DPWH begins conversion of Filinvest Tent in Alabang into COVID-19 facility

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has started the conversion of the Filinvest Tent in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, into a COVID-19 health facility.

The Filinvest Tent, a 2,000 square meter events place, will be redesigned to equip into a makeshift hospital with 108 beds, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said in a release on Thursday. The DPWH set the target completion date as May 7 or earlier.

Villar noted that the Filinvest Development Corp. would sponsor all construction materials for the quarantine facility while the construction firm EEI Corp. will provide manpower.

The Manuel Villar-led Villar Group of Companies, the EEI Corp. and the DPWH were able to complete the conversion of the Philippine International Conversion Center (PICC) Forum Halls into a ‘We Heal As One Center’ in seven days. It was turned over to the Philippine National Police Medical Corps. on April 15.

Just prior to the start of the conversion of the Filinvest Tent, the Villar group and the DPWH completed the conversion of the Philippine Institute of Sports Multi-Purpose Arena or ULTRA stadium in Pasig City into a 132-bed quarantine facility in three days.

The said venues are among the large-scale venues chosen by the government to be used as makeshift quarantine sites for the treatment and health monitoring of COVID-19 patients.

Villar said the site was chosen for its accessibility to major thoroughfares in the south of Metro Manila as major entry and exit points only a few minutes away from Makati through SLEX or Skyway.
“Just like the rest of the DPWH-completed isolation sites, Filinvest ‘We Heal as One Center’ will be fully-air-conditioned and complete with necessary facilities,” the DPWH chief noted.