P50M NOAH Complex almost complete – Guardo

The first hall of the NOAH Complex at the South Road Properties in Cebu City is now complete. | Photo Courtesy of Jerry Guardo

CEBU CITY, Philippines –The establishment of a P50 million quarantine facility at the South Road Properties (SRP) is now ongoing and is expected to be complete in the next two weeks.

“I will be glad to report to the council [during our session] later [today] that the construction is going fast and going well,” said Councilor Jerry Guardo, the chairperson for the committee on infrastructure.

Vice Mayor Michael Rama has tasked several councilors including Guardo to oversee implementation of the P50 million project that will soon accommodate asymptomatic coronavirus patients who can no longer be accommodated at the Barangay Isolation Centers (BICs) that are located in public elementary schools in the city.

The Department of Education has already informed the Cebu City government of their desire to already take back classrooms that were used as BICs after June 15 because of their need to also prepare for the opening of classes in August.

Read: Enrollment in public schools to proceed on June 1, says Palace

Anticipating the need for alternative isolation facilities, Council members agreed to allocate P50 million for the development of the New Normal Oasis for Adaptation and a Home (NOAH) Complex at the old Bigfoot Studio at the SRP.

The complex is expected to accommodate at least 9,000 asymptomatic COVID-19 patients coming from south district barangays.

City Hall’s NOAH Complex is in addition to the still unused quarantine facility that is now located at Block 27 at the North Reclamation Area in Barangay Mabolo.

Read: Cebu City Council approves P50M for quarantine center at SRP

The 50 million facility is also designed to accommodate asymptomatic patients coming from barangays in the city’s north district.

The NOAH complex is a joint project of the City Council spearheaded by Rama with the private sectors such as SM, Metro Pacific, Robinson’s, Filinvest, Cebu Medical Society, Oasis of Love, VECO, Philippine Water and others.

Read: Gealon defends Cebu City Quarantine Center, says facility is ready to accommodate patients

Guardo who went to visit the NOAH Complex earlier today, May 27, 2020, said that ongoing renovation works at the Big Foot Studio will be complete in the next two weeks.

He said that the first hall of the complex is now complete. Renovation works are now focused to already complete the second hall.

Each of the halls was subdivided into quarters to give privacy to its occupants.  The complex will also have a mess hall and a designated area for volunteers and health workers.

The road that leads to the city’s NOAH Complex was already paved to make the area more accessible. / dcb