Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar announced the completion of new quarantine facilities in Iligan City, Lanao Del Norte that will help free up hospital beds for moderate, critical or severe COVID-19 cases.
Villar, government’s isolation czar for the coronavirus pandemic, said that three multi-purpose buildings in Iligan City were converted into isolation facilities with 120-bed capacity by DPWH Lanao del Norte 2nd District Engineering Office in partnership with the city government.
Representing the public works chief, DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain turned over a 40-bed capacity quarantine facility at Barangay Poblacion to Iligan City Mayor Celso Regencia recently.
Also present at the ceremonial turn over were DPWH Project Director Sharif Madsmo Hasim, Assistant Regional Director Rey Peter Gille, Lanao Del Norte 2nd District Engineer Engineer Alykhan Ali, and other city government officials.
“Multi-purpose buildings located at Barangays Acmac and Tomas Cabili were also converted into quarantine facilities.”
According to Sadain, head of the DPWH Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of Local and National Health Facilities formed by the public works head, two similar multi-purpose buildings located at Barangay Acmac (Sta. Felomina) and Barangay Tomas Cabili were converted into quarantine facilities each with 40-bed cubicles that will enable immediate isolation of asymptomatic, mild, suspect or probable cases to help curb the spread of coronavirus in the city.
Other than the conversion of the covered court into cubicle rooms, a restroom and shower was set up in the quarantine facilities.
The facilities to be operated by the city health department will provide not only the much-needed treatment of COVID-19 patients but also the proper care of locally stranded individuals and returning overseas Filipinos undergoing the mandatory 14-day period of self-isolation for the protection of their families.
“The immediate isolation of infected persons is very important in the fight to stop the spread of coronavirus in the city.”
Regencia expressed his sincerest gratitude to Villar and the DPWH Task Force for putting up the much-needed quarantine facility knowing fully well that the immediate isolation of infected persons is very important in the fight to stop the spread of coronavirus in the city which has already recorded 234 cases as of August 26.
More quarantine facilities will be constructed by DPWH in Northern Mindanao to ensure that those who cannot undergo self-isolation have a place to stay where they will be cared for and treated by health professionals.
Sadain said that the DPWH plans to build isolation facilities at Barangay Lunotan, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental with 37-bed capacity; Talairon, Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental with 90-bed capacity; and Upper Puerto and Barangay Macasandig, both in Cagayan De Oro City with 20 and 30-bed capacity, respectively.