Stadiums, theaters, hotels, ships to be turned into quarantine areas

JC Gotinga

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Stadiums, theaters, hotels, ships to be turned into quarantine areas
The Philippine Arena, Rizal Memorial Coliseum, and Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex are among the venues being eyed to house persons who may have the novel coronavirus

MANILA, Philippines – Anticipating a rise in cases of the novel coronavirus in the country, the government is preparing several large venues and hotels to serve as quarantine areas, said the National Task Force (NTF) COVID-19 chief implementer, Peace Process Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr, on Tuesday, March 31.

This comes as the government plans to carry out “massive testing” of patients under investigation (PUIs) and persons under monitoring (PUMs) for the virus, as well as health workers on the front lines of fighting the pandemic.

There are still no national quarantine centers as the Luzon lockdown is entering its 3rd week.

The task force is now looking to convert gymnasiums, convention centers, sports complexes, and hotels in Metro Manila into “forced quarantine areas.”

Among venues Galvez specified in a media release from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process were:

The CCP Complex has several large-hall venues: the CCP building that has several theaters and galleries, the Folk Arts Theater, the Coconut Palace, and the PICC.

The PICC has two cavernous convention halls, spacious galleries, and a large tent venue beside it that served as the national canvassing center during the national elections in 2016 and 2019.

Medical personnel from the Department of Health, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Philippine National Police will attend to the PUIs and PUMs at these converted facilities, Galvez said.

The AFP will supply some 1,500 beds, and more are coming in from donations and emergency procurement.

“The conversion of the Rizal Coliseum and the World Trade Center will be completed soon. Moreover, the Department of Public Works and Highways is also prepared to expand the capacity of the Philippine General Hospital and other COVID-19 designated hospitals,” Galvez added.

Hotels for repatriates

The government is preparing hotels and ships to serve as quarantine areas for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the NTF chief implementer said.

Malacañang earlier ordered the Department of Tourism to identify hotels that may be used to house PUIs and PUMs. The government’s tourism and labor agencies are now getting some 4,000 hotel rooms for repatriated OFWs, Galvez added.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation and the Philippine Coast Guard are working with shipping companies to enlist vessels that can be used to quarantine returning seafarers.

The government has banned only foreigners, not Filipinos, from entering the Philippines during the “enhanced community quarantine” or lockdown of Luzon and many other parts of the country.

The recent arrival of some 168,000 test kits from China, Singapore, and South Korea has made it possible for the government to plan widespread testing for the coronavirus. The scarcity of test kits had hampered the government’s ability to keep track of the outbreak and respond commensurately to it.

Also on Tuesday, Galvez said the task force is purchasing up to one million personal protective equipment to enable more health workers to attend to coronavirus patients, PUIs, PUMs, and their colleagues who have had contact with confirmed cases.

Luzon island, home to about half the national population, is set to be on lockdown until April 12. Metro Manila will be on lockdown a couple of days longer – until April 14.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Philippines has recorded 2,084 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 88 deaths and 49 recoveries. – Rappler.com

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!
Avatar photo

author

JC Gotinga

JC Gotinga often reports about the West Philippine Sea, the communist insurgency, and terrorism as he covers national defense and security for Rappler. He enjoys telling stories about his hometown, Pasig City. JC has worked with Al Jazeera, CNN Philippines, News5, and CBN Asia.