DOT backs Rizal Park use as temporary medical facility

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has expressed its support for utilizing tourist sites, specifically Rizal Park, as temporary medical facilities to bolster the country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat stated that the DOT is honored to contribute its parks and public spaces to the national pandemic response.

A temporary Manila Mega Covid Field Hospital, with a capacity of at least 500 patients experiencing mild to moderate symptoms, will be constructed at the Burnham Green area of Rizal Park.

The DOT is requesting that the facilities be made accessible to residents outside of Manila, a proposal that was approved by Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso.

Additionally, the Quirino Grandstand has been approved as a location for a temporary drive-through vaccination center capable of serving 350 to 450 individuals daily.

The DOT hopes that this initiative will be emulated by other local government units across the country.