- The facility will be provided with a hospital and medical supplies and equipment needed to treat COVID-19 patients
- It is expected to help address the shortage of medical capacity in the National Capital Region as well as nearby cities and provinces.
After donating 100 million for #PantawidNgPagIbig Project, the Lopez Group’s First Philippine Holdings (FPH) is donating another 100 Million to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to start retrofitting a passenger terminal at the Manila South Harbor into a COVID-19 quarantine facility.
The facility is for seafarers and overseas Filipino workers who need to undergo quarantine and treatment upon their return.
Lito Santos, FPH senior vice president, said that the company is concerned for the estimated 35,000 seafarers and other OFW who may need to go back to the country after being jobless or sent home due to the pandemic. The donation is to help the DOTr in retrofitting the Eva Macapagal Super Terminal at the Manila South Harbor into a COVID-19 medical facility.
“We saw that this particular project that the DOTr has identified would be a good setup to house and quarantine this particular group of Filipinos coming in, particularly the seafarers and OFWs,” Santos said.
On Monday, the DOTr said that government officials inspected the facility that expected to house approximately 206 cubicles to treat COVID-19 patients.
The Philippine Ports Authority said that the facility will be provided with hospital and medical supplies needed to treat COVID-19 patients and will have “airtight doors to prevent aerosols containing COVID-19 from spreading.”
Department of Health (DOH) personnel and safety personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard “will render the necessary medical treatment” for patients brought to the facility, while PPA will provide additional staff.
Jay Daniel R. Santiago, PPA General Manager said that the facility is expected to help address the shortage of medical capacity in the National Capital Region as well as nearby cities and provinces.
In DOTr said in a statement that Lopez company’s letter of intent was addressed to transportation Sec. Arthur Tugade, PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, and to PCG Commandant Admiral Joel Garcia.
“It is heartwarming to know that the medical needs of our OFWs, our returning modern-day heroes, remain to be top-of-mind. This is the least we can do for a sector who has played a significant role in enabling our economy over the years, especially at this time that uncertainty hangs over their hearts and minds,” the DOTr quoted the FPHC letter as saying.
The Lopez Group’s gesture is “truly overwhelming” as Tugade described it.
“We are extremely grateful to the Lopez Group for this enormous help. Gagastahin natin ito ng naayon sa tama at nararapat. Maraming kababayan ‘ho natin ang siguradong makikinabang dito,” he said.
“We will ensure that every centavo donated will be accounted for and spent according to its intended purpose,” the PPA’s Santiago said.
The FPH is also looking to partner with several Metro Manila hospitals to provide temporary quarters for the frontliners. Santos said that many of the hospital staff stay in the hospital due to lack of public transportation.
“But if we’re able to find temporary quarters for them, those particular rooms can be available for actual patients,” Santos said.
First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) led by the Lopez Group is also providing free shuttle service to medical workers and other frontliners in two Batangas hospitals.
“Many of the 65,000 people employed by our locators typically seek medical services in Daniel Mercado and St Francis Cabrini; so we reached out to them offering assistance and this is what they said they needed, said FPIP COO Giles Puno.
ABS-CBN Corp is also a member of the Lopez Group had also donated 100 Million for the fundraising #PantawidNgPagIbig to help people who are greatly affected by the Enhanced Comunity Quarantine.
