Tag: Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)

Muntinlupa City’s road clearing efforts earn positive remarks from DILG-NCR

Muntinlupa City’s road clearing efforts earn positive remarks from DILG-NCR

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Members of the regional validation team from the Department of the Interior and Local Government conducted a road clearing assessment in Muntinlupa and recognized the city’s efforts in maintaining cleared major and inner roads.

DILG-NCR Assistant Regional Director Atty. Analyn Baltazar-Cortez led the validation team with representatives from MMDA, DPWH, and NCRPO as they inspect ten (10) local roads yesterday.

ARD Cortez presented some major and minor obstructions observed by the team during their inspection and discussed recommendations for the local government’s consideration. She also lauded the visible effort to clear local roads and rehabilitate sidewalks in Muntinlupa.

“While we acknowledge that the maintenance of cleared roads is a challenging task, the efforts for road clearing is very noticeable. There is a roving vehicle for public announcement, traffic enforcers are highly visible on major intersections, and roads are generally clean and well maintained,” Cortez said.

The final rating will be released by the DILG upon completion of inspection visits in all Metro Manila local government units. Muntinlupa is the 13th LGU to be visited by the regional validation team.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi welcomed the recommendations from the DILG and ordered barangay chairmen to immediately resolve observed obstructions within their areas of jurisdiction. Fresnedi commits to continually support the National Government’s thrust in the clearing of all obstructions and rehabilitation of public roads.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (center) welcomes the DILG regional validation team led by DILG-NCR Assistant Regional Director Atty. Analyn Baltazar-Cortez (left of Fresnedi) during an exit conference yesterday. The validation team conducted an inspection to assess the local government’s road clearing efforts. ARD Cortez recognized the visible effort to clear local roads and rehabilitate sidewalks in Muntinlupa. The final rating will be released by the DILG upon completion of inspection visits in all Metro Manila local government units. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

In 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered clearing of obstructions on public roads and sidewalks, including the removal of illegal structures, illegally-parked vehicles, and illegal vending.

DILG reiterated the continuation of Road Clearing Operations through the issuance of MC 2020-145 mandating LGUs to remove road and sidewalk obstructions, craft and implement displacement plans, rehabilitate and maintain cleared roads, and create a grievance mechanism.

Under the Memorandum Circular, LGUs were enjoined to conduct road clearing operations from November 16, 2020 to January 15, 2021. It was later extended to February 15, 2021. 

The degree of implementation varies depending on the community quarantine status raised in the respective locality. For Muntinlupa, partial implementation of the road clearing’s continuation is expected as the city is under the General Community Quarantine.

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The above information was provided by the City Government of Muntinlupa for the purpose of public information and transparency. Some parts were edited for this website.

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

CREATE bill to boost Philippine economy by cutting corporate income tax and implementing incentives

CREATE bill to boost Philippine economy by cutting corporate income tax and implementing incentives

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Yesterday, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez announced that the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act is aimed to reduce the corporate income tax which should lead to creating more jobs as well as attracting investments.

Given the dramatic fall of the Philippine economy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CREATE bill could be the big solution to boost the economy and pave the way for recovery. For almost a year now, the said pandemic caused a lot of people to lose their jobs and much of their income. A lot of businesses closed down as well.

For your reference, here is a long excerpt of the news release about the said bill published via Philippine News Agency (PNA). Key words are highlighted in bold:

The recent bicameral approval of the game-changing CREATE Act can also provide a big boost to the National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS) Task Force chaired by the DTI and co-chaired by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which was signed last Feb. 5 by several agencies.  

“The landmark tax and incentives reform bill that we expect to be signed by the President is expected to bring in (a) massive inflow of investments that will create more jobs, especially as we focus efforts in the National Employment Recovery during this period of the pandemic and beyond. The passing of CREATE will firm up the tax and incentive reforms that will make the investment climate significantly more attractive than the current tax and incentive regime,” Lopez said in a statement.

He said the bill will certainly encourage more investments with the lowering of the corporate income taxes rate from 30 percent to 20 percent for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and 25 percent for large corporations.

“Modernizing the incentives system likewise makes the incentives such as income tax holiday (ITH), special corporate income tax rates (SCIT) or enhanced deductions (ED), available to industries considered strategic, critical or export oriented,” he added.

The Trade chief said the length of incentives, such as four to seven years of ITH plus five or 10 years of SCIT or ED, will depend on the nature of industry, export or domestic oriented, degree of technology and value adding, and geographical location, with additional years outside the Metro Manila and urban centers.

“There is also (a) longer transition period for those currently granted incentives. Thus, incentives are now made more performance-based, focused and timebound,” Lopez said.

CREATE is a bill certified urgent by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte upon the recommendation of the economic team led by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.

Lopez also thanked the legislators at the Senate and the House of Representatives, with Sen. Pia Cayetano and Rep. Joey Salceda, respectively, as principal authors, for the hard work of the committee members in bringing the CREATE bill to fruition.

“The passing of CREATE will unleash the growth potential of investments by removing uncertainties during the period that the bill was under deliberation,” Lopez said. “Based on our estimate and those from Cong. Joey Salceda, CREATE can bring in over PHP200 billion of new investments that can generate 1.4 (million) to 2 million incremental jobs.”

CREATE will help boost investments in the Philippines, which would support the 2021 target of the Board of Investments (BOI) of PHP1.25-trillion investment approvals.

A report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) had also estimated that the Philippines bucked the trend in Southeast Asia, and had increased its foreign direct investments (FDIs) during the pandemic by 29 percent last year.

Meanwhile, the NERS 2021-2023 is a medium-term plan anchored on the updated Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and ReCharge PH by expanding the Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan initiative and improving access and security of employment.

The strategy also takes into consideration the changes in the labor market brought about by the pandemic and the fast adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIRe) technologies.

“NERS shall also consolidate all measures, programs, and institutions that influence the demand and supply of labor, as well as the functioning of labor markets,” Lopez said.

Members of NERS Oversight Committee include the Departments of Transportation (DOTr), Tourism (DOT), Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Science and Technology (DOST), Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Agriculture (DA), Agrarian Reform (DAR), Interior and Local Government (DILG), Information and Communications Technology (DICT),  Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and National Security Council (NSC), as well as the Office of the Cabinet Secretary (OCS), Departments of Finance (DOF) and Budget and Management (DBM), and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III said: “This JMC (joint memorandum circular) will fortify our collective undertaking as a Task Force working to develop a policy environment that encourages the generation of more employment opportunities, improves employability and productivity of workers, and supports existing and emerging businesses.”

Lopez further stressed the importance of continuing with the calibrated and safe reopening of the economy to allow the country to regain the growth momentum that it had before the pandemic. 

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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City Government allocates P170-M for COVID-19 vaccine, taps StaySafe.PH app for contact tracing

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City Government allocates P170-M for COVID-19 vaccine, taps StaySafe.PH app for contact tracing

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In an effort to curb COVID-19 and help city residents recover in 2021, the City Government of Muntinlupa has allocated funds to procure COVID-19 vaccines and strengthened its contact tracing initiatives through StaySafe.PH app.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi announced during Muntinlupa’s 103rd Founding Anniversary that the City Government initially prepared 170 million pesos budget for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines for city residents.

He noted that while the National Government has a roll-out plan in place, the city will be allocating its own budget for the vaccination program to ensure all Muntinlupa residents will receive the vaccine. The City Health Office advises the public to continue observing minimum health protocols despite having the possibility of the vaccine roll-out in 2021.

Further, the City Government has also partnered with Staysafe.PH to implement a “No QR Code, No Entry Policy” in all establishments for mandatory contact tracing starting January 2021. Fresnedi approved City Ordinance No. 2020-181 mandating the installation and use of Staysafe.PH system as an automated contact tracing through the use of QR Codes in all commercial establishments, workplaces, churches, and government offices.

All residents and visitors who will enter, work, or do business in all indoor or enclosed public and private establishments in Muntinlupa shall be required to download the StaySafe.PH application and register to secure a unique QR Code which they can store on their phone or print for physical copy.

QR Codes for non-smartphone user registrants shall be generated by their respective barangays and shall be distributed to where the registrant resides.

Recently, the City Government has also inaugurated the city’s Molecular Laboratory and a new We Heal As One Center Isolation Facility in Filinvest, Alabang.

The Muntinlupa City Molecular Laboratory is now operational after its accreditation from the Department of Health in a bid to strengthen the local testing capacity and COVID-19 response efforts.

While the newly inaugurated 148-bed We Heal As One Center in Filinvest Tent Alabang is the city’s second Emergency Quarantine Facility constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways. The isolation facility is set to be managed by the Bureau of Fire Protection while the local government pledged to fund its utility charges.

As of December 22, Muntinlupa City has 42 active cases, 5,058 confirmed cases with 4,851 recoveries, 165 reported deaths, 30 suspect cases, and 248 probable cases.

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The above information was provided by the City Government of Muntinlupa for the purpose of public information and transparency. Some parts were edited for this website.

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Muntinlupa City inaugurates Molecular Lab, Isolation Facility on 103rd Founding Anniversary

Muntinlupa City inaugurates Molecular Lab, Isolation Facility on 103rd Founding Anniversary

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Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade and Mayor Jaime Fresnedi led the inauguration of the city’s Molecular Laboratory and We Heal As One Center Isolation Facility in Filinvest, Alabang in time with the celebration of Muntinlupa’s 103rd Founding Anniversary.

National and local government execs, along with other Filinvest officials, inspected the Molecular Laboratory in Ospital ng Muntinlupa and the148-bed Isolation Facility in Filinvest Tent Parking Area this past Saturday (December 19, 2020).

A 148-Emergency Quarantine Facility and Molecular Laboratory were inaugurated in Muntinlupa as part of the local 103rd Founding Anniversary. Attending the ceremony were (L-R) Filinvest Alabang Inc. vice president for townships Don Ubaldo, Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, Congressman Ruffy Biazon, and DOTr Sec. Arthur Tugade. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

Attending the ceremony were DPWH Bureau of Construction director Eric Ayapana,BFP Sr. Supt. Jose Edgar Balita, DOTr Usec Artemio Tuazon, Filinvest Alabang Inc. vice president for townships Don Ubaldo, Congressman Ruffy Biazon, Ospital ng Muntinlupa director Dr. Edwin Dimatatac, and City Heath Officer Dra. Teresa Tuliao.

The Muntinlupa City Molecular Laboratory is now operational after its accreditation from the Department of Health in a bid to strengthen the local testing capacity and COVID-19 response efforts.

Test results in the facility may be released within the day of the collection of swab samples. Under the approved pricing scheme, the RT-PCR swab test performed at the Muntinlupa Molecular Laboratory costs 3,800 pesos. Indigent admitted patients qualified in OsMun’s No Balance Billing scheme and patients with valid Philhealth coverage can avail discounted prices.

Swabbing of out-patient clients will be accommodated from Mondays to Fridays, except holiday, 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM. While the molecular laboratory will be open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays. All other request for in-patient and emergency request are subject to regular specimen collection.

Further, the newly inaugurated 148-bed We Heal As One Center in Filinvest Tent Alabang is the city’s second Emergency Quarantine Facility constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The isolation facility is set to be managed by the Bureau of Fire Protection while the City Government pledged to fund its utility charges.

Last October, DPWH Sec. Mark Villar, DOTr Sec. Tugade, and Mayor Fresnedi led the blessing ceremony of the 144-bed Emergency Quarantine Facility in Pacwood Site, Brgy. Tunasan.

The City Government of Muntinlupa is implementing a mandatory self-isolation policy, or admission to city isolation facilities if requirements for home quarantine are not met as certified by the City Health Office (CHO), for anyone who have undergone COVID-19 swab testing.

Fresnedi extended his gratitude to Sec. Tugade’s assistance for the construction of the COVID-19 facilities in the city which he noted as an augmentation to local efforts in curbing the virus.

Following the inauguration ceremony, a short event was held in Muntinlupa City Hall Quadrangle to recognize partner companies and individuals who have contributed to the local COVID-19 response and recovery initiatives.

This year’s awardees include ABS CBN Corporation (Lingkod Kapamilya), Christ’s Commission Fellowship (CCF) – Alabang, Filinvest Corporate City Foundation Inc., National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), San Miguel Foundation, Inc., Sytin Foundation Inc., Insular Foundation, Leonio Group Corporation, Jollibee Food Corporation, New Life Church Alabang, Engr. Rodante C. Corpuz, and Mr. Ben Tiu.

In his message, Mayor Jaime Fresnedi extended his thanks to the city’s partners for their generous donations to help Muntinlupeños recover from the challenges of the pandemic.

Further, Fresnedi announced that the City Government has initially prepared 170 million pesos budget for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine for Muntinlupa. He noted that while the National Government has a roll-out plan, the city will be allocating its own budget for the vaccination program to ensure all Muntinlupa residents will receive the vaccine.

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The above information and image were provided by the City Government of Muntinlupa for the purpose of public information and transparency. Some parts were edited for this website.

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa Molecular Lab to open next week, eyes processing of 100 COVID-19 tests per hour

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa Molecular Lab to open next week, eyes processing of 100 COVID-19 tests per hour

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In a bid to strengthen the local testing capacity and COVID-19 response efforts, the City Government of Muntinlupa announced it is set to open its own Molecular Laboratory in Ospital ng Muntinlupa (OsMun) which is expected to process one hundred tests per hour.

OsMun director Dr. Edwin Dimatatac reported to Mayor Jaime Fresnedi and Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade the status of the city’s Molecular Laboratory during a virtual meeting of the local COVID-19 Response Team last October 27.

Ospital ng Muntinlupa director Dr. Edwin Dimatatac (left) and Muntinlupa City Department of Disaster Resilience and Management chief Erwin Alfonso (center) inspect the Muntinlupa Molecular Laboratory located at SAGIP Building, near Ospital ng Muntinlupa, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

Dimatatac said that the delivery of medical equipment is expected to be finished by the end of this month and the laboratory will be operational next week. He noted that the laboratory can process 100 tests per hour and results may be released as early as six (6) hours. The hospital director noted that they are in close coordination with DOH for the laboratory’s accreditation.

Further, personnel to be assigned in the city’s Molecular Laboratory were already trained by the DOH and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM). The laboratory is located at the Saklolo at Gabay ng Ina at Pamilya (SAGIP) building near Ospital ng Muntinlupa in Alabang.

DOTr Sec. Tugade vowed to assist Muntinlupa for the accreditation of the laboratory. Tugade noted that Deputy Chief Implementer against COVID-19 Sec. Vince Dizon committed to donate one RT-PCR machine to Muntinlupa’s Molecular Laboratory once the accreditation is approved by the DOH.

A look at part of the equipment in the Molecular Laboratory. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

The additional equipment is set to double the laboratory’s capacity from 200 tests to 400 tests per day. Muntinlupa City aims to operate two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines at the laboratory which can process 500 to 900 samples a day.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi says the construction of the Molecular Laboratory will augment the city’s detection-isolation-treatment strategy in curbing COVID-19. He noted that while the City Health Office records improvement with COVID-19 cases, the City Government will not be lenient in implementing health protocols and other programs.

A sharp drop of active cases was recorded in Muntinlupa from 768 cases in September 1 to 69 cases as of October 26. The city’s recovery rate has further improved to 95.25%, an all-time high since the start of the pandemic.

Muntinlupa City also earned the lowest prevalence among Metro Manila cities with a rate of 0.13. The city’s prevalence rate or the number of cases over the total population is below the ‘acceptable rate’ of 1.0.

As of October 26, the doubling time in Muntinlupa City is at 17.94 days. Doubling time refers to the number of days for COVID-19 cases to double in number and the standard rate of transmission should be at 7-30 days to be considered decelerating.

The City Health Office has also launched a mobile swabbing testing in coordination with barangay health centers. As of October 26, the local health office facilitated 19,307 swab tests equivalent to 3.57% of the city’s population. Muntinlupa surpassed the national target of testing two percent of the population.

Recently, the 144-bed quarantine facility “We Heal As One” COVID-19 patients and suspect cases was inaugurated in Pacwood Site, Barangay Tunasan through the efforts of the Department of Public Works and Highways in partnership with the City Government.

DPWH Secetary Mark Villar, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade, and Mayor Jaime Fresnedi led the blessing ceremony of the emergency quarantine facility amounting to P45-million last October 13. During the program, Villar reported that an additional quarantine facility with 200-bed capacity will be constructed in the Filinvest Tent Parking Area.

Isolation Facility manager Dr. Juancho Bunyi said the We Heal As One Center in Tunasan is accommodating 22 COVID-19 cases (12 positive individuals and 10 probable cases) as of October 27. Occupants of the We Heal As One quarantine facility are given free medicine, food, and hygiene kits.

As of October 27, Muntinlupa City has 4,615 confirmed cases with 4,411 recoveries, 54 active cases, 150 reported deaths, 131 suspect cases, and 290 probable cases.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NOT to distorted views and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, engagements, commerce and updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Skyway 3 project completed

Skyway 3 project completed

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It is all out in the news here in the Philippines and it is the best piece of infrastructure and travel-related news for travelers, business stakeholders and other concern parties specifically here in Metro Manila and the communities outside its boundaries – San Miguel Corporation (SMC)’s president and chief operation officer (COO) Ramon S. Ang announced the completion of the Skyway 3 project (AKA Skyway Stage 3) which is almost eighteen kilometers long. Right now, they are working on completing the finishing touches before formally opening it to the public.

Personally, I am happy for their achievement!

A great view of a portion of Skyway Stage 3. (source – Mark Villar Facebook page)

For the newcomers reading this, the Skyway 3 project is composed of a 17.93 kilometer stretch that links the norther and southern parts of Luzon by means of a modern highway. More specifically, once the newly completed project finally opens, travel from the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) will take only twenty minutes which will be a major improvement from the average of 2-3 hours (without Skyway 3). It should be noted that the project was completed way before the October 31, 2020 target of completion.

“I’m happy to announce that the whole structure of Skyway 3 is now complete. With this, Skyway 2 in Buendia is now officially extended all the way to the North Luzon Expressway. After many challenges, this project faced in previous years, the dream of connecting north and south and providing an alternative to Edsa is now a reality,” Ang said in a press statement released on October 13.

As mentioned earlier, I am happy for the completion of Skyway 3 and soon it will finally be opened to public motorists (who can afford to pay the eventual toll fees). Each year for the past several years, I travel from Alabang to Clark and Subic Bay to attend important events. During those times, it was a struggle to move from south to north and back WITHOUT Skyway 3. The traffic along EDSA (which passes through different Metro Manila cities and on the maze of roads within the City of Manila were often bad, time-consuming and unpredictable.

Another stretch of Skyway Stage 3 over water. (source – Mark Villar Facebook page)

With Skyway Stage 3, travel between SLEX and NLEX will be much faster. It is stated in the press statement that travel from Magallanes to Balintawak will only take about 15 minutes, Balintawak to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) also only 15 minutes, and Valenzuela to Makati in just 10 minutes. As for people from the cities of Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque and even further south from Laguna province who need to travel to Subic Bay faster in the near future, imagine going north using the SLEX, then the Skyway (in the south) moving through the metropolis in quick fashion to reach the NLEX thanks to Skyway 3’s stretch and then take the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) to get to Subic Bay faster than ever before. Travelers from Cavite province will also benefit from the improved access and travel too since their province has highways that connect to the SLEX. Really, a lot of people, especially families business people who need to travel within Metro Manila and those who want to go further north or south will really benefit from the eventual operation of Skyway 3 not for just a year but in the years to come.

From this point on, watch out for SMC’s announcement of the formal opening of Skyway 3. Congratulations to SMC and their strategic partners for their accomplishment! Thank the Lord in Heaven also for making big dreams a reality!

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COVID-19 Crisis: New 144-bed ‘We Heal As One’ quarantine facility opens in Muntinlupa City

COVID-19 Crisis: New 144-bed ‘We Heal As One’ quarantine facility opens in Muntinlupa City

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A new “We Heal As One” quarantine facility for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients and suspect cases in Muntinlupa City was formally opened in Barangay Tunasan yesterday. The 144-bed quarantine facility has been constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways in partnership with the local government of Muntinlupa.

DPWH Secetary Mark Villar, Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, and Mayor Jaime Fresnedi led the blessing ceremony of the emergency quarantine facility amounting to P45-million in Pacwood Site, Brgy. Tunasan.

(L-R) DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, and DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade inspected the newly constructed “We Heal As One” isolation facility in Pacwood Site, Brgy. Tunasan last October 13. DPWH and Muntinlupa LGU have converted 36 units of shipping containers as isolation rooms for positive COVID-19 patients, suspect and probable cases, and quarters of medical frontliners who will serve in the facility. Each room has a comfort room, air-conditioning unit, and bed supplies. Residents who will occupy the isolation rooms will receive a COVID-19 essentials bag consisting of a hygiene kit, vitamins, medicine, thermometer, bedsheet, pillow blanket, and towels, among others. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

Fresnedi extended his gratitude to DPWH’s assistance for the construction of the additional isolation facility in the city which he notes as an augmentation in the local COVID-19 response efforts.

Also attending the ceremony were Office of Civil Defense Asec Hernando Caraig Jr., City Administrator Allan Cachuela, City Health Officer Dra. Teresa Tuliao, and CHO Isolation Facility Administrator Dr. Juancho Bunyi.

DPWH and Muntinlupa LGU have converted 36 units of shipping containers as isolation pods for positive COVID-19 patients, suspect and probable cases, and quarters of medical frontliners who will serve in the facility.

Each room has a comfort room, air-conditioning unit, and bed supplies. A wi-fi connection will also be installed in the facility. Residents who will occupy the isolation rooms will receive a COVID-19 essentials bag consisting of a hygiene kit, vitamins, medicine, thermometer, bedsheet, pillow blanket, and towels, among others.

The units.
Inside a unit.
A toiled and sink.

The City Government of Muntinlupa is implementing a mandatory self-isolation policy, or admission to city isolation facilities if requirements for home quarantine are not met as certified by the City Health Office (CHO), for anyone who have undergone COVID-19 swab testing.

The stringent measure aims to restrict movement of suspect cases and prevent possible carriers of the virus to travel and infect other individuals.

During the program, Public Works Sec. Villar reported that an additional quarantine facility with 200-bed capacity will be constructed in the Filinvest Tent Parking Area.

Transportation Sec. Tugade lauded the City Government’s hard work in executing surveillance, isolation, and treatment protocols, and its efforts towards the fight against COVID-19.

Further, he said that the city’s request for the opening of Susana Heights – MCX Access Road has been approved by the DPWH and DOTr and is expected to be accessible by December.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NOT to distorted views and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, engagements, commerce and updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

COVID-19 Crisis: DPWH to Set Up Las Piñas Isolation Facility

COVID-19 Crisis: DPWH to Set Up Las Piñas Isolation Facility

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Recently the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced that it will set up in with Las Piñas City a healthcare facility for COVID-19 patients. Already the DPWH headed by Secretary Mark Villar entered into memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Las Piñas City Mayor Imelda T. Aguilar.

Specifically, the MOA for the construction of 96-bed isolation facility was signed during the Coordinated Operations to Defeat Pandemic or CODE Team caravan in Las Piñas City spearheaded by Secretary Villar as the deputized Cabinet member assisting the City Government with the challenges in dealing with the health crisis.

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar. (source – DPWH Facebook page)
Las Piñas City Government officials led by Mayor Imelda Aguilar (seated, wearing black) with DPWH Secretary Viillar seated next to her. (source – DPWH Facebook page)

Secretary Villar has instructed Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, head of DPWH Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of National and Local Health Facilities, to fast track the construction of offsite isolation facility at Almanza so that those COVID patients and close contacts traced can quarantine or isolate when in doubt in the quarantine facility to prevent the further spread of infection.

In accordance with the national government’s strategy to intensify response measures, Undersecretary Sadain reported at the CODE Team Caravan that the DPWH Task Force will work towards completing the offsite isolation facility at Almanza by the end of September.

The DPWH Task Force has been supporting the national and local governments efforts against COVID 19 by spearheading the conversion of available spaces into makeshift hospital with bed cubicles and the setting up of modular healthcare facility nationwide.

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Latest Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, no distorted views and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

COVID-19 Crisis: Ospital ng Muntinlupa to offer e-consultation, construction of Molecular Lab in full-swing

COVID-19 Crisis: Ospital ng Muntinlupa to offer e-consultation, construction of Molecular Lab in full-swing

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In an attempt to minimize COVID-19 transmission through face-to-face consultations, the Ospital ng Muntinlupa (OsMun) officially launched its telemedicine services to cater to outpatients and non-emergency medical conditions.

OsMun director Dr. Edwin Dimatatac announced that the city hospital is now accepting appointments for its telemedicine services under the Internal Medicine Department starting September.

Dimatatac noted that Muntinlupa residents can now consult with doctors of OsMun in the comforts of their homes for free. Ospital ng Muntinlupa’s telehealth consultation is open from Mondays to Fridays, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

OsMun Internal Medicine Department requires patients to book an appointment via their Facebook Page (Ospital ng Muntinlupa – Department of Internal Medicine Telemedicine) and fill out some necessary forms. Patients are advised to strictly follow their appointment schedule.

Only non-emergency and non-life threatening medical conditions will be accommodated in the telehealth consultation service.

Further, the construction of the Molecular Laboratory in Ospital ng Muntinlupa is in full-swing and is expected to be operational in the coming weeks. OsMun has submitted its application to the Department of Health for the laboratory’s accreditation. Muntinlupa’s Molecular Laboratory is set to cater 200 COVID-19 tests per day.

Recently, Deputy Chief Implementer Against COVID-19 Sec. Dizon vowed to donate one RT-PCR machine to Muntinlupa’s Molecular Laboratory following its accreditation during the Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) Team’s Visit in the city last September 4. The additional equipment is set to double the laboratory’s capacity from 200 tests to 400 tests per day.

Further, the 128-room isolation facility in Pacwood Site, Brgy. Tunasan is set to be completed by the end of September. The construction of the quarantine facility is through the efforts of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi continues to urge city residents to refrain from going out unless necessary and to follow health protocols such as frequent hand-washing, physical distancing, wearing of face masks, proper cough etiquette, and other precautionary measures.

As of September 6, Muntinlupa City has 3,610 confirmed cases with 2,721 recoveries, 764 active cases, 125 reported deaths, 532 suspect cases, and 675 probable cases.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, no distorted views and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

COVID-19 Crisis: DOTr Sec. Tugade to donate one ambulance to Muntinlupa, coordinates with city execs for COVID-19 response and strategies

COVID-19 Crisis: DOTr Sec. Tugade to donate one ambulance to Muntinlupa, coordinates with city execs for COVID-19 response and strategies

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Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi in an online meeting with key officials. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

Department of Transportation secretary Arthur Tugade is set to donate an ambulance to Muntinlupa to be used for COVID-19 response efforts after being assigned in the city as an overseer by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Tugade said he will personally donate one ambulance to the City Health Office, in addition to five ambulances to be turned over by the Department of Health, during an online meeting with Mayor Jaime Fresnedi and other Muntinlupa execs last August 18.

Fresnedi extended his thanks to the transportation secretary and said that the ambulance will be used for the transportation of COVID-19 patients and other emergency response activities.

Muntinlupa City officials have updated Sec. Tugade on local initiatives for testing, tracing, and treatment such as the construction of the city’s molecular laboratory, testing efforts, construction of additional isolation facilities, and contact tracing. As of August 18, Muntinlupa City has conducted 11,770 PCR COVID-19 tests and 8,600 rapid tests.

Ospital ng Muntinlupa (OsMun) director Dr. Edwin Dimatatac reported that as of August 5, OsMun has 171 admitted patients for its 203 bed-capacity. He noted that for their COVID-19 dedicated ward with 66 beds, 61 are already occupied. While, there are 17 occupancy for its 54-bed capacity Quarantine Tent.

The City Government of Muntinlupa has partnered with the Department of Public Works and Highways for the construction of an additional isolation facility in Pacwood Site, Brgy. Tunasan with 128-bed capacity.

For contact tracing, Muntinlupa has mobilized 17 teams consisting of 2-3 health workers per team to contact trace 15-17 contacts per confirmed case. Further, Muntinlupa Traffic and Management Bureau chief Danidon Nolasco appealed for the utilization of e-tricycles from the Department of Energy (DOE) for COVID-19 response.

Nolasco said the City Government was instructed to lease the units to tricycle operators as part of a memorandum of agreement with DOE. He noted that the arrangement with TODAs were not materialized.

Sec. Tugade vowed to coordinate the concerns raised by Muntinlupa officials to the IATF and help in operationalizing national government services in the city.

Recently, cabinet members were assigned to Metro Manila cities and other provinces with high community transmission to strictly monitor health system performance, critical care capacity, and stringent compliance to surveillance, isolation, and treatment protocols.

Muntinlupa City has 2,522 confirmed cases with 1,601 recoveries, 823 active cases, 98 reported deaths, 1,011 suspect cases, and 775 probable cases as of August 17.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release.

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation,NO to plagiarists, no distorted views and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.