Government buildings tapped isolation facilities for Covid

By Liezle Basa Inigo

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Available and accessible government buildings are being tapped as isolation facilities to add more Covid-19 facilities in the region even as two Provincial Ligtas Covid-19 centers were simultaneously inaugurated in San Vicente, Burgos, and Tebag East, Sta. Barbara, all in Pangasinan.

    Engineer Josefina G. Oamar, DPWH Disaster Risk Reduction Management focal person said the Dept. of Public Works and Highways Regional Office 1 converted the Pangasinan Reformation Center and Office of the Provincial Agriculturist Buildings into Covid-19 isolation facilities in both towns.

    In her report to DPWH regional director Ronnel M. Tan, the newly-completed Ligtas Covid-19 Center facility in Burgos town has a 25-bed capacity and one nurse station, while the one in Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan which is located at the OPAG has a 40-bed capacity and one nurse station.

    Oamar noted that Region 1 has a total of 13 DPWH Regional Evacuation Centers built that have been converted into quarantine facilities/healthcare facilities.

    These are the evacuation centers in Paoay, Banna, and Batac City in Ilocos Norte; Vigan City, Ilocos Sur; Bacnotan, Agoo, Government Center, Sevilla, San Fernando City in La Union dubbed as the Home of Hope, and the evacuation centers in San Nicolas, Dasol, Alaminos City, Calasiao, Manaoag and Urbiztondo towns.

    A total of seven local government unit buildings were converted into quarantine facilities/healthcare facilities to accommodate suspected and probable COVID-19 patients.

    The DPWH is building and converting structures to ensure demands are met for healthcare facilities that will help contain Covid-19 cases.