Manila breaks ground for Covid hospital
MANILA on Tuesday started the construction of a mobile hospital in Rizal Park that will cater to Covid-19 patients.
Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso led the groundbreaking ceremony almost a week after the Department of Tourism gave its approval to convert Burnham Green into a mobile hospital.
“We have some way of heeding the call of the national government to unclog our hospital capacity and reduce the incidents of death in triage or tent or parking space,” Domagoso said. “We will approach this inclusively because this is a universal problem. We cannot give up.”
He was joined by National Task Force Against Covid-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Deputy Chief Implementer Secretary Vivencio Dizon, Tourism Secretary Bernadette RomuloPuyat and Defense Secretary the modular hospital on April 20, 2021.
Delfin Lorenzana.
Domagoso said the project, costing P154 million, will be shouldered by the local government.
The 336-bed facility to be completed in two months could be extended to accommodate 100 more beds. Some 150 medical frontliners would also be hired to look after the patients.
“We can prepare Metro Manila for the next 5 months with regards to Covid bed availability for our mild and moderate so we can help the doctors, nurses, the medical frontliners,” the mayor said.
The Department of Tourism recently approved the proposal to use Quirino Grandstand as
the site of a temporary drivethru vaccination center, which could accommodate 350 to 450 persons per day.
“We hope to see this replicated by other local government units in other parts of the country,” Romulo-Puyat said.
Rizal Park remains closed to the public.