BAGUIO CITY – One of the oldest and historic institutions here will be used as a quarantine center for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) starting April 16.
The Teachers' Camp will be used by returning OFWs as quarantine center before they are allowed to return to their respective villages or provinces in the region.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong announced on Wednesday, based on the report of City Administrator Bonifacio dela Peña who led the city's team in finalizing the details of the deal with Teachers Camp administrators.
Dela Peña said guidelines for the quarantine facility had been finalized by the City Health Services Office.
"Manpower and logistics requirements are now in place and were agreed upon by representatives from Baguio, Benguet, and Mt. Province," he said.
Dela Peña added that the city will sign a memorandum of agreement with the camp administrators.
Under the agreement, the city can initially use 129 beds of the facility.
The mayor last April 13 issued the guidelines for the mandatory quarantine of returning OFWs to the city subject to the requirement of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
Among the city's requisites is the submission of a Health Declaration Form which they can fill up online at http://hdf.baguio.gov.ph/.
3 facilities ready for occupancy
With the addition of Teachers' Camp, the city now has three coronavirus disease (Covid-19) containment centers.
Dr. Ricardo Runez Jr. medical chief of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center said the Lindi Hotel on Legarda Road serves as isolation facility for persons under investigation or those now classified as suspects or probable cases. It is being operated with the supervision of the BGHMC.
The old Sto. Niño Hospital which has been refurbished and opened on April 14 has just been completed as a quarantine site for dialysis patients and later as a reserve critical care unit for Covid-19 patients. Its operation will be directly under the group of Dr. Paul Adlai Quitiquit, medical chief of SLU hospital. Its staff will be jointly collaborated by the two facilities.
“But in case the number of patients grows, hopefully not, the facility is ready,” said dela Pena of the Sto. Niño facility.
“Everything is usable, the transformers were changed… everything is working,” he added.
He said that there are 37 regular rooms with 10 rooms for critical cases or a total of 47 rooms ready to be used.
Meanwhile, Magalong has lifted the lockdown on Barangay T. Alonzo as the wife of the 77-year-old Covid-19 confirmed patient tested negative for the virus.
Update on cases
Barangays Pacdal and Woodsgate Subdivision in Camp 7 where the two latest infected persons, the 77-year-old stroke patient and a 33-year-old male nurse from BGHMC, reside remain sealed off.
Two other barangays have been locked down earlier Scout Barrio and Lower Dagsian where the 46-year-old female street sweeper Covid-19 patient who tested positive last April 11 works and lives.
Meanwhile, two male Philippine National Police personnel who live in Baguio but were assigned in the National Capital Region starting March were confirmed Covid-19 patients, upping the city’s case to 19.
The first is a 30-year-old policeman from Pinget and a 51-year-old cop from Upper Quezon Hill who were assigned as front-liners in Metro Manila.
Cordillera has a total of 25 Covid-19 cases, 19 from Baguio and three each from Abra and Benguet.
In Baguio, 12 Covid-19 patients have been discharged with only one death, while four are still confined.
Abra has one recovered patient, while the remaining two are still under the care of BGHMC health care workers.
All of Benguet’s Covid-19 cases have been sent home after testing negative for the virus. (PNA)
