AS major hospitals in Metro Manila and in nearby areas are currently operating beyond their full capacity, the Department of Transportation (DOTr), together with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has initiated the conversion of two of its quarantine facilities into isolation facilities to help the medical community accommodate and treat COVID-19 patients.
To be converted are quarantine facilities at the Eva Macapagal Super Terminal in Pier 15, Manila and the Port of Capinpin Quarantine Facility in Orion, Bataan— two facilities that were established through the generous donation of the Lopez Group of Companies. Both are currently being managed by the DOTr Maritime Sector. The move aims to immediately respond to the urgent need of hospitals and other medical facilities, which are now full with COVID-19 patients being treated.
“Sa paraang makatutulong ang Kagawaran ng Transportasyon, hindi ‘ho kami mag-aatubili diyan. Hindi bale nang masabi na ‘this is beyond our mandate.’ This situation is a medical emergency. Kaya’t bubuksan, patutuluyin at aarugain natin sa ating mga pasilidad ang mga kababayan nating nangangailangan ng tulong. Wala ‘ho tayong pipiliin,”* DOTr Secretary Arthur P. Tugade expressed.
The Eva Macapagal Super Terminal in Pier 15 was converted into a COVID-19 Treatment Facility equipped with medical requirements for treatment of COVID-19 patients. The facility has been turned over by the PPA to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in April 2020.
It has a total of 211 cubicles distributed in different zones to accommodate patients with mild, advanced, and severe COVID-19 infections. The facility is also equipped with hospital beds, portable toilets, cargo containers for showers, and open-air dining facilities.
Meanwhile, the Port Capinpin Quarantine Facility in Orion, Bataan, will also be converted into an isolation facility for COVID-19 patients. The quarantine facility, formally commissioned in October 2020, was initially intended to accommodate seafarers participating in crew change activities, returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), as well as non-OFWs.
It has a 124 – bed capacity which includes 25 cubicles intended for high-risk individuals and separated by a fully-equipped Nurse Station. Moreover, 2 rooms with 12 bunk beds each are likewise allotted for medical frontliners.
“We need to extend help to our healthcare facilities. Gusto nating matulungan ang nga healthworkers natin, maging ang ating mga kababayan na tinatamaan ng COVID. As we open these isolation facilities in Pier 15 and Port Capinpin, rest assured that we will implement stringent protocols to ensure the safety of all patients,“* PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago said.
In a meeting with the Task Group on Isolation/Quarantine facilities, headed by NTF Deputy Chief Implementer Vince Dizon, concerned agencies, including the DOTr and PPA, have agreed that the Department of Health (DOH) will provide the manpower and equipment needed for the operations of the said isolation facilities. Series of inspections are also being conducted to determine the requirements for the conversion.
The Eva Macapagal Super Terminal and Port Capinpin Isolation Facilities was started operating yesterday, Friday, 09 April 2021.
