MPIC to help set up 220-bed COVID-19 facility for East Avenue Medical Center

Pangilinan-led conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) is helping the government set up a COVID-19 facility for state-owned East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City.

In a virtual press conference on Wednesday, MPIC-led Cardinal Santos Medical Center and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital president and CEO Pilar Nenuca Almira said the conglomerate has been in touch with the Department of Health for the development of a 220-bed facility for COVID-19 patients at EAMC.

“At the moment, they already have the infrastructure. It is really a matter of fitting out the infrastructure with all the necessary pieces of equipment that they need,” Almira said.

“The list is already with us and it’s now our turn to make sure that this list is validated and provide them the support that we can afford. Our group chair, Mr. [Manuel] Pangilinan, has committed to help East Avenue Medical Center,” she said.

Health Undersecretary and Treatment czar Leopoldo Vega told the company that EAMC’s infrastructure is ready but “the aspect that they are focusing on is really the availability of healthcare workers.”

“Because even if we provide the equipment and they are not ready yet with the healthcare workers, then it will not be possible to operate this COVID facility at East Avenue Medical Center,” Almira said.

She said the MPIC will be allotting P35 million to P45 million for “pieces of equipment, like ventilators, oxygen” for the facility.

“For the infrastructure that they want to do to be able to complete that building, the East Avenue Medical Center will answer for the infrastructure,” she said.

“They are just letting us know the budget for the pieces of equipment that they will be needing,” she added. — BM, GMA News