By Martin Sadongdong  BRP Ang Pangulo (ACS-25), the presidential yacht operated and maintained by the Philippine Navy, is now ready to accept patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after the completion of its transformation as a floating quarantine facility. Rear Admiral Giovanni Carlos Bacordo, navy flag officer-in-command, said the remodeling of the yacht began 48 hours after President Duterte ordered to use of the ship for coronavirus patients. In a televised briefing on April 3, Duterte ordered the Navy to convert the presidential yacht into a floating quarantine facility since he said he is not interested to use it anyway. Bacordo said officers and enlisted personnel aboard BRP Ang Pangulo spearheaded the transformation of the VIP compartments of the ship into COVID-19 dedicated medical ward and patient rooms. The navy chief said the facility can accommodate 28 patients with five medical personnel. He said navy personnel prepared three exclusive compartments for patients, with temporary division in place to keep a three-meter distance between them. “The crew will remain onboard while the ship is being utilized as a quarantine facility. They were already provided with while rapid antibody tests were conducted,” he said. Meanwhile, Bacordo noted that patients and medical staff are given different access points to prevent the spread of the virus in the ship. “All entry points from the crew’s billeting area and other compartments from the temporary medical facility and patient rooms were already sealed off,” he said. Currently, BRP Ang Pangulo is currently deployed in the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao to augment the Davao operational base of the Presidential Security Group.