One year and three months since President Duterte imposed quarantine restrictions in the country to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID19), Las Piñas City has efficiently and effectively put up a "a steady fight" to win the battle against the current health crisis.
Through the collective efforts and systematic approach launched by its local and national officials, the city has been coping up well with the coronavirus and its variants, according to Senator Cynthia Villar.
To date, Las Piñas has also started giving jabs to essential workers in city who belong to the A4 priority list in adherence to the national government's protocols.
The following initiatives have been implemented in Las Piñas to address the COVID-19 pandemic, return to normalcy and reinvigorate the economy.
*RT-PCR testing
To help in the government ramp up COVID-19 testing, particularly for the residents of Las Piñas and others in the south of Metro Manila, Sen. Villar exerted earnest efforts since March 2020 to capacitate the Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center (LPGHSTC) to operate its own COVID-19 testing laboratory.
Senator Villar and her family donated to LPGHSTC essential reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing laboratory equipment like biological freezer, biological refrigerator, autoclave sterilizer, passbox and ventilator.
They also provided assistance for the renovation or retrofitting of the area assigned as a COVID-19 testing laboratory to conform with the standards approved by the Department of Health (DOH) and World Health Organization (WHO).
In coordination with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar, the San Miguel Foundation likewise donated RT-PCR equipment to the hospital.
At present, the COVID-19 testing lab of LPGHSTC, the DOH-operated hospital in Barangay Pulanglupa Uno, serves COVID-19 patients in Las Pinas City and nearby residents in the south.
This enhanced the country’s testing capacity and recovery rate for the new coronavirus disease.
The Villar family has also been donating portable handwashing stations, PPEs, face masks and field shields.
*Contact tracing
Intensified contact tracing continuous in Las Piñas to limit the spread of COVID-19 among its residents. This began since the initial stage of the pandemic in March 2020, and continues to this date. The local government likewise hired additional contract tracers under the TUPAD (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvantaged/Displaces Workers) Program to further contain the increase of the virus in the city.
*Quarantine facilities
To support the government's capacity and responsiveness to the needs of COVID-19 patients, DPWH Sec. Mark Villar constructed a 96-bed quarantine and isolation facility in Las Piñas from 27 container vans.
Senator Villar noted that the new quarantine/isolation facility augmented the existing healthcare facilities in Las Piñas. She said this is a huge help in controlling the spread of COVID-19 affected persons in the city.
Three buildings built by Villar family were also donated for the hospital extension facilities, temporary housing for healthcare workers and/or quarantine facility.
The said buildings are the Las Piñas Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center, Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines (VMLP) and the Provincial Board Members’ League (PBML) buildings – all located in Barangay Daniel Fajardo, Las Pinas City.
At the LPDATRC, LIGTAS-1 Center quarantine facility operates that can accommodate up to 100 COVID-19 patients.
The accommodation, food and water, essential medicines, and the monitoring by health professionals are given for free in these quarantine facilities.
*Increased Bed Capacity LPGHSTC
Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center (LPGHSTC) increased its bed capacity from 200 to 500 beds with P644-million budget through the legislation authored by Senator Cynthia Villar in the Senate and Representative Camille Villar in the House of Representatives. The Legislation became a law in November 2020 through R.A. 11497.
The increase in bed capacity was consistent with the upgrade in professional health care services and facilities that can accommodate more patients and provide necessary hospital services.
*Modular Hospital
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar expanded the healthcare infrastructure in Las Piñas with the construction of a 36-bed modular facility at the Las Piñas General Hospital. The modular hospital is more extensive than the isolation facilities, according to Secretary Villar. It provides more amenities like nurse call buttons, negative pressure oxygen, and other additional equipment to help in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
*Vaccination rollout
Stressing that it is the “best defense” against the virus, Senator Villar has been repeatedly calling Las Piñeros and everyone to receive their COVID-19 vaccine shots for the country to finally be able to move to the new normal of living and to recover from economic slump amid the pandemic.
She encouraged everyone to be inoculated, regardless of the vaccine brand, citing the assurance given by our health officials and the government that they are safe and effective.
To help accelerate the vaccination program in Las Piñas, the Villar family has offered for free the family owned “The Tent” as another vaccination site located at Global Vista South. The Villar Tent, is the biggest and newest vaccination facility in the south part of Metro Manila that can accommodate more than 2,000 recipients of COVID-19 vaccines daily.
*House and Lot Raffle for vaccinated adult
To further entice Las Piñas residents to get their jabs, Rep. Camille Villar announced that the Villar family would raffle off a house and lot, motorcycles, and other packages for those vaccinated against COVID-19 this coming December.
Representative Villar however stressed no government funds will be spent for the raffle called "May Bahay sa Bakuna: Bakunado Ka Na, May Bahay Ka Pa” program.
The city government put up screening sites in the city's 20 barangays for listing those to be prioritized in receiving the vaccines, and designated 18 vaccination sites during the mass vaccination program as follows:
- Almanza Uno
- TS Cruz Covered Court
- Village Square Mall
- CAA Elementary School
- Golden Acres Covered Court
- SM Southmall
- San Antonio Covered Court
- Bambusetum Covered Court
- Robinson Place
- Las Piñas Doctors Hospital
- Verdant covered court
- Pamplonas Uno Elementary School Central
- Las Piñas Elementary School Central
- Gatchalian Covered Court
- SM Center
- University of Pertual Help Data
- Ls Piñas General Hospital &Satellite Trauma Center
- The Villar Tent