The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has successfully completed and turned over to the local government a 151-bed capacity healthcare facility in Carmona, Cavite.
Secretary Mark Villar said the repurposed evacuation center at Brgy. Lantic, Carmona, Cavite which was converted into a mega isolation facility will facilitate the treatment and care of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients from Carmona and other parts of the industrial zone within Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon).
In line with the program of Villar as the chief isolation czar, the implementation of the project was supervised by the DPWH Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of National and Local Health Facilities which was created to immediately address the needed health system facilities to decongest hospital as part of the government’s efforts in battling the pandemic.
Undersecretary Emil Sadain, head of Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of National and Local Health Facilities formed by the public works chief turned over the facility to Carmona Mayor Roy Loyola.
“DPWH completed the Carmona health facility within the scheduled period of 20 days.”
“DPWH Task Force is delighted to have fulfilled the commitment made during the August 14 signing of memorandum of agreement to complete the Carmona health facility within the scheduled period of 20 days,” Sadain said.
Similar to other quarantine faciliities completed by DPWH, the DPWH Task Force with Technical Bureau Directors Ernesto Gregorio Jr, Aristarco Doroy, Eric Ayapana and Assistant Director Edgardo Garces closely monitored the conversion of the 3,000 square meters multi-purpose building into makeshift hospital with the Cavite 3rd District Engineering Office under District Engineer Donnie Cuna implementing the project.
“I commend the DPWH for their hard work, dedication, and collaborative efforts with the local government unit.”
Loyola commended the DPWH for their hard work, dedication, and collaborative efforts with the local government unit as the country battle this health crisis.
The turnover ceremony was also attended by DOH Region 4A Assistant Director Paula Paz Sydiongco, Office of Civil Defense Region 4A Operations/Budget Officer Carmelita Laverinto, and DILG Cavite Provincial Director Lionel Dalope.
According to Sadain, there are 602 COVID-19 facilities with 23,000 bed capacity nationwide of which 340 are already completed and 262 will be finished towards the end of September and October.