Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar on Monday said the country’s Ligtas Covid Centers have now over 55,000 available beds.

“Nais ko pong i-report sa ating mga Ligtas Covid Centers, ito po iyong mga local, mayroon na po tayong 52,223 available na beds para sa ating mga pasyente na kailangang i-isolate (I would like to report that our Ligtas Covid Centers, these are locals, have 52,223 available beds for our patients who need to be isolated),” Villar said in a virtual presser in Malacañang.

He said Heal As One Mega Ligtas Centers in Metro Manila have 3,193 beds capacity.

Villar said some local governments offered to give areas where more centers will be built to increase the country’s quarantine facilities and bed capacity for persons who need to be isolated due to coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

“Ang target po naming (Our target) in the next three weeks, magtatayo po kami ng (we will build) additional 50 quarantine facilities,” he said. “At present, we have an existing 129 regional evacuation centers and we are looking at building more in Region 7, 11 centers; Region 8, 16; Region 10, 20 and Region 12, 3.”

He said the government will not stop building quarantine facilities “to control the spread of Covid-19.”

Among the Mega Community Quarantine/We Heal As One Centers constructed by the government in partnership with private companies are the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila; PICC Forum in Pasay City; Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila; World Trade Center in Pasay City; ASEAN Convention Center, Clark, Pampanga; National Government Administrative Center (NGAC), New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac; and Philippine Sports Complex (Ultra), Pasig City.

The facilities are part of the project of the Duterte administration to convert stadiums, exhibition centers, and other buildings into mega quarantine facilities to augment and increase the capacity of hospitals. (PNA)