Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 15) – Senator Nancy Binay wants local hotels to be converted into alternative quarantine centers amid the spike in COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.
Binay urged Thursday the Department of Health and local health officials to tap hospitality establishments as potential sites to contain the spread of the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 or the novel coronavirus.
“It’s only a matter of time when LGUs will be overwhelmed with many COVID-related concerns. Perhaps, they can explore and study the possibility of engaging local hotels and establishments of similar nature and convert them as temporary quarantine centers,” she said in a statement.
Binay noted that this will help address the limited bed capacity for persons under investigation who are admitted in local private and government hospitals.
This will also help in minimizing community-level transmission of the virus, she added.
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“It is for the best interest to have a designated quarantine center in order to isolate patients from the rest of the population,” the senator said.
Binay added that provincial government units could follow the lead of Albay where a hotel in Tabaco City is being repurposed as quarantine center for cases of COVID-19.
“As a precautionary and preventive measure, LGUs may lead the creation of strategies to proactively respond to a public health emergency. Kailangan ng (There needs to be a) preemptive response – and having a controlled clearing house ensures the public that the government is on top of the situation,” Binay said.
The Philippine government has designated the Athlete’s Village in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac as the national quarantine facility for the virus.
The country is under a state of public health emergency, allowing the government to tap into more funds for its response to the disease. The Health Department has also raised the possibility of localized lockdowns once community spread is confirmed and Red Alert Sublevel 2 is raised.
A total of 49 COVID-19 cases were reported as of Thursday, with two fatalities to date.
