A four-story central processing and quarantine facility for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients was inaugurated in a simple ceremony recently at the sprawling 1Bataan Command Center compound in Orani, Bataan.
Governor Albert Garcia said the building, to be known as 1Bataan Mega Q, has a bed capacity of 300. Aside from the processing and quarantine facility, it has an isolation center.
“Sa Mega Q natin ipo-process ang mga kababayan nating overseas Filipino workers, locally stranded individuals na umuuwi para masiguradong walang dalang COVID-19 bago natin i-endorso sa kanilang mga mayor at mga municipal health officer at bago tuluyang makauwi sa kanilang tahanan (We will process our province mates, overseas Filipino workers, and locally stranded individuals who returned home in Mega Q to make sure they are not positive for COVID-19 before we endorse them to their mayors and municipal health officers and before finally returning home),“ Garcia said.
“Everyone will be safe this Christmas season where people are going home to their families.”
“Magiging safe ang bawat isa lalo na ngayong panahon ng Pasko na uwian ng mga tao sa kanilang pamilya (Everyone will be safe this Christmas season where people are going home to their families),” the mayor added.
He said the facility is spacious with an isolation center where those tested positive of the virus with mild and asymptomatic cases can stay for 10–14 days.
The facility is ideal because it will return the hotels and resorts the province borrowed to be used as quarantine facilities in the first months of this year as these need to reopen the economy, need to restore its businesses, and provide jobs for the people, Garcia added.
He said these facilities, including public schools, will now be returned to the owners and the Department of Education with the operation of the new facility.
“The Mega Q will take over the job to help make it a good fight against COVID-19 just in time for Christmas.”
“Ang Mega Q ang aako doon sa mga isasauling mga pasilidad para maayos itong laban against COVID-19 na tamang-tama magpa-Pasko. May babala ang Department of Health at Department of Interior and Local Government na baka tumaas na naman ang kaso ng COVID-19 dahil mag-uuwian ang mga kababayan nating nagtatrabaho sa ibang lugar (The Mega Q will take over the job to help make it a good fight against COVID-19 just in time for Christmas. The Department of Health and the Department of the Interior and Local Government have warned that the case of COVID-19 may rise again because our province mates who work elsewhere will return home),” Garcia said.
He reminded the Bataenos to observe the minimum health standards to prevent the possible surge of COVID-19 cases in the province.
“Let us take extra caution, be alert, and practice health protocols to prevent getting infected with COVID-19,” Garcia stressed.
Other attendees in the event were Second District Rep. Jose Enrique Garcia III, Vice Governor Crisanta Garcia, and mayors headed by Bataan League of Municipality president, Dinalupihan Mayor Maria Angela Garcia.