(Eagle News) – The Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Forum Halls, the World Trade Center (WTC) in Pasay City and the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila will soon be converted into facilities for the “treatment and health monitoring of COVID-19 patients.”
Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar announced this on Tuesday, March 31.
This would be transformed into COVID-19 facilities in at least two weeks, and the construction workers who set this up are already being given quarantine passes, he said.
“As most of health facilities in Metro Manila have reached or nearing maximum capacity, the immediate conversion of PICC Forum Halls will significantly provide an optimal isolation space for monitoring of people infected by COVID-19 virus,” Villar said in a statement.
The PICC forum halls can accommodate 630 patients once completed.
The World Trade Center COVID-19 facility would be set up with the help of the Ayala Development Corporation and Makati Development Corporation, Villar said.
The Razon Group will handle the conversion of the PSC-operated Rizal Memorial Sports Complex specifically the Ninoy Aquino Basketball Stadium, into a health facility for COVID-19 infection control, the DPWH said.
Only the forum halls of the PICC would be set up directly by government engineers with the guidance of health officials.
-Facilities to be used for COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms-
Villar said that once the conversion of the PICC forum halls is finished, these would be used to house, treat and monitor COVID-19 patients with mild respiratory symptoms like fever, coughs and colds. All these would be under the supervision of the Department of Health.
He said that he had already sent his people to inspect the sites, and to meet with officials of the Department of Health (DOH), Philippine General Hospital, as well as with the private firms who will help set up the additional health facilities.
DPWH Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, who heads the Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of Local and National Health Facilities will lead the site inspection.
He was also sent to spearhead the meeting with Dr. Leonita P. Gorgolon of DOH, Architect Dan Lichauco of UP-Philippine General Hospital, technical members of DPWH Task Force, management officials of PICC, World Trade Center, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and representatives of EEI Corporation, Ayala Development Corporation, Makati Development Corporation, and Razon Group of Company.
Thw PICC Forum Halls is a multi-purpose venue with usable area of about 4,000 square meters.
Undersecretary Sadain had already presided a special meeting at the DPWH National Capital Region office with the technical members of DPWH Task Force namely Bureau of Maintenance Director Ernesto S. Gregorio Jr., Bureau of Construction Director Eric A. Ayapana, Bureau of Design Director Aristarco M. Doroy, DPWH-NCR Director Ador G. Canlas with the nine District Engineers of the Region, and Engr. Cornelio Levalle of EEI Corporation – the private construction firm which will assist DPWH in the materials and manpower requirements.
Sadain had also secured the commitment of DPWH-EEI PICC COVID Action Team to work vigorously for the redesigning and conversion of Forum Halls 1 to 3 into COVID facility within two weeks.
“As directed by the National Task Force Covid-19, the DPWH will accredit construction workers who will work on the three facilities identified for purposes of quarantine or isolation. Such accredited workers shall be provided with quarantine pass to be exempted from the government’s strict home quarantine policy,” the DPWH said.
(Eagle News Service)
