Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso on Saturday (March 20) appealed to motel owners in the city to lend the city government some of its rooms to be converted as quarantine facilities.

Domagoso said this amid the rise of COVID-19 infections in the city and the rapidly increasing occupancy rate of its hospitals and quarantine facilities.

"Kung 'di po kalabisan sa inyo, kung gusto niyong magamit namin ang pasilidad ninyo at makatulong sa kapwa natin ay hinihikayat po namin kayo na magpahiram muli para at least mailagay natin sa ayos yung mga kapamilyang 'di infected. Para 'yung isang infected family member ay maihiwalay na natin as soon as possible (If it's not too much to ask, if you want your facilities to be used for the benefit of your fellow people who are in need, I am encouraging you to lend us your facilities so we can separate infected people from their family members who are not infected)," he said in a live broadcast on Facebook.

The Manila mayor said they have recently increased their quarantine bed capacity by 300 beds in dormitels in G. Tuazon, T.M. Kalaw, and Ermita courtesy of former Manila city councilor Don Bagatsing.

Vice Mayor Dr. Maria Sheilah 'Honey' Lacuna-Pangan and Bureau of Permits chief Levi Facundo were also tasked to coordinate with motel owners in Manila, especially those who had provided quarantine accommodations to medical frontliners last year.

Domagoso said that while the quarantine facilities in Manila aren't at full capacity yet, it is better to be prepared for the worst.

"Maaari sa tingin niyo 'di pa kakailanganin (You might think that it is not needed yet)... we always want to be ahead," he said.

The capital city has 2,656 active COVID-19 cases out of 33,844 confirmed cases. Of this number, 30,336 have recovered while 852 have died.