Manila Archdiocese provides shelter for homeless, health workers amid COVID-19 situation

Schools and institutions under the Catholic church have opened their doors for street dwellers and frontliners as part of the response in the fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Manila Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said Friday.

"Mayrooon tayong mga school at institusyon na binubuksan natin sa mga street people," Pabillo said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

"Sa ngayon mayroon sa La Salle, mayroon sa St. Scholastica, mayroon sa Paco, mayroon sa Malate," he added.

These schools are Malate Catholic School, Espiritu Santo Parochial School in Sta. Cruz, Manila, Holy Trinity Academy, and Paco Catholic School.

Dozens of homeless people have earlier sought refuge at the campuses of the De La Salle University and its sister school College of Saint Benilde, and St. Scholastica’s College.

Pabillo earlier said the SVD-run Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center is coordinating the transfer of the homeless to their schools “where they can be taken care of”.

The homeless are being provided with food and temporary sleeping spaces to keep them out of harm while the enhanced community quarantine is in effect over Luzon, said Pabillo.

The church is also open to convert its facilities as halfway houses for health care workers so that they do not have to go home after duty and risk exposing their families to the virus.

"Handa naman kami, in fact mayroon kaming mga lugar din na kung saan pwedeng magpahinga 'yung mga nasa frontline natin na medical staff, magsabi lang sila sa amin," Pabillo said.

The Nazarene Catholic School will accommodate the healthcare workers from San Lazaro Hospital.

Pabillo also enjoined all the Filipino families to take the time to pray while keeping themselves safe inside their houses.—AOL, GMA News