Gen. Gilbert Gapay, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), cited Vice President Leni Robredo for coming up with ways to attend to the needs of medical frontliners amid the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.
Gapay and Robredo graced the inauguration and blessing ceremony of a newly constructed temporary shelter for frontline workers of the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) in Quezon City last Friday.
"We thank the Vice President for giving the AFP an opportunity to take part in this noble project. Our soldiers will remain open for future partnerships and endeavors that will help lessen the burden of our people as we continue the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," Gapay told Robredo.
The frontliners' shelter at NKTI was accomplished under Robredo's "Oasis Project" with the manpower coming from the Philippine Army’s 51st Engineering Brigade.
The Oasis Project seeks to provide comfortable sleeping accommodations to medical workers in the frontline against the COVID-19 pandemic. The project also offers health care workers a place where they can rest emotionally and mentally.
Aside from NKTI, the AFP also provided manpower in the construction of shelters at the Lung Center of the Philippines, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Chinese General Hospital, and Manila Doctors Hospital.
Soldiers teamed up with the OVP’s partner agencies, including architects, construction, industrial and housing companies, hardware stores, and gardening shops to complete the facilities.
Gapay also lauded the military engineers and other AFP personnel who took part in the project.
"The AFP commends its engineers and personnel who worked tirelessly to complete the facilities under the Oasis Project. This is a vital part of the national effort to lessen the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by uplifting the morale and welfare of our frontline workers," he said.