chief implementer of the government's COVID-19 response together with DPWH Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, head of Task Force for Augmentation of Health Facilities; Undersecretary Ricardo B. Jalad, administrator of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD); and Biñan City Lone Congressional District Representative Marlyn B. Alonte led the final inspection of the Alonte Sports Stadium ‘We Heal As One Center’ south of Metro Manila on Thursday, May 27.
Also present at the inspection of health facility set to start operation in the coming days under the management of Department of Health (DOH) Region 4A and OCD were DOH Calabarzon Center for Health Development Assistant Director Paula Paz M. Sydiongco, DPWH Region 4A Assistant Regional Director Jovel G. Mendoza, Biñan City Mayor Walfredo R. Dimaguila, Jr., DPWH Region 4A District Engineers, and Ms. Anna Mae Lamentillo of the Office of Secretary Mark A. Villar and DPWH Build Build Build Committee.
The fully air-conditioned Alonte Sports Arena was transformed into makeshift hospital with a total of 68 bed cubicles, nurse’s station, sanitation chamber, and separate toilet for healthcare workers.
Undersecretary Sadain said that following orders from DPWH Secretary Villar, the Alonte Sports Arena was quickly repurposed within seven (7) days through the “bayanihan spirit” truly exemplified by the DPWH Regional Office 4A together with the 16 District Engineering Offices, DOH and local officials of Biñan City.
Undersecretary Sadain said that Alonte Sports Arena will give new hope of a new life for those who will be healed in this converted healthcare center and will also help flatten the curve of the pandemic growth with a quarantine facility to isolate patients and stop the spread of infection in communities.
This facility is the tenth ‘We Heal as One Center’ completed since the government kicked off a project to convert stadiums, exhibition centers, and other buildings into mega quarantine facilities to augment and increase the capacity of our hospitals.