The municipality of Tboli in South Cotabato province has opened a 50-bed isolation center for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) that was built through a PHP12.1 million grant from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Restituto Macuto, director of DSWD-Region 12, said on Wednesday the facility was built under its flagship anti-poverty initiative Kalahi CIDSS and the PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) to support a Community-Driven Development Program for Indigenous Peoples.

Kalahi-CIDSS stands for Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services, a World Bank-assisted socio-economic project implemented since 2003 by the DSWD.

Macuto said the project was formally turned over by the agency on Tuesday to the town and its 25 barangays.

He said the facility is made up of 25 container vans that were transformed into airconditioned isolation rooms. Each isolation unit has two rooms, two comfort rooms, water lines, lighting, and other basic amenities.

The project, which was implemented by the municipality along with community volunteers, is to help strengthen the government’s fight against Covid-19, he said.

“This will enable our communities to properly manage their Covid-19 cases,” Macuto said in a report.

He said Tboli town will mainly utilize the facility for the isolation and treatment of suspected and confirmed Covid-19 patients.

He said the municipality has released a counterpart funding of PHP205,000 for the additional provisions and enhancement of the facility.

The DSWD allotted some PHP300 million in financial grants this year for community-based projects to address the impact of Covid-19 as well as other disasters that affected parts of Region 12 (Soccsksargen).

The initiative provided funding for community-identified and managed responses that will help restore and improve basic social services in 21 “poorest and most vulnerable municipalities” in the region. (PNA)