THE Ayala group on Wednesday said it completed the conversion of some portions of the World Trade Center (WTC) in Pasay City into a treatment facility for patients infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Together with Investment & Capital Corporation of the Philippines (ICCP) Group and Manila Exhibition Center Inc. (MEC), the group worked on the P46.4-million project to convert one of the Philippine’s largest events center into a temporary COVID-19 treatment facility.
The 9,700 square-meter space at WTC was retrofitted by Makati Development Corp., a unit of Ayala Land, Inc. It features 500 beds, examination rooms, nurses’ stations, doctors’ work areas, and medical staff quarters.
Ayala’s energy arm AC Energy Inc. donated 500 bed frames and pillows and committed to cover half of the facility’s electricity costs until May 31, 2020, while Manila Water Co., Inc. built 27 private cubicle shower areas for patients and 10 in a converted container van for medical workers.
Meanwhile, a unit of Filinvest Development Corp. (FDC) turned over 3,000 protective personal equipment (PPE) suits, 500 pieces of face shields and one ventilator to Cebu City government in part of its assistance to health workers in the city who are in the frontline in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The protective gear and ventilator were received by Mayor Edgardo C. Labella. The Gotianun-led company also pledged to donate PPEs to the government of Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental.
Currently, there are 25 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Cebu City, which is also under enhanced community quarantine since March 26.
The donations were done in part of the real estate company’s P100-million assistance to the government’s fight against COVID-19. — Adam J. Ang
