Caloocan quarantine facility completed

Engineers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in cooperation with the WTA Architecture Design Studio has completed and turned over another emergency quarantine facility (EQF) to the Caloocan City government in a ceremony on May 14.

Located in the Caloocan Sports Complex at Barangay Bagumbong, the 16-bed facility will be managed by the City Health Office and will augment the city’s critical care capability.

This EQF was funded by the Caloocan City government and the Samaritan’s Purse Philippines and constructed by WTA and the 51st Engineering Brigade, Philippine Army.

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The EQFs are designed to treat and isolate COVID-19 patients with mild to no symptoms and should help decongest hospitals and increase the country’s capacity to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Present during the turnover were Architect William Ti Jr of WTA and project lead of EQF Team; Major General William Ilagan, The Chief Engineer AFP; Colonel JT Bajet, Deputy Commander of the 51st Engineering Brigade; Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan; Dr Evelyn Cuevas, OIC of the City Health Department; and Dr Patrick Gitonga,Country Director of Samaritan’s Purse-Philippines.

The EQFs are the brainchild of Architect William Ti Jr and WTA and has already built 63 sites nationwide with the help of donors and volunteers.

Their current goal is to construct 75 sites and hopes to raise more funds in order to fulfill requests from different hospitals and local government units.

“The AFP thanks once again WTA, the Caloocan City government and health unit, and the Samaritan’s Purse Philippines for this achievement. We of course do not wish that it will be used, but it is always good to be prepared as we face this pandemic collectively and together eradicate the threat of COVID-19 in the country,” AFP Chief of Staff General Felimon Santos Jr said.