ILIGAN CITY -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) turned over a mega isolation facility to the local government unit (LGU) of Iligan City on Wednesday.
The mega isolation facility is located at the National Steel Corporation (NSC) compound in Brgy. Suarez here.
DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain, head of the Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of National and Local Health Facilities, turned over the mega facility to Iligan City Mayor Celso Regencia.
Sadain said the mega facility which was completed in just two weeks has a 120-bed capacity which can be expanded further.
"Si Mayor Regencia, knowing the impact of the cases for Iligan, hindi siya nagdalawang isip to request for another facility which is bigger than the three facilities constructed earlier," he said during the turnover ceremony.
In August, the DPWH turned over three (3) isolation facilities with a capacity of 40-beds each to LGU Iligan to isolate more COVID-19 patients and curb the spread of the disease. These facilities are located in barangays Poblacion, Acmac, and Tomas Cabili.
According to Sadain, the completion of the mega facility is timely as there is a strong clamor to put patients in isolation facilities and avoid home quarantines.
The ceremony was also attended by Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19.
"Ang pagpapatayo ng quarantine facilities para sa mga mild at asymptomatic patients at mga dormitories para sa ating mga medical frontliners ay napakalaking tulong upang tuloy-tuloy nating mapababa ang kaso ng COVID-19 dito sa Iligan," Galvez said.
Galvez said the quarantine facility will provide the much-needed boost to the health care capacity of Iligan City. The mega facility has free Wi-fi, CCTV, hospital beds, tables, and complete room facilities.
During the event, Galvez also handed over 2,000 personal protective equipment and 2,000 N95 masks to the city government.
Mayor Regencia conveyed his gratitude to the DPWH for its assistance to LGU Iligan in responding to the challenges posed by the pandemic.
"In behalf of the people of Iligan, we are very thankful for this and we will not be ashamed to approach you because kung mahihiya pa kami ay wala nang ibang tutulong sa amin (if we will be ashamed there will be no one else to help us)," he said.
As of September 15, Iligan City has recorded a total of 540 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 180 cases still active.