Ninoy Aquino Stadium to open as COVID-19 facility tomorrow

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Sports Commission is ready to use its sports facilities as temporary hospitals for the COVID-19 pandemic patients.

Marc Velasco, chief of staff of PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, on Wednesday said the Ninoy Aquino Stadium at the Rizal Memorial Complex in Manila will start operation as a quarantine area Thursday.

“Only the Ninoy Aquino Stadium for now will open tomorrow,” Velasco told The STAR Wednesday.

Soon to open is the Rizal Memorial Coliseum nearby while the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City is currently being converted into one.

Like the Ninoy, the Rizal and PhilSports are air-conditioned, newly renovated and were tapped as hubs in last December’s Southeast Asian Games.

“The Rizal Memorial Coliseum will open soon while PhilSports’ conversion is ongoing,” said Velasco.

Velasco assured that they would put up safety nets for the skeletal PSC employees as well as the few national athletes stranded there.

As early as two weeks ago, Ramirez had offered their sports venues for use in the government’s fight against the deadly virus and today’s scheduled opening comes at a time when the country have started mass testing.