By Noreen Jazul
The government is eyeing to tighten the measures under enhanced community quarantine within 10 days.
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (PAPP) Secretary and former Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr.
(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN)
Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the national action plan against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), said the government is already preparing to convert gymnasiums, convention centers, and huge sports arenas in the metropolis to quarantine facilities.
“Ang nauna na po namin ay ang Rizal Memorial Coliseum, sunod po ang World Trade Center,” Galvez told DZBB on Wednesday.
(We have converted Rizal Memorial Coliseum as quarantine facility, we will convert World Trade Center next.)
Rizal Memorial and World Trade Center can house 200 and 700 patients respectively, according to Galvez.
The government will also use the Philippine International Convention Center, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Philippine Sports Arena (ULTRA) and the Philippine Arena as quarantine facilities.
As for the provinces, Galvez said Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar has been coordinating with the agency’s regional directors.
Galvez said the objective of the forced quarantine is to “prevent and contain the spread” of SARS-CoV-2, by isolating potential carriers of COVID-19 from communities.
“Yung mga PUIs (persons under investigation) and PUMs (persons under monitoring)...ang talaga natin is ma-isolate, at tsaka ma detect kung COVID positive or negative,” Galvez said.
(The PUIs and PUMs...our goal is to isolate them and detect whether they are COVID positive or negative.)
When asked if there would be exemptions for patients to be moved in the quarantine facility, Galvez said: “Case to case basis.”
“Titingnan po natin, ‘yung ibang nasa middle class, and even ‘yung ibang nag volunteer na magkaroon po ng house quarantine, kasi mas maganda po na ma-obserbahan ng healthcare workers natin,” he added.
(We'll see, middle class, and those who volunteered to do house quarantine, it's still better if they are observed our healthcare workers.)