Rizal Memorial Complex, PhilSports being readied to house COVID-19 patients

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has volunteered its facilities to decongest the growing number of cases in hospitals as the country braces for the worst in its fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Chair William Ramirez said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has sent its staff to survey the PhilSports Complex in Pasig City and are set to visit the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex (RMSC) in Manila this week.

“These are government facilities and we are already anticipating that it might come to a point that these can be used as options to decongest the hospitals,’’ said Ramirez, who already brought it up to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

With the help of the DPWH, Ramirez said they would assess how the different facilities inside PhilSports Complex and RMSC could be used in line with the requirements of the Department of Health.

“We have the space—newly renovated, fully air-conditioned with a steady water supply,’’ Ramirez said.

The RMSC and PhilSports are home to over a thousand athletes and coaches from various sports.

Majority of them have been asked to go home before the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine two weeks ago except for around 30 athletes and coaches, medical and administration staff assisting them and security personnel guarding the two complexes.Marc Velasco, PSC chief of staff and national training director, assured that the management committee of the PSC is already crafting plans to ensure that the remaining athletes and personnel are secured and isolated from the areas to be identified and taken over. INQ