THE new “We Heal as One Center” in Bocaue, Bulacan has now been finished and may start serving as many as 300 patients infected with the Covid-19 virus.
The completion of the “mega treatment facility” in the Ciudad de Victoria complex was made possible through the close collaboration of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), and the MVP Group of Companies, a leading conglomerate of infrastructure utilities with diverse assets in power distribution, water supply, tollways operation and telecommunications and digital services.
Under the leadership of DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar and Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, the 300-bed Covid-19 mega-treatment facility at the Philippine Arena Complex made available by the INC in Ciudad de Victoria, will be completed on schedule by Wednesday, April 29, 2020.
Following the offer made by the INC to the government to utilize available facilities free of charge as quarantine site at their Ciudad de Victoria property, Villar directed Senior Undersecretary Rafael C. Yabut, who chairs the Covid-19 Coordination Committee; and Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, who heads the Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of Local/National Health Facilities to work with both goverment and private groups for the setting up of a mega quarantine center within 10 days.
In his April 27 report to Villar, Undersecretary Sadain said the installation of 92 bed cubicles at tent 1 with floor area of 26 meters by 105 meters, and 104 bed cubicles each for tents 2 and 3 with identical size of 50 meters by 60 meters, were completed following DOH standard space of 3.05 square meters per patient.
Separate toilet facilities for health workers using 40-footer container vans, medical personnel’s mess hall, disinfecting tents, supply storage area, and air conditioning system have also been set- up in each of the three isolation centers.
“This is another testament to the effective collaboration among the public and private sectors. Our group will continue to support the government’s COVID-19 emergency response programs and help the country recover from this pandemic. During this health crisis, everyone must pitch in,” said Pangilinan.
Under Pangilinan’s group, Nlex Corp. is providing special and exclusive access, as well as toll-free passage to all medical frontliners, ambulances, medical service vans. Meralco, for its part installed eight concrete poles and nine distribution transformers to energize the three mega tents.
Maynilad Water and subsidiary Philippine Hydro Inc. will provide free metering works for the water supply requirements of the quarantine sites. They will also render technical assistance and support on water supply-related concerns.
To support the quarantine center’s communication requirements, Smart Communications will equip the center with free Wi-Fi services and enable medical frontline workers and patients alike to be online.
“Our partnership signifies the true spirit of bayanihan. We are thankful to the MVP Group for helping us complete the requirements to make this mega quarantine center operational,” Public Works Undersecretary Emil Sadain said.
The quarantine center will be run by the Philippine government, with personnel from the Department of Health, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and Philippine National Police (PNP).
The “We Heal As One Center” at Philippine Arena Complex will be subject to final inspection/checking within this week by members of National Task Force and IATF-EID for acceptance and operation.