Manila South Harbor's Eva Macapagal Super Terminal Quarantine Facility, which was converted to an isolation facility amid the surge of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country, was formally opened on Monday, 26 April 2021.
The conversion of the quarantine facility was made possible through the initiatives of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
The PPA and PCG lauched the retrofitting of the Eva Macapagal Super Terminal in response to the alarming spike in COVID-19 cases in the country, particularly in the National Capital Region (NCR). The infection surge began in early March.
Initially, the facility was set up to merely accommodate repatriated seafarers and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were required to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine. With the conversion and retrofitting, asymptomatic patients and patients with mild symptoms can now be accommodated and treated in the facility.
According to PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, patients who are asymptomatic and with mild symptoms will be attended to in an isolated quadrant identified as Section A. This section has a 55-bed capacity.
Section A can also serve as a step-down care facility for recovering patients. Santiago has assured that the agency is ready to expand bed capacity should the need arises.
At present, the super terminal quarantine facility has a 211-bed capacity divided into four sections for patients, health staffers, and other essential workers.
Section B will house the health staff and other essential workers, while Sections C and D will cater to personnel of the PCG and PPA who contracted the virus but are asymptomatic or showing mild symptoms.