The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is now endorsing private sector cooperation with local government units (LGU) to keep workplaces free from the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
In a statement, ADB Director Paul Dominguez stressed the importance of maintaining linkages with LGUs, which currently have the manpower resources to enforce quarantine measures and health standards.
“If you have plans [to contain infections], go talk to your barangay officials because helping them keep the areas near your facilities COVID-free will actually help you. Secondly, I would go and contact the mayors and do the same. The level of manpower and of resources at that level varies widely,” Dominguez said.
Dominguez issued the statement as the government ramps up its efforts against Covid-19, particularly enforcing localized quarantine to limit business disruptions.
Last week, Chief implementer of the government’s national policy on Covid-19 Carlito Galvez expressed concern over the rising incidents of Covid-19 in workplaces in economic zones.
In response to the said observation, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the management of emerging infectious diseases (IATF) said the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will be coming out with supplemental workplace guidelines to prevent Covid-19 infections.
Private sector support
National Action Plan (NAP) Against COVID-19 Deputy Chief Implementer and testing czar Secretary Vince Dizon said the government also greatly benefit from the private sector.
He cited such partnership has led to the construction of the 525-bed mega quarantine facility in Parañaque City—the biggest so far in Metro Manila.
The facility is funded by the Razon Group through its construction arm Prime Metro BMD Corporation, and Bloomberry Cultural Foundation, Inc. The electricity and water supply of the facility is provided by Meralco and the Maynilad Water Services Inc., respectively.
The isolation facilities, Dizon said, will be crucial for the government to effectively isolate Covid-19 patients.
“A lot of the cases are mild and asymptomatic cases, up to 98.5% to 99%. We are going to have to house them and allow them to get better, roughly for two weeks, and these are the facilities that are going to house them,” Dizon said.
He said they have currently built other mega quarantine facilities, which have a total of 3,000 bed capacity, to accommodate Covid patients in Metro Manila, Bulacan, and the Calabarzon Region.