The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has turned over the newly-completed ‘We Heal as One’ Center’ at the Philippine Arena Complex in Bocaue, Bulacan to the Inter-Agency Task Force for Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) after a thorough checked on the 300-capacity mega community quarantine facility was made.
The health facility consists of three (3) fully-air-conditioned tents with bed cubicles completed by the DPWH Task Force for Augmentation of Health Facilities formed by Secretary Mark A. Villar together with Regional Office 3 based on the DOH-approved space of 3.05 square meters per patient.
The Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) has allowed the government use its Ciudad de Victoria property.
Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Chief Implementer of the National Task Force-COVID 19 together with Secretary Vivencio Dizon, BCDA President & CEO and Presidential Adviser for Flagship Programs and Projects, DPWH Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, PCG Admiral Joel Garcia, DOH Asst. Secretary Leonita Gorgolon and Atty. Glicerio “Ka GP” Santos of Maligaya Development Corporation led a team on Thursday, April 30, 2020 that observed the health facility readiness for effective disease control as medical operation by PCG will soon start for COVID-19 patients including returning Filipino workers from abroad who will undergo mandatory 14-day facility-based quarantine.
The inspection team with Bulacan Vice Governor Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado, Bulacan 1st District Representative Jose Antonio R. Sy-Alvarado, and DPWH Regional Office 3 Director Roseller Tolentino and Asst. Director Denise Maria Ayag made rounds at tent no. 1 with 92 bed cubicles and tent no. 2 and tent no. 3, both with 104 bed cubicles.
The essential equipment particularly hospital beds were sponsored by Villar Group of Companies.
Aside from the main quarantine area, also installed at the Philippine Arena Complex were separate toilet facilities for healthcare workers, medical personnel’s mess hall, disinfecting tents, and supply storage area.
The Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) has allowed the government use its Ciudad de Victoria property as site of temporary medical facilities free of charge.
The MVP Group of Companies will provide free Wi-Fi services through PLDT/SMART Communications; toll-free passage to all medical frontliners, ambulances, medical service vans and the support team buses of the DOH along NLEX to the Philippine Arena Quarantine Center; free metering works of Maynilad Water Services and subsidiary Philippine Hydro Inc. for the water supply requirements; and will waive the installation and dismantling costs of concrete poles and distribution transformers utilized by Meralco to energize the three (3) mega tents.
Other Task Force TWG members from DPWH Technical Bureaus and senior officers of Meralco, Maynilad-Phil Hydro, PLDT-Smart, and NLEX Corporation were also present during the inspection.