General Gilbert Gapay, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), recognized Wednesday a private firm which built emergency quarantine facilities (EQFs) for military personnel who were struck by COVID-19.
(PHILIPPINE ARMY / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Gapay presented a Plaque of Appreciation to William Tan Ti Jr., principal architect of WTA Architecture and Design Studio, in a ceremony held in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
WTA Architecture and Design Studio is the lead company that designed and initiated the construction of EQFs in military and government health institutions.
An EQF is a temporary structure which can house at least 15 patients and can be completed within just five days.
Gapay said that the WTA Architecture and Design Studio managed to construct 75 EQFs across Mega Manila in cooperation with the AFP’s engineering units.
"As we continue to fight the effects of this pandemic that has disrupted and changed our lives, the AFP shall be eternally grateful and honored for the opportunity to be in close cooperation and collaboration with organizations and institutions with similar aspirations of confronting this problem and coming up with solutions from a multi-sector perspective," Gapay said.
He said the EQFs successfully boosted the capacity of healthcare facilities including AFP hospitals such as the V. Luna General Hospital, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo Station Hospital, Philippine Air Force General Hospital, Manila Naval Hospital, Cavite Naval Hospital, Army General Hospital, and Fernando Airbase Hospital.
Further, Gapay noted that Ti's efforts "exemplified the Bayanihan spirit and the positive outcome of public-private partnerships" amid a global crisis.
As of October 23, the AFP has recorded 307 active COVID-19 cases. Of these, 256 are military personnel who have been admitted in various treatment facilities, 32 are dependents, and 19 are civilian personnel.
The AFP also registered 3,438 recoveries and 31 deaths.