A total of 23 additional COVID-19 quarantine facilities in Metro Manila are now under construction and being fast-tracked for completion before the end of August 2020.
This was disclosed by Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark A. Villar on Monday citing the urgency of the projects as the Department of Health recently announced that COVID-19 hospital bed occupancy in the National Capital Region (NCR) has reached 'danger zone' or more than 70 percent occupancy.
"Our DPWH team is working on expediting the construction of isolation facilties that can accommodate patients with mild symptoms so that severe and critical cases can be prioritized in NCR hospitals," said Secretary Villar.
The ongoing facilities in Metro Manila are being implemented by the nine (9) District Engineering Offices of DPWH National Capital Region under Director Ador C. Canlas.
"Come August and we will have eight (8) additional isolation and quarantine facilities in Quezon City; four (4) in Pasay City; two(2) in Pateros; and one (1) each in Manila City, Marikina, ParanÞaque, Makati, Valenzuela, Caloocan, Muntinlupa, Malabon, and Navotas with total bed capacity of 2,417," added Secretary Villar.
In Quezon City, the ongoing projects include: the 270-bed capacity Tandang Sora Senior High School Quarantine Facility; 427-capacity Emilio Jacinto Senior High School in Pasong Tamo; 44-capacity converted container van at Quezon City General Hospital; 64-capacity converted container van at Quezon City University; 16-capacity converted container van at the House of Representatives; and 48-capacity each at the AFP Medical Hospital Compound, Quezon Institute Hospital Compound, and Camp Aguinaldo Hospital Compound.
Pasay City will soon have 172-bed capacity converted container van near WMall along Macapagao Avenue; 72-capacity at Villamore Airbase; 70-cubicle facility at Pasay City Sports Complex with 2 nurse stations; and 276-bed capacity facility at Folk Art Theater with 5 nurse stations.
Additional facilities will also be completed in Pateros including the two (2) 64-bed capacity facility with 4 health worker rooms at Ramos Pateros Elementary School and another unidentified site.
A new 58-bed capacity facility at Manuel L. Quezon University in Manila City with 2 nurse stations is also underway along with the 124-capacity facility at Barangay Nangka, Marikina; 56-capacity facility with 2 rooms for heath workers each at ParanÞaque City College and in Makati City; 56-bed capacity facility with 4 nurse stations at Lingunan National High School Quadrangle in Valenzuela City; 32-capacity quarantine facility at Caloocan City North Medical Center; 144-bed capacity facility with 3 nurse stations at Barangay Tunasan, Muntinlupa City; 88-bed capacity container van in Malabon and another 120-bed capacity facility in Navotas City.