To boost the government’s ability to fight future outbreaks of new infectious diseases, Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr. has filed a bill seeking to set aside P1.7 billion to establish 69 residential quarantine facilities throughout the country.
As proposed by Campos in House Bill 6546, new quarantine facilities with a minimum of 25 beds each would be put up within the grounds of every hospital run by the Health department.
“We are seeking an initial P25 million in fresh funding for the construction of each quarantine facility, chargeable against the DOH’s annual budget for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program,” Campos, House appropriations committee vice chairman, said.
“The sudden conversion of the Athletes’ Village as national quarantine center for the COVID-19 outbreak clearly betrayed our lack of minimum lodgings for individuals who may require temporary seclusion while being observed for possible symptoms of new highly infectious conditions.”
The government used the Athletes’ Village in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, to isolate for 14 days the Filipinos repatriated from Hubei province, China, as well as the Filipino crew evacuated from the coronavirus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama, Japan.
The use of the village’s accommodations for quarantine services was vigorously protested by the Capas municipal government.
Under Campos’ bill, at least 20 quarantine facilities would be built all over Metro Manila.
They would be set up at the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center, Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, East Avenue Medical Center, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, National Center for Mental Health, National Children’s Hospital;
Philippine Orthopedic Center, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Rizal Medical Center, San Lazaro Hospital, Tondo Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute;
Philippine Children’s Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center, San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital, and the Valenzuela Medical Center.
In other parts of Luzon, another 21 quarantine facilities would rise at the Batanes General Hospital, Cagayan Valley Medical Center, Southern Isabela General Hospital, Region II Trauma and Medical Center, Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, Mariano Marcos Memorial Medical Center;
Region I Medical Center, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, Conner District Hospital, Far North Luzon General Hospital and Training Center, Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital, Bataan General Hospital, Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital, Mariveles Mental Hospital;
Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center, Batangas Medical Center, Culion Sanitarium and General Hospial, Ospital ng Palawan, Bicol Medical Center, Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital, and the Bicol Regional General Hospital and Geriatric Medical Center.
In the Visayas, a further 12 quarantine facilities would be established at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, Don Jose Monfort Medical Center Extension Hospital, Western Visayas Medical Center, Western Visayas Sanitarium, Don Emilio Del Valle Memorial Hospital;
Eversley Childs Sanitarium, Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Medical Center, St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital, Talisay District Hospital, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, and the Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital.
In Mindanao, another 16 quarantine facilities would be put up at the Basilan General Hospital, Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Hospital, Labuan General Hospital, Margosatubig General Hospital, Mindanao Central Sanitarium, Zamboanga City Medical Center, Sulu Sanitarium;
Cotabato Regional and Medical Center, Cotabato Sanitarium, Mayor Hilarion Ramiro Sr. Medical Center, Northern Mindanao Medical Center, Amai Pakpak Medical Center, Davao Regional Medical Center, Southern Philippines Medical Center, Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center and the Caraga Regional Hospital.