A 66-bed quarantine facility at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) was launched in the city of Manila on Thursday, bringing to 14 the city’s total quarantine facilities to cater to Covid-19 positive patients.

This is the biggest quarantine facility that the city government has built so far, Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso said.

Domagoso said as the local government continues to build more facilities, the city is able to innovate and make them more comfortable for patients and medical health workers.

“This quarantine facility, modesty aside, through the help of Secretary [Mark] Villar and Engineer Macud, makikita mo pang world-class ‘yung sa PLM, mas defined (you can see that this is world-class, more defined). It’s a good experience for us to really do as many quarantine facility as possible,” Domagoso said during the launch.

The city government, Domagoso said, continues to strengthen its efforts to fight the pandemic by building more facilities, offering free mass testing, and providing the city’s public hospitals new equipment.

He said this is the most effective way to fight Covid-19 and win the war against the pandemic.

For more than a week now, the city has been testing public utility drivers, market vendors, mall and supermarket employees as well as hotel and restaurant staff working in the city of Manila.

To encourage more workers in Manila to undergo swab testing, Domagoso assured them that the families of individuals who would turn out positive and would need to be placed in a quarantine facility will be provided with food assistance.

This is because most of them are breadwinners and have families to support, Domagoso said.

“So mabibigay ng libre, wala kang tosgas, tapos may ample healthcare, tapos may pang chi-cha pamilya mo, I think wala na tayong dapat masyadong ipangamba (so these will be given for free, with ample healthcare and your family will have something to eat, I think there is nothing to worry about)” he said.

Domagoso said what the people need to do now is continue following the minimum health safety protocol including wearing face masks and shields, observing safe physical distancing, and frequent hand washing. (PNA)