DPWH eyes dorms for healthcare workers in provinces

FILE: Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar delivers a message during the turnover ceremony of the heavy equipment and vehicles from the Government of Japan at Barangay Sagonsongon in Marawi City on March 15, 2018. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is looking to build dormitories for front-liners, particularly medical personnel in the provinces.

In a Laging Handa briefing on Friday, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, said they are coordinating with local government units (LGUs) of major cities in some parts of the country in identifying areas where they can build the sleeping quarters for healthcare workers.

“We are looking for locations in major cities such as Cebu, Tacloban, Samar. We continue to coordinate with the different LGUs,” he said.

Meanwhile, Villar said the six cluster dormitories for health personnel inside the Quezon Memorial Circle are set to be completed this month.

“Ito po (dormitories), pag natapos, (Once these dormitories are completed), it can accommodate 192 personnel. Hirap po ang ating mga front-liners sa pagbiyahe kaya mahalaga po ang ganitong klase ng pasilidad at kami po naman ay tuloy-tuloy ang pagsasagawa ng construction ng ganitong mga facilities (Our front-liners are having a hard time commuting so this kind of facilities are important and for us, the construction of these facilities are continuous),” he added.

Villar, together with Quezon City officials inspected the dormitories solely for use by doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals working in hospitals within the territorial jurisdiction of the city and need a place to rest between shifts.

Each of the six cluster dormitories will have 16 rooms with own toilet and bath with hot and cold water. Each room can accommodate two persons for a total of 32 people.

Medical personnel of Quezon City-based hospitals such as the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Heart Center, East Avenue Medical Center, Veterans Memorial Hospital, Children’s Hospital, and V. Luna General Hospital will benefit from the temporary shelter project.

The offsite dormitories were conceptualized by DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain to support the need for accommodation facilities of hospital workers on the front lines of caring for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients.

The dormitories are made of collapsible components fabricated to assemble 16 rooms, eight on the left side, and eight on the right side with the middle space intended for living room and common dining and separate space for laundry and kitchen area at the end.

Operation of the dormitories after its completion by DPWH will be undertaken by the LGU under the memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed by Villar and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte in putting up ‘We Heal as One Offsite Dormitory’.

The Department of Health (DOH) will also assist in the management and implementation of applicable health standards and protocols at the offsite dormitory, which is among the Covid-19 facilities for healthcare workers.