MANILA, Philippines — All 300 hotels in Metro Manila affiliated with the Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) are already fully booked and can no longer be converted into isolation facilities.
In a televised briefing Saturday, PHOA president Arthur Lopez said their hotels have already been turned into temporary lodging for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“Right now, all the hotels in the NCR are fully booked,” Lopez said.
“Why do I say fully booked? Because OWWA [Overseas Workers Welfare Administration)] has taken over these hotels for the OFWs that are returning back to the country. Wala na kaming maibigay na ibang hotel para gawing isolation facilities,” he added.
The Philippine College of Physicians earlier urged the government to convert hotels into isolation units for COVID-19 patients as new cases continue to overwhelm hospitals.
On Saturday, the government is expected to decide if it will extend or lift the enhanced community quarantine over Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna and Cavite.