Sen. Binay suggests converting sports facilities into quarantine centers

Senator Nancy Binay has proposed that the Department of Health (DOH) consider converting sports facilities like the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex (RSMC) into quarantine centers for patients under investigation (PUIs) for COVID-19.

Binay suggested that these complexes could serve as controlled environments for PUIs while awaiting test results, preventing them from returning home and potentially spreading the virus.

She highlighted that the RSMC, with its various facilities and dormitories, could help decongest hospitals that are nearing or have exceeded their bed capacity.

The senator emphasized the need for proactive interventions to isolate PUIs and persons under monitoring (PUMs) from the general population, given the projected increase in cases.

Binay also recommended that provincial governments evaluate the suitability of sports complexes or small hotels in their areas to serve as quarantine facilities, provided they meet health and medical standards.

She cited the example of Albay, where a hotel was repurposed as a quarantine center, and noted that other local government units (LGUs) have also established similar halfway facilities.

According to Binay, proactive strategies from LGUs, including the creation of controlled clearing houses, can help minimize community transmissions and ensure public health and safety during the health emergency.