COVID-19 recovery center for PRO-7 cops opens in Brgy Taptap

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella (seated, middle wearing white) arrived at the Malasakit Recovery Center in Barangay Taptap, Cebu City this afternoon, May 29, 2020, to inspect the new isolation facility for the region’s COVID-19 infected policemen. | CDND Photos

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The region’s policemen, who are positive of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), will be transferred to the Malasakit Recovery Center located in the City Resources Management and Development Center (Cremdec) compound in Barangay Taptap, Cebu City.

Police Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro, director of Police Regional Office in the Visayas (PRO-7), said the recovery center can accommodate between 30 to 47 PRO-7 personnel who are COVID-19 positive.

According to Ferro, COVID-19 positive PRO-7 policemen, who are currently undergoing quarantine in an isolation center in one of the public schools in Cebu City, will be transferred to the facility this weekend.

“Our doctors are already here, we just have to finish other things we need here, and then maybe this weekend we can transfer our men,” said Ferro.

Ferro together with Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella; Mike Pato, deputy officer of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV); and Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, chief of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO); inspected the area and held a blessing ceremony this afternoon.

Read: Cebu City cops who tested positive for COVID-19 in good health

“The location is ideal for healing with abundant fresh air and peaceful environment,” said Ferro.

He said that the Philippine National Police (PNP) organization have been preparing to better take care of their personnel considering the nature of their jobs that require exposure to the public.

Ferro said that with the rising COVID-19 cases in Cebu City, it would also be best that PRO-7 also has its own isolation facility.

However, he said that their recovery center will also be open to the other frontliners who would need an isolation center to recover.

Labella who delivered a short speech during the facility’s blessing, assured Ferro that the city government will be helping out with the needs of the COVID-19 positive policemen under CCPO.

As of today, there are 34 COVID-19 positive CCPO cops currently quarantined at the Don Vicente Memorial High School. /rcg