The Department of Public Works and Highways 6 (DPWH-6) turned over to the Bacolod City government yesterday morning the 32 additional isolation rooms it built in the city’s Barangay Alijis for COVID-19 patients.

Leading the ceremonial turnover were DPWH-6 regional director Engr. Lea Delfinado, Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Bacolod City Rep. Greg Gasataya.

This now completes the 64-room facility that the DPWH constructed for the city. The 50-million facility is located in what used to be the plant nursery of the City Agriculture Office.

Leonardia had lobbied for the 64 isolation rooms last year with DPWH Secretary Mark Villar. It was favorably endorsed by DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain and Delfinado.

“We are deeply grateful to Secretary Villar, USec. Sadain, and RD Delfinado. This additional facility will further strengthen our position in this continuing fight against COVID-19. This is coordination and teamwork among government agencies and officials at its best,” Leonardia said.

The first 32 isolation rooms, costing P25 million, were constructed from August 14 to October 15, 2020 and were turned over to the city on October 30, 2020. Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon, deputy chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, who is also Malacañang’s “chief testing czar,” led the inauguration.

The 32 additional isolation rooms, also costing P25 million, were constructed from December 29, 2020 to March 12, 2021.

The whole project has four container-type isolation sets. Each set comes with 16 rooms furnished with individual air conditioners and comfort rooms, a nurse’s station, a utility room, separate medical staff quarters with comfort rooms for male and female, sanitation area, water tanks, and standby generator./WDJ