Occupancy rate of Metro Manila hotels serving as quarantine facilities already at 80% to 82% —DOH

Hotels in Metro Manila which serve as quarantine facilities are already running out of rooms, prompting the government to look for other facilities outside the region to serve as isolation facilities amid the rising COVID-19 cases, a top official of the Department of Health (DOH) said Saturday.

“Sa Metro Manila kinukulang na tayo ng isolation at treatment facilities kasi punuan 'to dahil sa dumadating na ROFs (returning overseas Filipinos at OFWs (overseas Filipino workers),” Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said in an interview on Dobol B TV.

[In Metro Manila, we are already lacking isolation and treatment facilities because facilities are full due to arriving ROFs and OFWs.]

Vega said the occupancy rate of hotels in Metro Manila already reached 80% to 82%.

The Health official, who is designated as the country’s treatment czar, said the government is looking for a facility in Subic.

“Nagsarado ang Philippine Arena at Fort Magsaysay bilang quarantine facility kaya maghahanap kami ng mas malaking facility sa may Subic area,” he said.

[The Philippine Arena and Fort Magsaysay, as quarantine facilities, are already closed, that’s why we are looking for a large facility in the Subic area.]

He explained that the contract with Philippine Arena has already lapsed.

“Napagdesisyunan ng Oplan Kalinga at BCDA [Bases Conversion and Development Authority] na kung puwede na maghanap na lamang sa Subic,” Vega said.

[The Oplan Kalinga and the BCDA have decided to look for a quarantine facility in Subic.]

The Health official said The Manila Times College in Subic will be converted into an isolation facility.

He added that the DOH has already requested the Department of Education (DepEd) to convert some public schools into quarantine facilities.

The Philippines on Friday reported another record-high 9,838 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total tally to 702,856.

Of this number, 580,689 recovered; 13,149 died; and 109,018 are active. —KG, GMA News