South Road Properties (SRP) CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Council has approved a P50 million project to set up a quarantine center at the South Road Properties (SRP).
Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama delivered a privilege speech presenting the project to the council that would involve the transformation of Bigfoot Studios in the SRP, a privately-owned structure standing on a property owned by the city government, to a quarantine center for asymptomatic patients of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The center would be called New Normal Oasis for Adaptation and a Home (NOAH) Complex and will “serve as a haven to 9,432 people found positive of COVID-19 but asymptomatic.”
Rama emphasized the facility should be more than enough to contain the number of patients from the city’s south district, since most of the current quarantine centers are found in the north district, including the Bayanihan Quarantine Center, Cebu City Quarantine Center, and the IEC Pavillion.
“NOAH’s complex shall also seek to develop psycho-social support and develop community cooperation to help the beneficiaries recover holistically in their isolation and equip them with the right information, education, and communication to protect themselves when they go back to their communities,” said Rama.
The vice mayor also revealed that the NOAH’s complex is a joint project of the city with the private sectors such as SM, Metro Pacific, Robinson’s, Filinvest, Cebu Medical Society, Oasis of Love, VECO, Philippine Water and others.
“We cannot let the infected stay and risk the rest of the communities,” said Rama.
The Council approved the project because of the need for more isolation centers in the city following the surge of cases in southern barangays like Mambaling with over 600 cases and Labangon with over 100 cases.
The P50 million will be appropriated for the putting up of beds, mess hall, equipment, and showers for the patients. This would also cover the food of the patients and volunteers working in the center. /bmjo