Former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson announced Monday, April 20, the completion of a joint project with the Lopez Group and The Medical City to retrofit Singson’s MetroTent Convention Center in Pasig City into a temporary home for TMC employees fighting the spread of COVID-19.
“Masaya ako at nakatulong tayo mabigyan ng lunas ang problema ng marami nating bayani sa TMC na nahihirapan mag-commute papasok sa TMC at pauwi ng kabahayan nila dahil sa kawalan ng public transport sa panahon ng ECQ [Enhanced Community Quarantine],” Singson said.
Singson has partnered with Lopez company First Philippine Holdings Corp., with help from FPH’s construction arm First Balfour, to retrofit MetroTent in Ortigas Center, Pasig, into a 120-bed temporary shelter for employees of TMC, a hospital also in Pasig just a few hundred meters away from the MetroTent.
After First Balfour completed the retrofitting last Saturday, 18 April, Singson turned over MetroTent to the management of TMC, which in turn put in place its own anti-COVID-19 protocols to assure the safety of its medical frontliners who are temporarily housed there.
Singson added: ““MetroTent is now ready to serve as shelter for the TMC employees. Huwag na nating problemahin ang upa sa MetroTent dahil libre ko itong pinapaubaya sa TMC habang meron ECQ.
“Kulang pa nga itong alok ko upang matumbasan ang kabayanihan ng mga empleyado ng TMC na sinusugal ang mga buhay nila sa paggamot ng mga pasyenteng tinamaan ng malakas makahawang sakit na COVID-19.
“This is also my response doon sa alok ng isa pa nating kapitbahay, ang FPH ng Lopez Group, na siyang lumapit at nag-kusang loob na sagutin ang gastos sa retrofitting ng MetroTent.
“My commendation also goes to FPH subsidiaries First Gen Corporation and Energy Development Corporation, which shared the cost not only of MetroTent’s retrofitting, but also the cost of providing food and even free wifi for the TMC employees there” Singson remarked.
While at MetroTent, the TMC employees can stay in touch online with loved ones and colleagues through an internet service provided by Sky Cable, another Lopez Group company.
First Balfour provided mattresses, pillows and blankets spread in rows over the cavernous floor of MetroTent for TMC male employees. Female employees can stay in individual tents set up by First Balfour also within MetroTent.