Manila, DOT to build 336-bed field hospital

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) yesterday signed an agreement with the Manila city government for the construction of a mobile hospital in Rizal Park.

The Manila mega field hospital will be built on a 16,327-square-meter area in Rizal Park.

The project is seen to deliver 336 beds to boost the healthcare system’s capacity to treat moderate and severe cases of COVID-19.

The agreement covers the construction of a vaccination site at the Quirino Grandstand, which can accommodate up to 450 people a day.

The mobile hospital and the vaccination center will be completed within two months.

The Manila government under Mayor Isko Moreno will shoulder the construction as well as manage the health facilities.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the conversion of tourist sites into COVID facilities would help stem the spread of the virus.

“The mobile hospital and the drive-through vaccination site will be open to all, whether you are a resident or non-resident of Manila,” Puyat said.

“These endeavors will contribute significantly to scaling up the government’s COVID-19 response,” she added.

Tourism spaces in Metro Manila are being converted into COVID facilities as authorized by the DOT.

Nayong Pilipino Foundation, an attached agency of the DOT, has approved the proposal to transform its vacant lot in Parañaque into a vaccination site where 12,000 individuals can be inoculated every day.

Hotels have also opened their doors to COVID-19 patients who need to isolate and returning OFWs who need to quarantine.

Last week, 21 hotels in Metro Manila and Southern Tagalog repurposed their rooms into quarantine facilities.