Capitol file photo
Capitol file photo

Bacolod gets more Covid-19 isolation facilities

THE City Government of Bacolod is now ready to use the 32 additional isolation rooms in Barangay Alijis and the 45-cubicle isolation facility at the Bacolod Evacuation Center at the Abada-Escay Relocate Site in Barangay Vista Alegre.

The facilities were turned over by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Western Visayas to the city officials Friday, March 12, 2021, led by Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Congressman Greg Gasataya, Councilor Renecito Novero and DPWH officials in rites held in Barangay Alijis.

DPWH-Western Visayas Regional Director Engineer Lea Delfinado said they turned over two units of isolation facilities in Barangay Alijis, which composes 16 rooms for each unit. Each room is furnished with an individual comfort room and air conditioner.

She said each unit was also constructed with a nurse station and quarters for medical workers that will be assigned in the area.

This now completes the 64-room facility that the DPWH constructed for Bacolod City. The facility, costing P50 million, is located in what used to be the plant nursery of the City Agriculture Office in Barangay Alijis.

“It’s a big help to the City of Bacolod. These projects were requested by Mayor Leonardia and Congressman Gasataya in DPWH through Secretary Mark Villar,” she said.

She added this is part of the DPWH program to fight Covid-19 where these projects were funded from the Quick Response Fund of DPWH, which was initiated by Villar.

Delfinado said after the Covid-19 pandemic, the DPWH will supposedly remove the isolation facility in Barangay Alijis, but the city government will be given an option if they want to retain the structure in the area and they will only make a request to the DPWH.

Delfinado said they also constructed a 45-cubicle isolation facility at the Bacolod Evacuation Center and it can accommodate 45 Covid-19 patients.

For his part, Leonardia said the isolation rooms in Barangay Alijis will accommodate the Covid-19 patients that will be discharged from the hospitals that need to complete the 14-day isolation as well as the asymptomatic patients, pregnant women and patients who have comorbidities.

“We are deeply grateful to Secretary Villar, DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain, and Delfinado. This additional facility will further strengthen our position in this continuing fight against Covid-19. This is coordination and teamwork among government agencies and officials at its best,” he said.

He added they will assign nurses in the facility and will ask additional medical personnel from the Department of Health to be assigned in Bacolod.

“Even if we may have flattened the curve of infections in the past months, there is no telling when a surge of new cases may come again. So, these facilities have to be ready, and we are thankful that the national government, through the DPWH, has provided us these facilities,” Leonardia said.

Gasataya said these projects were funded under the Bayanihan Law.

“We are thankful to the national government for providing us funds to accommodate the Covid-19 patients,” Gasataya said.

Gasataya also expressed his gratitude to those who sacrificed to stabilize the situation in the city.

“We should continue to help and always observe the health protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” Gasataya said.

The DPWH turned over the evacuation center to the City Government in February 2020. The evacuation center has a total contract amount of P33 million. The budget was taken from the national government.

It is composed of eight structures such as the accommodation building, office and infirmary building, male toilet and bath, laundry area/drying area, water tank, materials recovery facility, female toilet and bath, and generator room.

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