THE City Government of Bacolod is now ready to open the pilot quarantine center for persons under monitoring (PUM) of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in South Hills Academy building in Barangay Alijis in the city.
City Administrator Em Ang, chairman of Technical Working Group (TWG) for quarantine center, said Monday, March 23, the original plan was to use the Education and Training Center School-1 Extension, but they received a memorandum from Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) that they cannot use the school.
“So we had to immediately scout for other site and we have this school, which is not being used anymore, but it’s very easy to make some repair and to put the needed facilities and we have contacted the owner and they agreed to allow the city to use it as quarantine center,” she said.
She added the City Engineer’s Office is now preparing the site as well as equipment and other things that are needed for the quarantine center.
Ang noted that this will be the quarantine center for the PUMs.
Ang said the South Hills Academy building has a total of 17 rooms with individual bathroom.
“Hopefully, this will be running before the end of this week since our target is to operate within the next three days and it’s for free,” she said.
She added they also requested the Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) to immediately install water connection in the area.
While preparing the pilot quarantine center, Ang said they are also preparing seven other sites pending the approval of Department of Education (DepEd).
She said Mayor Evelio Leonardia has already written to DepEd asking permission to use the seven schools in various school districts for the city’s additional quarantine centers in case there are massive cases in Bacolod.
Aside from the quarantine centers for PUMs, the city is also preparing the isolation center for the persons under investigation (PUI).
Ang said currently, Bacolod City has a total of 38 available isolation rooms, for PUIs, collectively from all hospitals in the city.
“But in the meantime, since our hospitals are already overwhelmed with patients, we will need a center for PUIs with mild symptoms. Our City Engineer’s Office already inspected and evaluated the building near the Lady of Mercy Hospital that will be used by our PUIs,” she said.
She added the city will also use the Bacolod Arts and Youth Sports Center (Bays Center) as the respiratory center which was suggested and discussed by the groups of doctors from different associations in Bacolod.
Ang stressed that this will decongest the emergency rooms and out-patient departments of the city’s hospitals.
“The City Engineer’s Office is now preparing all the materials and this will be operational within the week. This for the out-patient consultation,” Ang said.