Villar’s work continues even on last day as DPWH chief, checks mega COVID hospital in Mandaluyong City

Photo from DPWH

MANILA, Philippines — Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark A. Villar on Tuesday – his last day as head of the agency – led the inspection of the ongoing mega-hospital project for COVID-19 patients in Mandaluyong City.

The inspection on the ongoing mega-hospital project by the DPWH head and isolation czar is his last project visit as he stepped down from the post he held for over five years.

“This will be my last project inspection and I want to make sure that this facility will bring relief to hospitals in Metro Manila, including Southern and Northern Tagalog very soon, with more than a hundred capacity,” he said.

DPWH is fast-tracking the construction of the mega-hospital inside the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) which would cater to severe COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region and neighboring provinces from Calabarzon and Central Luzon.

Photo from DPWH

Photo from DPWH

Citing a report from DPWH Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, head of the agency’s Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of Local/National Health Facility, Villar said that the facility will have a total bed capacity of 132. Its turnover to the Department of Health will be by the end of this month.

Four of the six modular hospital units, each with 22 rooms, were already completed. Two units were being fast-tracked for opening in the following months.

“With the completion of additional hospital facility, we will be able to accommodate more severe cases of COVID-19, and ease burden from healthcare workers,” Villar said.

Villar was joined in the inspection by Sadain, NCMH Medical Center Chief Dr. Noel V. Reyes, DPWH NCR Director Eric Ayapana, Bureau of Construction Director Aristarco Doroy of the DPWH Task Force, Assistant District Engineer Lamberto De Leon, Planning Section Chief Elino Castro, and Construction Section Chief Eduardo Del Rosario of DPWH Metro Manila 1st District Engineering Office.

Photo from DPWH

Also present were project contractors Al Tengco of Nationstar Development Corporation and Erwin Torrefiel of Technoshine Trading International.

Other than the mega-hospital, DPWH has earlier completed two cluster units of off-site dormitories for medical frontliners each with 24 fully air-conditioned rooms and double decker beds with toilet and bath to accommodate 96 people.

The dormitories were turned over last September and utilized by medical frontliners of NCMH.