By JOENALD MEDINA RAYOS
AS both private and public hospitals in the province of Batangas is on its full capacity for corona virus disease (Covid-19) patients, a private buildiner in partnership with the Armed Forces of the Philippines turn-over a modalized emergency quarantine facility (EQF) to a private hospital in Batangas City in a simple ceremony, Sunday afternoon.
Built at the grounds of Batangas Health Care Specialist Medical Center (BHCSMC) along Diversion Road in Batangas City, the 16-bed capacity facility is a project of WTA Architecture + Design Studio headed by Architect William Ti, Jr, over-all project led of the company, and was funded through the firm’s “We Build As One” project.
WTA architecture and design studio has created emergency quarantine facilities to augment and increase capacity of hospitals in the philippines in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The temporary structures are being built to house PUIs (persons under investigation) and keep them from spreading the infection.
“Much has been said about flattening the curve as we continue to be besieged by this novel coronavirus disease pandemic. Our government has been very aggressive in implementing the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), allocating necessary budgets to keep small and medium-sized enterprises afloat in a now-strugling economy and disseminating information as effectively as possible. With this facility, you allow us to fight this pandemic for another day. As heroes we are to the sick, you too are the heroes to us in the medical fiend,” Dr. Annie Valdez, medical director of BHCSMC said in accepting the facility.
“This EQF gives us the capacity to continue further in our endeavor of providing the proper and necessary care for COVID-19 patients in Batangas City and probably, beyond. The establishment of this EQF reinvigorates our spirits as we face another day of battling this pandemic,” she further said.
Completed through the help of the 51st Enginering Brigade, of the Philippine Army under the leadership of BGen. Emmmanuel Anthony V. Ramos, commander, and its chief engineer, MGen. William L. Ilagan.
Last month, the WTA Architecture + Design Studio has also constructed a similar facility at the grounds of Fernando Air Base Hospital in Lipa City in partnership with the Philippine Air Force Engineering Brigade.
“To the WTA and the 514th Engineering Battalion of the 51st Engineering Brigade of the Philippine Army, we are very much indebted for trusting us with this facility, Dr. Ross Ona, chief operating officer of BHCSMC said as he accepts the symbolic key of the EQF.
Meanwhile, Architect Ti said that the construction of the EQF is upon the request of a medical facility, and subject to the availability of a viable location that suits the proper and efficient utilization of the facility. The beds are lined up with a well-placed division, complete with ventilation and enough spaces for movement of patients and medical equipments if necessary.
Dr. Gerald Alday, incident commander of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) of Batangas province also attended the ceremony.|BALIKAS News Network
